Hurst Green, Lancashire

Hurst Green
Hurst Green  Hurst Green shown within Lancashire
OS grid reference	SD684379
Civil parish	Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley
District	Ribble Valley
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CLITHEROE
Postcode district	BB7
Dialling code	01254
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Ribble Valley
List of places UK England Lancashire

Cromwell's Bridge, on the River Hodder near Hurst Green

Hurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College. The village is 5 miles (8 km) from Longridge and 4 miles (6 km) from Clitheroe, and is close to the River Ribble, near its junction with the River Hodder.

History

With the founding of Stonyhurst Hall, by Richard Shireburn in 1592, the hamlet of Hurst Green (about a mile away) began to develop, as often happens with the building of Manor Houses. The hamlet’s development continued, once the College was founded in 1794, and by the early 20th century, the village was about the size it is now (approximately 500 residents).

There is a distinctive war memorial to World Wars I and II bearing the names of the soldiers who died from the area. This is situated near the village 'green'. At the other side of the green stands the prominent St Peter's Guild Club, a catholic social club which has existed for well over 200 years.

Shireburn donated the impressive and distinctive Alms Houses to the village. These Alms Houses were originally based on Longridge Fell but moved to Avenue Road.

The presence of at least two old bobbin mills bear witness to the cottage-industry that was once here. However, this is a community that mainly thrives on farming and tourism - with some people working at the local college and many more commuting to local towns.

In the 1970s the village had three shops, but these have gone over the last few years and Hurst Green now has no shops, but there remains a thriving sense of community, often centred around the large village hall, the churches of St. Peter's Catholic Church at Stonyhurst College, the Anglican church of St. John The Evangelist, the pubs, St Peter's Club, and the football club.

Schools

In the village is St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School. Like Stonyhurst College the school has a strong Jesuit tradition, was founded by Richard Shireburn and is helped by the Diocese of Salford.^[1] The school normally provides pupils for St Augustine's RC High School and St. Cecilia's High School in Longridge. The primary school teaches boys and girls from the ages of 5 to 11 years old. Within it is a Pre-School that takes children from the ages of 3 to 5 years old. It is reputed to be the oldest and smallest Jesuit school in the UK.^[2]

Hotels and public houses

The village has a number of hotels and public houses, partly to cater for the large number of visitors.

Public Houses

• Punchbowl Inn - closed in 2011 after having been a pub, Indian restaurant and then a pub again.
• Bayley Arms (named after a local family)
• Shireburn Arms (named after the Shireburn family who built and lived at Stonyhurst)
• Eagle & Child (named after the Eagle towers of Stonyhurst College)

Hotels

• Punchbowl Inn
• Bayley Arms
• Shireburn Arms
• Numerous Bed & Breakfasts

Famous people from Hurst Green

Will Greenwood - England World Cup winning Rugby Union Player was brought up on Smithy Row, Hurst Green, by Sue and Dick Greenwood, the latter also an England Rugby international.^[3]

Transport links

For a small rural village, the bus service remains good, connecting Hurst Green to both Longridge and Clitheroe, running in each direction approximately 7 times a day, at two hourly intervals, as at summer 2011.^[4]

See also

• Stonyhurst College

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hurst Green, Lancashire.

• Hurst Green walk
• Hurst Green website