Bretherton

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Bretherton
Bretherton Parish Church
Population	655 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SD475205
Civil parish	Bretherton
District	Chorley
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LEYLAND
Postcode district	PR26
Dialling code	01257 or 01772
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Chorley
List of places UK England Lancashire

Bretherton is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England. It is situated to the south west of Leyland and east of Tarleton.

The village for most of its existence was an almost self-supporting, self contained 'subsistence agrarian economy'. Truly major changes to the village have occurred within living memory; well-paid employment opportunities coupled with rationalisation of farming facilitated people to escape their low income agrarian lifestyle and move to local urban centres, such as Leyland, Preston and Chorley. However an influx of people has occurred, choosing to live in the village as a matter of choice rather than need. As with most British villages near centres of major employment, Bretherton now has become a dormitory village more akin to that of a wealthy suburb with very few residents engaged in agriculture or associated support industries as their main source of income. As you might expect with similar British communities many residents access support services such as shops, schools, medical services, employment and leisure pursuits outside the confines of the village. Although closely linked with Leyland, Bretherton is part of Chorley Borough's Lostock ward.

Bretherton has four roads: North Road (B5248), South Road, Pompian Brow and Marl Cop. The village is close to the A59 to Southport and Preston. The nearest railway station is in the neighbouring village of Croston.

In December 2005, with the growing popularity of sport flying and in line with trends published by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), plans were put forward for a 'microlight farm airstrip' located on the village ouskirts (approx 1.25 miles north of the 'village heart'). However the plans were rejected by Chorley and South Ribble councillors due to fears of sound pollution and damage to the environment.

The name "Bretherton" is thought to derive from the word "Brotherton", probably meaning joint ownership. This refers to Bank Manor (now Bank Hall) and the adjoining lands, once owned by the Banastre brothers, who settled here in the 11th and 12th century.^[1]

The manor house to the village of Bretherton is Bank Hall, a Grade II* Listed Jacobean building dating from 1608. Built on the banks of the River Douglas, it is home to many varieties of snowdrop. Bank Hall was the first building to be featured on the BBC Restoration series in 2003^[2], but restoration work stalled and the building remains derelict, pending development plans promoted by the Bank Hall Action Group.

Carr House is a smaller house of the same period, built in 1613 on the Bank Hall estate, It was once the home to the Stone Family and in later years a Dolls Museaum.^[3] Carr House is also the place where Jeremiah Horrocks observed and recorded the Transit of Venus of 1639. ^[4]

Bretherton has a Church of England primary school, with around 115 pupils. The majority of children in the village attend secondary school at Bishop Rawstorne High School in Croston.

Bretherton once had three churches, but now has two since the Methodist church was converted into a house. The other two churches are on the same road and both have graveyards. The bigger of the churches, St John the Baptist of Bretherton, was built in 1840 (see main photo).^[5]

Three graves are of some importance, including that of Sir Harcourt Clare and his family who resided at Bank Hall in the early 1900's. Sir Harcourt and his family held garden parties for the village and the Church at Bank Hall during their time in Bretherton.^[6]

• Bretherton chorley.gov.uk
• Bank Hall Website
• Bretherton Endowed C. of E. Primary School