We all know the name of the BIGGEST town on the Fylde Coast – that’s right, the amazing Blackpool! To go with it, here’s your A-Z of most of the other Fylde Coast places.
‘The Fylde Coast’ is the collective name for this bit of north west coastline which includes lots of interesting towns and villages. It’s the area between the estuaries of the River Wyre in the north and River Ribble in the south. In this page we include the rural land up to and around the motorway network, and Over Wyre.
MANY THANKS to Nick Moore and his fascinating History of Blackpool for some of the historical information used in this page. You can read it here
It’s quite a big task to thoroughly populate this page. Please bear with us while we do it in phases and fill in the empty bits!
Where would you like us to go next?
In the lockdown of 2020 we began visiting all kinds of interesting local places, making videos for our YouTube channel. You’ve loved exploring virtually, while you haven’t been able to get here in person.
We’ve covered a lot of miles and a lot of places, but there’s still a LOT to do! Where would you like us to go next? If you’ve got a request, pop it in the comments below and we’ll do our best!
A is for…
AMOUNDERNESS – is the old name for this patch of Lancashire, the ‘Hundred of Amounderness’, first recorded in the 13th century and possibly even older than that. The main A585 road into the Cleveleys/Fleetwood end of the the coast takes its name from here.
ANCHORSHOLME – is the very last stop in the north of Blackpool, just as you approach Cleveleys. There’s a new sea wall here and the huge Anchorsholme Park. Past Lidl and the petrol station there’s one of the Fylde Coasts many local shopping areas, at Anchorsholme Lane East.
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ANSDELL – is the small town which you’ll find slightly inland, between St Annes and Lytham. Take a look around Ansdell here.
B is for Blackpool!
Big, Bright and Bold, Blackpool is by far and away the best known place here on the Fylde Coast. Slap bang between the two rivers which define our little peninsula of land, Blackpool is the nation’s favourite seaside resort.
We love it so much that we’ve created a full website dedicated to the place. Head over to the homepage of our Live Blackpool site and explore from there.
BISPHAM – probably the highest bit of coastline that you’ll find on the Fylde Coast! The promenade rises steeply here at what’s known as ‘the Cliffs‘. Not quite a cliff, but it certainly makes for an amazing view! Blackpool north shore is also where you’ll find the tableaux illuminations.
There’s also one of the many small Fylde Coast villages here. Take a look at Redbank Road and Bispham Village – one of Blackpool’s oldest areas.
BURN NAZE – This is the area around Redmarsh and Hillhouse Industrial Estates at Thornton. From 1909 to 1970, Burn Naze Halt railway station was in operation here. After becoming seriously overgrown, Poulton and Wyre Railway Society have since cleared it.
C is for Cleveleys
Midway between Fleetwood and Blackpool, Cleveleys is a lovely place to visit. Many people like it so much that they come to live here! There’s a beautiful seafront and beach, a thriving town centre and a great sense of community spirit.
Find out about all of this and much more from our Visit Cleveleys website. It’s one of the Visit Fylde Coast family.
CARLETON – The village of Carlton is near to Poulton. It’s grown around the junction of Fleetwood Road South, Blackpool Road and Poulton Road. A pleasant place to live, there’s a few shops, a pub, primary school and plenty of nice housing.
Also the last resting place of many a local inhabitant, it’s where you’ll find Carleton Crematorium and Cemetery. Did you know that Beatrix Potter was one of the first people to be cremated there?
CHURCH SCAR – is where the coastal footpath takes you around the edge of the water from Granny’s Bay to Lytham Green. We went to take a look at the new sea defences in August 2020 –
CHURCHTOWN – is in the Norbreck area, around Devonshire Road/Guildford Avenue.
D is for…
DOCKS – on which the town of Fleetwood was built. Did you know that work first began on building Fleetwood docks in 1869? Even though few boats still fish from here, it’s still the site of the local fish processing industry.
DOWBRIDGE – thanks to Jane Richardson for this suggestion.
