Burscough
Encyclopedia
Burscough (ˈbɜːrskə) is a village
and civil parish within West Lancashire
in North West England
, to the north of both Ormskirk
and Skelmersdale
.
, and has Viking roots — Burh-skogr = fortress in the woods. With constant development of new housing estates and apartments, Burscough's population has recently rapidly grown and the two communities have long since melded together. At the 2001 Census
, the population of the parish stood at 8,968.
located 1.5 statute miles to the SW of the town. This was active between September 1943 and May 1946.
Burscough's high school is:
There is also a secondary school, Burscough Priory Science College
(formerly Burscough Priory High School), and also a small public library. Shopping in the town is dominated by a large Tesco
supermarket
, however there remains some other smaller shops including a Spar
and a Co-op, as well as local florists, barbers, etc. For many years there was an Ordnance Depot on the eastern edge of Burscough, but this has closed and the site has been redeveloped into housing.
The A59
trunk road and Leeds and Liverpool Canal
pass through Burscough. The junction with the Rufford Branch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal is in Burscough. The town has two main railway stations: Burscough Junction
, on the Liverpool
to Preston line, was opened by the East Lancashire Railway
on 2 April 1849, though the line now terminates at Ormskirk
. Burscough Bridge
, on the Southport
to Manchester
line, was opened by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway on 9 April 1855. There is also a third station in Burscough, New Lane
, which is a small halt on the same line as Burscough Bridge. These lines formerly had a junction known as the Burscough curves. The deletion of the curves prevents through train services between Ormskirk and Southport and Southport and Preston. The presence of the two stations is a sign of the two previous villages and their differing landowners.
The Burscough Junction Station Crash
occurred on 15 January 1880 on the Liverpool to Preston railway line.
line located at the Windmill Animal Farm. The railway operates over a 1.1 miles (2 km) track at gauge, using locomotives previously from the Fairbourne Railway, since that line has regauged
to a smaller gauge.
play at Victoria Park. They won the FA Trophy
in 2003 when they defeated conference side Tamworth
in the final at Villa Park
. In the 2005-06 FA Cup
competition they beat league side Gillingham
3-2 at home in the first round. After winning the Northern Premier League
in 2007,they were then relegated from the Conference North
in the 2008-09 season and are once again competing in the NPL Premier Division.
(See website: http://burscoughallotmentsociety.weebly.com/index.html)
to around 20 pounds (9.1 kg). Fishing is available on a day ticket.
. In 2006 Martin Mere featured in the BBC television programme Autumnwatch.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish within West Lancashire
West Lancashire
West Lancashire is a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Ormskirk. The other town in the borough is Skelmersdale....
in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
, to the north of both Ormskirk
Ormskirk
Ormskirk is a market town in West Lancashire, England. It is situated north of Liverpool city centre, northwest of St Helens, southeast of Southport and southwest of Preston.-Geography and administration:...
and Skelmersdale
Skelmersdale
Skelmersdale is a town in West Lancashire, England. It lies on high-ground on the River Tawd, to the west of Wigan, to the northeast of Liverpool, south-southwest of Preston. As of 2006, Skelmersdale had a population of 38,813, down from 41,000 in 2004. The town is known locally as Skem.The...
.
Growth
Burscough developed originally as a two small farming villages (Burscough and Burscough Bridge) on a low ridge above the West Lancashire Coastal PlainWest Lancashire Coastal Plain
The West Lancashire Coastal Plain is a large area in the south west of Lancashire, England.The plain stretches from the Rimrose Valley in Seaforth, near Liverpool on the Mersey, to the south, to Preston on the Ribble, to the north. To the east, the plain is bounded by the foothills of the Pennines,...
, and has Viking roots — Burh-skogr = fortress in the woods. With constant development of new housing estates and apartments, Burscough's population has recently rapidly grown and the two communities have long since melded together. At the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the population of the parish stood at 8,968.
RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail)
There was an operational Fleet Air Arm air station RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail)RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail)
RNAS Burscough was a former Fleet Air Arm naval air station which was situated 1.5 statute miles south-west of Burscough, Lancashire...
located 1.5 statute miles to the SW of the town. This was active between September 1943 and May 1946.
Community
Burscough has a number of primary schools, which are:- Lordsgate Township C of E
- St. Johns Church of EnglandSt. John's C.of E. Primary School BurscoughSt John's C.of E. Primary School is a Church of England, co-educational, voluntary controlled primary school located in Burscough, Lancashire. The school provides education for 184 pupils aged 4-11 with both infants and juniors. The current head teacher is Karen Cartwright.. The school is...
- Burscough Village (formerly Colbern Close Primary)
- Burscough Bridge Methodist
- St. Johns Catholic
Burscough's high school is:
- Burscough Priory Science CollegeBurscough Priory Science CollegeBurscough Priory Science College is a specialist Science College, in Lancashire, England. It officially opened on 10 June 1958 as Burscough County Secondary School under the Headship of Brian Stone, and cost just over £120,000 to build. The then Edward Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby presided over the...
There is also a secondary school, Burscough Priory Science College
Burscough Priory Science College
Burscough Priory Science College is a specialist Science College, in Lancashire, England. It officially opened on 10 June 1958 as Burscough County Secondary School under the Headship of Brian Stone, and cost just over £120,000 to build. The then Edward Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby presided over the...
(formerly Burscough Priory High School), and also a small public library. Shopping in the town is dominated by a large Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, however there remains some other smaller shops including a Spar
SPAR
Spar , trades from approximately 12400 stores in 34 countries worldwide and is the world's largest independent voluntary retail trading chain. Spar was founded in the Netherlands in 1932 by retailer Adriaan Van Well and now, through its affiliate organisations, operates through most European...
and a Co-op, as well as local florists, barbers, etc. For many years there was an Ordnance Depot on the eastern edge of Burscough, but this has closed and the site has been redeveloped into housing.
Burscough Wharf
On the 12th February 2011, a small retail and leisure development known as Burscough Wharf opened its doors to the public. Situated on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, next to the southern bridge of the town centre, the development consists of approximately thirty units available for retail, leisure or office/studio space. Current businesses operating within the central square of Burscough Wharf consist of various independent arts, craft and hobby shops, food and drink outlets, including a traditional sweet shop, and health and beauty salons.Transport
A59 road
The A59 is a major road in the United Kingdom that runs from Liverpool in Merseyside, to York in North Yorkshire.-Merseyside:The A59 begins in the centre of Liverpool at the mouth of the Birkenhead Tunnel, and heads north out of the city, first as Scotland Road in Vauxhall, then Kirkdale Road,...
trunk road and Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
pass through Burscough. The junction with the Rufford Branch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal is in Burscough. The town has two main railway stations: Burscough Junction
Burscough Junction railway station
Burscough Junction pronounced is one of two railway stations serving the small West Lancashire town of Burscough in the north-west of England. The station was the scene of the Burscough Junction Station Crash in 1880.- Service :...
, on the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to Preston line, was opened by the East Lancashire Railway
East Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
on 2 April 1849, though the line now terminates at Ormskirk
Ormskirk railway station
Ormskirk railway station is situated in the town of Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. The station is an interchange between Merseyrail services from Liverpool Central and Northern Rail services from Preston...
. Burscough Bridge
Burscough Bridge railway station
Burscough Bridge railway station serves the town of Burscough in Lancashire, England. It is a main stop on the Manchester-Southport Line. A bus interchange has recently been constructed next to the station, including a shop and cafe....
, on the Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
line, was opened by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway on 9 April 1855. There is also a third station in Burscough, New Lane
New Lane railway station
New Lane railway station serves the rural communities and farming villages around New Lane in West Lancashire, in the north-west of England. It is served and managed by Northern Rail and is situated near the Martin Mere bird sanctuary, which can be reached by a 1 mile walk.Trains run to Southport...
, which is a small halt on the same line as Burscough Bridge. These lines formerly had a junction known as the Burscough curves. The deletion of the curves prevents through train services between Ormskirk and Southport and Southport and Preston. The presence of the two stations is a sign of the two previous villages and their differing landowners.
