Wigan’s pub scene is a proper mix of old and new. Places like Wigan Central, The Three Mills, and The Swan & Railway nod to the town’s railway and industrial past while serving quality ales. Th…| Micropub Adventures
The vast tidal estuary of Morecambe Bay is one of the most significant sites for birdlife in the British Isles, supporting over 240,000 birds annually. Among its most iconic avian visitors is the Knot, Calidris canutus, a small, stocky wading bird known for its remarkable migrations and mesmerising flock displays. A holarctic species, breeding inContinue reading "The Knots of Morecambe Bay"| Northwest Nature and History
Part of a Collection of Articles looking at the Communities of the Hodder Valley The story of Dunnow Hall begins in the late 11th century, when the Manor of Slaidburn became part of the Lordship of Bowland, a vast Royal Forest and Liberty spanning nearly 300 square miles across the historic borders of Lancashire andContinue reading "The History of Dunnow Hall"| Northwest Nature and History
Here are some shots from Padiham on Parade 2025, we only had time for a flying visit so missed the main events and a lot of people had gone home by this time. To learn more about Padiham Town Hall see here: Padiham Town Hall For some shots of Padiham on Parade 2024 and 2023Continue reading "Padiham on Parade 2025"| Northwest Nature and History
Common Honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum, also known as Woodbine, is one of those plants that easily goes unnoticed until it bursts into flower, filling the air with a heady, sweet perfume that draws you in as you pass. Twisting and twining its way through our hedgerows, these tubular blooms shift from creamy white to yellowish-pink throughContinue reading "Common Honeysuckle"| Northwest Nature and History
The view North East from the castle, with the spire of St. Mary Magdalene’s to the left Old Clitheroe There’s a spot in Old England that’s still dear to me, On the banks of the Ribble t…| Northwest Nature and History
Two chilling legends linked to St Edmund Arrowsmith reveal a story of martyrdom, miracles, and murder in Lancashire’s haunted past, writes RACHAEL ELIZABETH| Spooky Manchester
We left Rochdale in last week’s post contemplating the failure of its Ashfield Valley Estate, completed in 1968 and all …Continue reading →| Municipal Dreams
Although Rochdale had built on a large scale in the interwar period, as we saw in last week’s post, and …Continue reading →| Municipal Dreams
Rochdale Town Hall, completed in 1871 and recently restored to its founding glory, is a municipal dream in itself – …Continue reading →| Municipal Dreams
Last week, we left Wigan, in the closing months of the First World War, anticipating peace and the desperately needed housebuilding programme pledged to follow. By November 1918, Prime Minister Llo…| Municipal Dreams
On the main road just round the corner from Lancaster railway station is the Quaker Meeting House established in 1677. Although it was extended and remodelled over time parts of the original buildi…| Life In The Mouse House
The builders called the police on August 15 after uncovering bones at a site in Cleveland Road, Lytham.| Metro
Full scholarships on offer for two students with ‘Unlock Your Greatness’| Employer News
Hairy vetch, Vicia villosa, commonly known as Fodder vetch, is a vibrantly coloured and highly adaptable wildflower belonging to the Fabaceae family, which includes peas, beans, and other legumes. Native to the British isles and found in a wide array of habitats the plant typically grows as a climbing or scrambling herbaceous perennial, reaching heightsContinue reading "Hairy Vetch, Vicia villosa"| Northwest Nature and History
The heather beetle, Lochmaea suturalis, is a small, unassuming olive-brown leaf beetle measuring about 6mm, and it has long been a part of our moorland ecosystems. While unremarkable in appearance, this native insect can wreak havoc when its populations surge, causing devastating outbreaks that threaten heather moorlands, their biodiversity, and the communities that depend onContinue reading "Heather Beetle Outbreaks"| Northwest Nature and History
Part of a Series of Notes about Dunsop Bridge and other Hodder Valley Communities At the heart of Great Britain, in the centre of the Forest of Bowland, sits the pretty, well-kept village of Dunsop…| Northwest Nature and History
BECKY KEANE looks at some of the most haunted sites in Lancaster, the county town of Lancashire| Spooky Isles
Two chilling legends linked to St Edmund Arrowsmith reveal a story of martyrdom, miracles, and murder in Lancashire’s haunted past, writes RACHAEL ELIZABETH| Spooky Isles
A very hot day just a couple of weeks ago saw me back on the Lancaster Canal, this time with my friends Louise and Alan on their boat ”Enigma”. The Lune Aqueduct at the far side of Lanc…| Life In The Mouse House