We couldn’t think of any other specific town, village or location beginning with the letter D for our A-Z of Fylde Coast places. Can you?
E is for…
ELSWICK – one of the many rural villages of the Fylde Coast. Find this one between Little/Great Eccleston, Wharles and Esprick.
ESPRICK – is another one of the rural areas that you’ll have probably driven through on the A585 between the motorway network and the coast. It’s quite near to the M55 motorway at junction 3.
F is for Fleetwood
Fleetwood is at the northern end of our A-Z of Fylde Coast Places. It’s at the tip of the peninsula of land which is the Fylde Coast, next to the River Wyre estuary. Built on fishing and the railways you can still see it’s Victorian heritage in the buildings around you. Now it’s a traditional seaside resort that’s full of charm.
Take a look at our Visit Fleetwood website where you can explore and find out so much more.
FAIRHAVEN – If you’ve been to the coast between Lytham and St Annes you’ll be familiar with Fairhaven and its big, seafront lake. Man made in origin, Fairhaven Lake is popular with people who enjoy walking around in and sailing on it. In August 2020 we took a walk around the outer perimeter of the new sea wall, against the beach –
FAIRHAVEN LAKE is a very popular home for a wide variety of resident and migrating birds and other animals. Some live here permanently and others visit during their huge migrations. It’s also home to the RSPB centre and shop – the base for lots of interesting events and information.
FRECKLETON – Freckleton is an unassuming, pretty, south Lancashire village. It’s serene when compared to its bustling neighbours, Lytham and St Annes. If you like rural landscape and enjoy walking, take a look at Freckleton and this route to the River Ribble.
G is for…
GARSTANG – a bustling village situated on the Rivers Calder, Wyre and Lancaster Canal. Lots to explore and excellent base for venturing into the Forest of Bowland and beyond.
GRANNY’S BAY – is the name for the sheltered bit of coastline between Fairhaven Lake and the White Church at Lytham. The main road turns slightly inland here, although the footpath continues around the coast to Lytham at Church Scar. There’s a new sea wall here, opened in 2020. We went to take a look just after it opened –
Granny’s Bay is a pretty little cove, quite sheltered from the weather, where saltmarsh meets the grassy bank. Enjoy the amazing views of the setting sun over the seafront. Take a look around Granny’s Bay here.
GREAT ECCLESTON – is a quiet village within easy reach of Blackpool, Preston and Lancaster. There’s a choice of three pubs serving tasty treats, and a busy market every Wednesday. The annual Great Eccleston Show is not to be missed.
It’s little sister, Little Eccleston, is just across the road. Here you’ll find the award winning Cartford Inn, situated by the picturesque toll bridge that spans the River Wyre. Fabulous riverside walks and views from here.
GREENHALGH – Greenhalgh is a hamlet in the parish of Greenhalgh-with-Thistleton, in the borough of Fylde. Find it on the A585 – adjacent to Wesham and not that far from Singleton/Poulton. It was listed in the Doomsday book as “Greneholf”.
H is for…
HAMBLETON – Find this pretty little village east of the River Wyre in the area known as ‘Over Wyre’. Properties in Hambleton have a Poulton postal address.
HARDHORN – Another little village not far from the River Wyre, also in the Poulton postal address area.
HEY HOUSES – Heyhouses is a small village in Fylde, off the main road of St Annes Road East, heading inland.
Another H…
HOOHILL – Hoo Hill Lane is at the northern end of Blackpool, not far from Warbreck. And it’s the only street in Great Britain that’s called Hoo Hill Lane! The monks of Cockersand rented land at Hoo Hill, calling it ‘Epiphany Land’. Some think that the name comes from the Old English words ‘hoh’ – a spur of land and ‘hyll’ – obviously meaning a hill.
In 1736 Hoo Hill Windmill was built, according to an inscription on its beam. It was made with bricks made in the brick croft where North Pier now stands. The mill had been in existence in some form from around 1560, as mentioned in a lawsuit filed in 1583. Yates’s map of 1786 calls it Whole Hill Mill.
