There are lots of reasons to visit this thriving little town which has been transformed in recent years
Shops
Although Penwortham is much smaller than its near neighbour Preston, it is not always necessary to cross the river when you want to browse the shops. There’s plenty of choice in Penwortham, where you’ll find most of the shops and restaurants along Liverpool Road and its side streets and there is an impressive collection of small independent boutiques. The shops here are notable not only for their variety and quality, but also for the friendliness of the staff: if we take it as read that Lancashire’s shopkeepers are the most welcoming in the country, those in Penwortham could claim to be the best of the best
Food and drink
Ellis McKeown and Liam Stemson launched a craft distillery from an outbuilding at their Penwortham home in 2021 and their Fairham Gin has gone on to win a number of awards, including three-stars at last year’s Great Taste Awards. They have since moved production to a unit in Leyland but have recently opened their first bar and shop in Penwortham’s Liverpool Road. That is the latest food and drink business to open in the town where it was already very hard to go hungry, with cafes, delis, pubs and restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets.
Green spaces
As the Industrial Revolution transformed Preston, Penwortham was seen as an attractive place for wealthy businesspeople to live, away from the noise and grime of the mills and factories. And although those mills and factories aren’t so noisy or grimy these days, Penwortham is still a great place to escape to. Although it is just a few minutes from Preston city centre, there is plenty of choice if you want green spaces and fresh air. Hurst Grange Park – named after the home built here by one of those wealthy Victorians – is now a well-loved oasis where the Friends group have refurbished the old coach house into a visitor centre, community hub and café. And the rolling parkland at Middleforth Green is another popular spot. The stretch of the Ribble Way from Longton to Preston passes close to Penwortham and is a lovely walk on an early summer’s day.
History
Penwortham – the name comes from pen (meaning hill), weid (meaning ford) and ham (meaning settlement) – stands across the Ribble from Preston and is split into Higher and Lower Penwortham by the A582. Evidence of a ford has been found in the Lower Penwortham area to the east which was used to cross the river. Penwortham Priory was built in the west of the town and a motte and bailey castle was built overlooking the Ribble and its ford. Some evidence of the castle has survived in the churchyard of St Mary’s Church. Lower Penwortham developed and grew in Victorian times, while most building work in Higher Penwortham has taken place since the 1920s.
Events
There’s a thriving community and a programme of events and festivals taking place each year which the town council plan to add to. One of the biggest events is the Penwortham Live music festival – which will this year be held on May 12 and 13. It was first held a decade ago and has grown to feature music by local bands, creative arts, dance and drama. And next month, the town will come together again for the annual Gala. After a procession through the streets, most of the activities take place on Hurst Grange Park where family fun includes stalls, music, displays and fairground rides. Throughout the year, The Venue, an arts centre in the old library, hosts a wide range of exhibitions, talks and performances.