The Small Heath butterfly, Coenonympha pamphilus, a diminutive member of the Nymphalidae family, is a widespread yet increasingly vulnerable species across the British Isles. In Northwest England, this unassuming butterfly thrives in a variety of open, grassy habitats, but its populations are closely tied to specific ecological conditions, particularly those shaped by traditional land managementContinue reading "The Small Heath Butterfly and its Reliance on Grazed Pastureland"| Northwest Nature and History
There’s a famous seaside place called Blackpool,That’s noted for fresh air and fun,And Mr and Mrs RamsbottomWent there with young Albert, their son. A grand little lad was young Albert,…| Northwest Nature and History
Jay Slater's friends told the inquest of the teen's final hours| Liverpool Echo
A poignant letter from a young soldier serving in the Great War had a profound effect back home in Lancaster – this correspondence prompted the young man’s father to do something for the area’s injured and shell-shocked war victims and their families and what he did can be seen to this day. Just a few … Continue reading Westfield War Memorial Village| Life In The Mouse House
The day after my walk to Ashton Basin I made my second train journey to Lancaster, this time to walk a section of the canal bordering Aldcliffe Road on the southern edge of the city centre. Just 13 minutes walk from the railway station Aldcliffe Road runs parallel to the canal for quite some distance … Continue reading Lancaster Canal – Aldcliffe Road| Life In The Mouse House
Another hot and sunny day in mid June saw me back at Preston’s Haslam Park, this time to walk from there to the beginning of the Lancaster Canal at Ashton Basin. At one time the canal ran alm…| Life In The Mouse House
A Condensed History of the Lancashire Village of Tarleton, Spanning from its Viking Origins to the Modern Day At the heart of West Lancashire’s fertile mosslands, roughly 19 miles northeast of Live…| Northwest Nature and History
With notes from my Lancaster and Morecambe ‘111 Places’ book and armed with a list I recently spent a few hours trekking round Lancaster city centre to find and photograph some of the unusual things and places featured in the book, most of which have an interesting story behind them. A pleasant 35-minute journey on … Continue reading Quaint & quirky in Lancaster – 1| Life In The Mouse House
In the far Northwest of the Bowland fells the geology and scenery dramatically changes to the extent that it feels like an entirely different part of the country. The peaty earth is thinner, the gr…| Northwest Nature and History
Just four miles north of Morecambe is Bolton-le-Sands, a large village spread out along the A6 and with three camping and caravan parks dotted along the shore. Walkers on the coastal path are warne…| Life In The Mouse House
The Round-leaved Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia, (Drosera meaning ‘dewy’ in latin) is a small carnivorous plant found in bogs, it is locally common but hard to find, in England its strongholds are ou…| Northwest Nature and History
(ACJ1) Between the patches of dappled sunlight and shadows that the overhanging Alder leaves cast on the slow-moving river a flash of iridescent blue catches the eye. This is the Banded Demoiselle …| Northwest Nature and History
What I totally love about my job is all the free time I get. Being a school cleaner may not be glamorous, but I certainly feel happy about the holidays. 😊 I definitely managed to get out and about …| sunshine and celandines
The “Lancashire Beer & Buses” event, put together by the Merseyside Transport Trust, provided a delightful day out, taking attendees to different village pubs starting from Burscoug…| Micropub Adventures
Today, I’m checking out some of the standout pubs in Preston, kicking things off at The Black Horse. This historic Grade II spot has been around since 1898 and is famous for its stunning Vict…| Micropub Adventures
Lytham is an attractive seaside resort located just south of Blackpool on Lancashire’s Fylde Coast. Often confusingly referred to as Lytham St. Annes, these are actually two separate neighbou…| Love Travelling Blog
Famed for their no-nonsense reputation, gruff manner and strict rules and regulations, Morecambe’s landladies have seen it all.| The Historic England Blog
This post contains related topics and disjointed observations as addenda to “Labour repression & the Indo-Japanese divergence” in cotton textiles. (Lack of) Japanese industrial poli…| pseudoerasmus
Many “global historians” argue that the British cotton industry was the product of (unintentional) infant industry protection from Indian competition in the 18th century. The various Ca…| pseudoerasmus