On 24 July 1852 the mill was struck by lightning. A sail was destroyed, the door blown off its hinges and Mr John Gratrix, the miller, blown bodily from the mill platform. Struck by lightning a second time in July 1881, it was really unlucky to catch a third strike in 1886! This time it was ruined and demolished. The surrounding land was known as Gratrix’s Croft – after the miller.
Hoo Hill Farm was nearby. Number 11 Poulton Old Road is now on the site. Much later, Blackpool Council had a Meteorological Station on the top of the hill. St John’s Church was later built on the site.
I is for…
It’s got to be Illuminations – the most famous free lightshow in the world! Everyone must come to see the Blackpool Illuminations at least once in their lifetime. An amazing sight in themselves, it’s also a great family atmosphere to enjoy. We love them so much we’ve built our own website all about the Blackpool Illuminations.
INSKIP – Another small village in the borough of Fylde. It’s near to the former RNAS Inskip airfield – known as HNS Nightjar when used as a communications centre during World Wars 1 and 2. It still serves the armed forces as a tri-service communication centre.
J is for…
JUBILEE GARDENS – there are actually two such named here on the Fylde Coast, and both on the seafront. There’s Jubilee Gardens at Cleveleys, on the seafront opposite Mary’s Shell. And Jubilee Gardens at Blackpool north shore, near to Gynn roundabout.
Other than that, we’ve scoured the maps and can’t find a town or village, even a small place, that begins with the letter J. Over to you if you know different!
K is for…
KILGRIMOL – supposedly the site of a long lost village, in the St Annes area. Sources variously put it near to the golf course, or offshore. Do you know any folklore that you’d like to add?
KIRKHAM – was built on Carr Hill, the location of a Roman fort. Today it’s a thriving small town surrounded by rich agricultural land. It has 20 listed buildings dating from Georgian and Victorian eras. Kirkham hosts a monthly market (first Saturday of the month) selling tasty fare including; cheese, meats, puddings, pies and crafts. We went for a look on a bright December day in 2020 –
KNOTT END – is the village that you can see across the River Wyre from Fleetwood seafront. Get to it with a short ferry ride across the river, or a much longer car journey through country roads and across Shard Bridge.
Knott End is a pretty, quiet seaside village with beautiful views and lots of quiet walks for you to enjoy. Did you know that there’s a statue of LS Lowry at the ferry slipway? He was very fond of the area and featured it in his paintings.
L is for (leafy) Lytham
Right at the south of the Fylde Coast, Lytham stands against the estuary of the River Ribble as it turns inland to Preston. It’s another very attractive town in our A-Z of Fylde Coast places, with tree lined streets and attractive architecture. It’s a good town centre for independent shops – Lytham is the one with the windmill!
Take a look at our Visit Lytham website. It’s part of the Visit Fylde Coast family.
LADIES HILL – is a rural spot near to Fluke Hall Lane in Pilling. Do you know how it got the name? Please leave a comment below and enlighten us!
LARBRECK – is a hamlet near Little Eccleston. Find it on the southern banks of the River Wyre, but confusingly, it’s in the borough of Fylde! And the nearest town is probably Poulton… Larbreck is another of the pretty rural villages in this part of the world.
LAYTON – on the outskirts of Blackpool, this thriving community includes shops, a library, and Kingscote Park, the second largest park in Blackpool. Layton Cemetery, established during the Victorian era, is a peaceful haven, worthy of exploration.
LITTLE ECCLESTON – is little sister to Great Eccleston. Here you’ll find the award winning Cartford Inn, situated by the picturesque toll bridge that spans the River Wyre. Fabulous riverside walks and views from here.
M is for…
MARTON – Great Marton and Little Marton combined were known as Meretun “farmstead by a pool”. Marton Mere, a glacial freshwater lake, was gradually drained throughout the 18th Century so the land could be reclaimed for agriculture.
Today Marton Mere Local Nature Reserve (below) is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a delightful place to spend a few hours seeking out wildlife and waterfowl.