The Burscough Junction Station Crash
Burscough Junction Station Crash
The Burscough Junction Station Crash occurred on 15 January 1880 at the Burscough Junction railway station on the Liverpool to railway line in England. The line was operated by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway company at the time...
occurred on 15 January 1880 on the Liverpool to Preston railway line.
Windmill Farm Railway
The Windmill Farm Railway is a minimum gauge railwayMinimum gauge railway
Minimum gauge railways have a gauge of less than or , most commonly , , or . The notion of minimum gauge railways was originally developed by estate railways and by the French company of Decauville for industrial railways....
line located at the Windmill Animal Farm. The railway operates over a 1.1 miles (2 km) track at gauge, using locomotives previously from the Fairbourne Railway, since that line has regauged
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
to a smaller gauge.
Burscough F.C.
Burscough Football ClubBurscough F.C.
Burscough F.C. is an English football club based in Burscough, Lancashire. The club are members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and groundshare with Skelmersdale United...
play at Victoria Park. They won the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
in 2003 when they defeated conference side Tamworth
Tamworth F.C.
Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....
in the final at Villa Park
Villa Park, England
Villa Park is an association football stadium in the district of Witton, Birmingham, England with a seating capacity of 42,786. It has been the home of Aston Villa Football Club since 1897. The team previously played at Aston Park from 1874 to 1876 and Perry Barr from 1876 to 1897...
. In the 2005-06 FA Cup
FA Cup 2005-06
The FA Cup 2005-06 was the 125th staging of the world's oldest football competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup.The competition began on August 20, 2005, with the lowest-ranked of the 674 entrants competing in the Extra Preliminary round...
competition they beat league side Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
3-2 at home in the first round. After winning the Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
in 2007,they were then relegated from the Conference North
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
in the 2008-09 season and are once again competing in the NPL Premier Division.
Allotment Society
Although the allotments in Burscough have been used since the construction of the Richmond Avenue housing estate, the need for a formal society was identified by the Parish Council in order to obtain further land for allotments in Burscough. Following a series of meetings a society was formed and the constitution agreed during a meeting on the 23rd November 2011.(See website: http://burscoughallotmentsociety.weebly.com/index.html)
Fishing
There is a fishery in the town at Warper's Moss Lane which has four man-made lakes stocked with a wide variety of coarse fish, including carpCarp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
to around 20 pounds (9.1 kg). Fishing is available on a day ticket.
Martin Mere
Martin Mere is a large wildfowl reserve and visitor attraction on the edge of Burscough and is owned by the Wildfowl and Wetlands TrustWildfowl and Wetlands Trust
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a wildfowl and wetland conservation charity in the United Kingdom. Its patron is Queen Elizabeth II.It was founded in 1946 by the ornithologist and artist Sir Peter Scott, initially as the Severn Wildfowl Trust...
. In 2006 Martin Mere featured in the BBC television programme Autumnwatch.
See also
- Burscough PrioryBurscough PrioryBurscough Priory, at Burscough, Lancashire, England, was founded in c. 1190 by Robert Fitz-Henry, Lord of Lathom for Augustinian canons. It was dissolved c.1536 by Henry VIII although some remains still exist...
- Burscough Priory Science CollegeBurscough Priory Science CollegeBurscough Priory Science College is a specialist Science College, in Lancashire, England. It officially opened on 10 June 1958 as Burscough County Secondary School under the Headship of Brian Stone, and cost just over £120,000 to build. The then Edward Stanley, 18th Earl of Derby presided over the...
- Lathom and Burscough Urban DistrictLathom and Burscough Urban DistrictLathom and Burscough was an urban district in the county of Lancashire from 1894 to 1931. It constituted the civil parishes of Burscough and Lathom, and apart from these two villages also included Newburgh....
- Martin MereMartin MereMartin Mere is a mere near Burscough, Lancashire, England on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain. The mere is a vast marsh, around that, until it was drained, was the largest body of fresh water in England.-History:...