Villages around the Ribble Valley

SABDEN

On the fringe of Pendle Forest, Sabden is set beneath the impressive bulk of Pendle Hill. This is the site of Pendle Ski Club's dry slopes, where tuition is available to visitors (by appointments only on 01254 822347). Pendle Hill itself is where George Fox, founder of the Quakers, had a vision, which led to the foundation of that movement. The local handloom weavers of old were said to weave parkin using oatmeal as the warp and treacle as the weft! Pendle Antique Centre is a popular attraction. Housed in an old mill the centre has a constantly changing stock of Antique Furniture and bric-a-brac from British and European sources, most of which are refurbished on the premises.

SAWLEY

The ruins of Sawley Abbey , a Cistercian establishment founded in 1147 by William de Percy, dominates this tranquil spot. Homes and cottages straddle the road through to the river. A popular hostelry overlooks the Ribble making this village a popular choice for discerning diners.

SLAIDBURN

Slaidburn is a picturesque grey stone village set on the banks of the Hodder in the moorland region of the Forest of Bowland. The 10th century 'Angel Stone' carving can be seen at Slaidburn Heritage Centre. The centre provides tourist information and houses displays, artifacts and an audio-visual presentation about the village's heritage and the Forest of Bowland. The church of St. Andrew is mostly fifteenth century but has a history that can be traced back over ten centuries. Here you can see an 18th century three-decker pulpit complete with fringed cushions, massive ancient doors, a Jacobean chancel screen and unusual undisturbed Georgian box-pews which still retain the makers adze marks. Much of the woodwork is seventeenth century.

The Hark to Bounty Inn still houses the Halmote Courtroom of the Forest of Bowland, thought to have been used by Cromwell and still in use into the 1930s (it is not the original courtroom). Nearby is a well-established village pottery, and a village shop with a range of gemstones. Just out of the village a range of hand painted pottery and crafts are to be found at Myttons Farm Crafts. Fishing can be enjoyed in fine surroundings at the nearby Stocks Moor reservoir. Visit Slaidburn's own website which includes the 'Villager Magazine'.

TOSSIDE

On the edge of the Forest of Bowland , half in Lancashire and half in Yorkshire, Tosside may be some way from the main visitor centre, but is nevertheless well worth a visit. The Gisburn Forest features cycle trails and good footpaths to suit every ability. United Utilities have recently opened a footpath circling the Stocks Reservoir. There is ample car parking provided for visitors. St Bartholomew's church dates back to 1694 and features a 17th Century octagonal font made of stone from the Forest of Bowland and a Jacobean pulpit dated 1701.

WADDINGTON

Its babbling brook and the beautiful Coronation Gardens have earned this village the title of 'Best Kept Village in Lancashire' on many occasions. King Henry VI (Henry the Good) lived for 12 months at Waddington Hall before being betrayed to the Yorkists in 1465. He escaped via a secret panel and staircase from the dining room but was captured down river at Brungerley Bridge on the outskirts of Clitheroe. The Almshouses in the village were originally built in the 1700s, and then rebuilt on their present location around the green. Robert Parker founded them for the widows of local dalesmen and farmers.

WHALLEY

An attractive village, with interesting shops and galleries, where old cottages rub shoulders with Tudor and Georgian buildings along the main street. Whalley is famous for its church and Abbey. Whalley Abbey was a large and important Cistercian Monastery. It was moved here in 1296 from Stanlow in Cheshire, when Abbot Gregory of Norbury and 20 monks arrived. Serious construction began on the site about 1320. The ruins of the Abbey are now open to the public and are protected as an important Ancient Monument.

There is thought to have been a wooden church in Whalley as early as 600. Today's parish Church is famous for its pre-conquest crosses and beautiful interior. Completed in 1852 the nearby railway viaduct was a triumph of Victorian engineering; the 49 arches are constructed from red bricks hand-made on site. Whalley is notable in cricket history as being the location of the first 'Roses' cricket match held between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

WHITEWELL

Known locally as 'Little Switzerland', where the river Hodder winds its way along the wooded valley. A church, an Inn and a few cottages grace this very attractive spot. Cave dwellers lived here around 1000 BC and Middle Bronze Age relics were found in the 'Fairy Holes' cave a few years ago. Roman remains have also been found in the area and a long straight roman road over the valley is still partly in use. The manor, now known as the "The Inn at Whitewell", used to be the location for a thriving market, which was held on the forecourt. The Inn, situated on the banks of the River Hodder, has the rights to six miles of the river's best fishing.

WISWELL

A small village on the edge of Whalley and home to another popular inn, Wiswell is said to have taken its name from Old Molly's Well, later known as the wise woman's well. The first record of Wiswell is in a charter of 1193, in the reign of Richard the First. The village's most famous resident was the last Abbot of Whalley, John Paslew, who came to a sticky end in 1537 for providing help to participants in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a northern protest against the policies of Henry VIII.

WORSTON

A village seemingly far removed form the nearby A59. Worston is a peaceful place with one street and a welcoming hostelry and many links to the past. A pre-historic burial ground was found on Worsaw Hill. In 1778, workmen widening the road to Chatburn found 1,000 Roman silver Denarii. Fragments of the ancient Sawley Abbey were incorporated into the building of Worston Hall. In a small meadow behind the main street are the remains of a bullring, where the stone and bronze ring to which the bull was tethered can still be found.