MEDLAR – is an old place, near junction 3 of the M55, often joined with Wesham. Medlar means ‘middle shieling’. From ‘middel’ – Old English for middle, and ‘erg’ Old Norse for a shieling or hill-pasture.
There’s circumstantial evidence of a medieval village at Medlar – along with a number of other Fylde Coast places. Then in the 1100’s, the monks of Cockersand Abbey owned land here – including a self-run grange.
In 1890 Medlar Hall was farmed by John Whitehead – a world renowned Shire Horse breeder and exporter. It’s currently farmed by David Fryars and Sons.
More M’s
MOOR END – is on the north east side of the River Wyre, not far from Stalmine.
MYTHOP – Surrounded by countryside but close to the M55 and Preston New Road, Mythop is another old Blackpool name which formed part of the Hundred of Amounderness. The name came from the Old Irish word ‘midr’ meaning middle, and the Norse word ‘hop’ which meant enclosure. There’s another theory that the name is based on the name of Wada, a Saxon Lord. It’s mentioned in records as far back as 1329.
The village of Mythop consists of Mythop Grange and Mythop Lodge. They were near to the now demolished Mythop Hall Farm, with Cuckoo House nearby.
N is for…
NEWTON WITH SCALES – This village is in the Borough of Fylde. Find it on the A583, 5 miles from Preston and 11 miles from Blackpool. ‘Newton’ comes from Old English meaning new farm or new village. ‘Scales’ descends from Scandinavian origin, meaning hut.
NORCROSS – here at Visit Fylde Coast we always get Norcross and Normoss muddled up! Norcross is where the former DWP buildings were, close to the A585 Amounderness Way. Having been mostly demolished, this was to be the site of the new Norcross Retail site. However, plans changed and this land will now be used for housing.
NORMOSS – is the low-lying area between Poulton and Blackpool, or ‘the Moss’ as it’s known locally.
O is for…
OUT RAWCLIFFE – You’ll find this pretty village and civil parish on the north side of the River Wyre. Along with a village hall and Out Rawcliffe C of E Primary School, it’s where you’ll find the medieval Rawcliffe Hall.
P is for Poulton
The market town of Poulton is another one on our A-Z of Fylde Coast places with a long, historic past. Once the trading centre of the Fylde Coast it still has a weekly market and a thriving town centre. The attractive town is built around the market square and St Chad’s Church.
Take a look at our Visit Poulton-le-Fylde website. It’s another one of the Visit Fylde Coast family.
It’s also for PENNYSTONE ROCK – offshore around the Bispham area. Pennystone Rock is quite a way out though, so only visible at very low tide. But another of that family of rocks can be seen there – we went to explore…
PILLING – Draw a line due east on a map from Fleetwood, through the River Wyre and Knott End. Pilling and its huge salt marshes lie where the coast begins to turn north. It’s a village and civil parish in the borough of Wyre, in the area known as Over Wyre.
PREESALL – Is a town, civil parish and electoral ward Over Wyre, in a line east of Affinity Shopping Outlet. The parish covers the eastern bank of the estuary of the River Wyre, including Knott End-on-Sea, Pilling Lane and the village of Preesall itself.
Q is for…
QUEENSTOWN – is the name of settlements around the world, nearly all in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. There’s one in New Zealand, Canada, Singapore… and of course Queenstown, a suburb of Blackpool!
This one is near to Layton, between Talbot Road and Kingscote Park. With an older than average age of residents, it’s a popular retirement area.
R is for…
RIBBY – This area is south west of Blackpool Road/Kirkham bypass, where it joins the A585 near Kirkham Grammar School.
Ribby, along with its twin village Wrea Green, existed before the time of the Domesday Book. The name probably derives from the Old Norse. By about 1624 Ribby-with-Wrea was owned by Alexander Rigby.
The village originally comprised a number of individual farms and thatched cottages around a village green complete with pond. The majority of it is now a Conservation Area.
ROSEACRE – This rural village is north east of Medlar, between Wharles and Elswick.
Which Rossall is Rossall?
ROSSALL BEACH – the area around Rossall School, which, confusingly for some, spills into both Fleetwood and Cleveleys! Rossall Beach at Cleveleys is the shingle beach north of the stepped sea defences – where you can park right at the edge of the beach. This area is looked after by Rossall Beach Residents and Community Group, the Fylde Coasts first beach care group. The boundary with Fleetwood is at the Five Bar Gate at Rossall Promenade, before you get to Rossall School.
The highway stops at a dead end at the Cleveleys side of Rossall School, but you can still walk the footpath past the school grounds, past what’s known locally as the ‘tank traps’. Whether these concrete structures were built to stop invading artillery in the war is, however, debatable.
ROSSALL – is the southern bit of Fleetwood at the north of Rossall School field, where the new Rossall Sea Defences are. Go take a look if you haven’t already seen this work completed. It’s an amazing promenade.
ROSSALL POINT – is the corner on the curve of the peninsula of land at Fleetwood seafront. Near to it is the Observation Tower – the tall building which leans into the wind and is home to the National Coastwatch Institution. Take a look at this glorious area in this video –
S is for St Annes
St Annes is a properly traditional English seaside town. It’s got the wide sweeping promenade with formal seafront gardens, huge sandy beaches, a pier, bandstand and paddling pool. It’s a lovely spot for a break, especially in good weather! The town centre is wide and lined with planted gardens, and nearby is the beautiful Ashton Gardens.
Have a look round this lovely town with our Visit St Annes website.
SALTCOTES – The name ‘Saltcotes’ comes from an age old tradition of sea-salt making in the area. Cheshire salt wasn’t discovered until the 1600’s and before that, Lytham had its own salt making industry. Partly evaporated sea water was sieved through sand to purify and collect brine for drying into sea salt. The used sand was cast into a mound known as a ‘saltcoat hill’. A salt cote was a place where salt was ‘wont to be made on the sea shore’. You’ll find Saltcotes East of Lytham, before you get to Warton.
SCRONKEY – is a small rural hamlet in the Over Wyre region, west of Garstang near Pilling.
…rural villages
SINGLETON – is on the Fylde coastal plain, south-east of Poulton. Surrounded by farmland, Singleton is known as the ‘Model Village of the Fylde’. Great Singleton is the larger part containing the village, whereas Little Singleton is a small area north of the village bordering the River Wyre.
Travelling to the M55 motorway, the A585 bypasses around the edge of it. Why don’t you take a detour and have a look…
SKIPPOOL – was originally the main port and busiest place in the area, just off the River Wyre. Here, goods were imported by sea, and sold in the markets of Poulton.
The narrow inlets of Skippool Creek are still in use today, although not by traders and pirates but by pleasure mariners who enjoy messing about on the water! Go and take a look, it’s a fascinating place, full of photo opportunities and wildlife.
STAINING – Staining is a village with its own parish council, close to Blackpool, Lytham St Annes and Poulton-le-Fylde. Historically it was part of the township of Hardhorn-with-Newton. Now the hamlet of Newton is part of the civil parish of Staining; Hardhorn belongs to Poulton-le-Fylde. Confusingly, Staining is in the district of Fylde, but the postal address is Blackpool!
…even more old places!
STALMINE – Stalmine is a rural village in the civil parish of Stalmine-with-Staynall. It falls within the borough of Wyre, in the area known as Over Wyre. It’s on a small hill on the A588, the main road between Hambleton and Lancaster. The first recorded possessor was Robert de Stalmine in 1165 – the chapel first mentioned in about 1200!
STANAH – this area is mostly a riverside wilderness of salt marsh and natural floodplain. Small country lanes offer some limited access, but beyond Underbank and River Roads it’s a pretty unspoilt landscape.
In 1991 the Wyre Estuary Country Park opened, on the site of an old cafe at River Road. Its footpaths give access to miles of walks, wildlife and solitude.
STARR GATE – the very southernmost end of Blackpool, where it meets the neighbouring borough of Fylde. If you love peace and solitude, the beach here is well worth a visit –
STAYNALL – is a small hamlet near to Stalmine.
T is for…
THISTLETON – is a small hamlet in the district of Fylde, just 17.5m above sea level. It’s near the hamlets of Greenhalgh and Esprick, just off the A585 Fleetwood Road, near Glassform. Surrounded by agricultural land, it’s been designated as a conservation area since 1975.
THORNTON – take a look around this attractive residential village, only a few miles away from the seafront at Cleveleys. It’s where you’ll find Marsh Mill windmill and Thornton Village (below), plus local shops and pubs.
TREALES – this is another Fylde Coast place that’s mentioned in the Domesday Book. In 1066 it was assessed as two plough-lands. Christ Church was built in 1855 by Lord Stanley. The village also has a public house, the Derby Arms, and a windmill which is now a private dwelling.
U – stumped for a place! But we thought we’d add ‘Underground’ here… There’s a big interest in anything that’s subterranean. Like tunnels, abandoned air raid shelters and, of course, tunnels.
Take a look at some of Blackpool’s subways and tunnels in this page. And we’ve explored underground Fleetwood too. If you know of anything we’ve missed please let us know!
V is for…
VICARAGE – at Church Road, Lytham, a grade II listed building. We couldn’t find any towns or villages which begin with the letter V, so Juliette Gregson suggested this building. Do you know of any more?
W is for…
WADDAM THORPE – another of the supposedly lost villages, sunken by the sea hundreds of years ago. Find out about this legend – or is it true?
WARBRECK – the area at the north of Blackpool where you’ll see the landmark water tower. Not far from Layton railway station and the Gynn/Cliffs area of seafront. It’s also home to a large Department for Work and Pensions office.
WEETON – The village of Weeton is part of the civil parish of Weeton-with-Preese. This mostly rural area is near to the Blackpool to Preston railway line and the M55 motorway. Another one that’s mentioned in the Domesday Book, the name is from the Old English for willow-settlement. Built in 1812, Weeton windmill wasn’t demolished until the 1950s when it had fallen into disrepair. Weeton Barracks is just a mile away from the village, and an RAF base was also nearby during the World Wars.
Age-old Place Names
WESHAM – is part of the civil parish of Medlar with Wesham. Apparently it’s been populated since early medieval times, prior to the Norman conquest. However, the town of Wesham is only about 160 years old – having grown with the arrival of the railway. It’s pronounced Wes-ham by the locals.
WHARLES – Wikipedia tells us that the name of the village is given as “Quarlous” in 1249; and as “Warlawes” and “Werlows” in 1286. Historically Rosacre and Wharles were probably improvements from the waste of the settlement at Treales. It doesn’t appear that they were ever considered to be manors. In 1631 Thomas Firth (Styth) of Wharles was fined £10, having refused a knighthood. It’s now the venue for the annual Fylde Vintage and Farm Show, in a field next to the M55 motorway.
WREA GREEN – this is another pretty village, not far away from Lytham, in rural Fylde. There are small local shops here, along with a pub and post office. As the name Wrea Green suggests there’s also a village green with an attractive duck pond known locally as ‘the dub’.
WYRE ESTUARY COUNTRY PARK – if you love wildlife, walking and birdwatching this is the place for you! Find it via Thornton – Wyre Estuary Country Park combines public facilities with the tranquility of the countryside.
Any Ideas?
X – no idea! BUT, thanks to John, who left a comment to say “X for X-citing days out: on the prom, on the piers, on the beach, at the Pleasure Beach or the Tower; in the local countryside….” Well done John!
Y is for…
YORK COTTAGE – at Thornton. This grade II listed building was suggested by Juliette Gregson. Do you know of any towns, villages or hamlets that begin with the letter Y?
Z has got to be for Zoo!
Let’s face it, it’s the go-to place for anything that begins with a Z. We do have Blackpool Zoo here on the Fylde Coast so it’s not even cheating 😉
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