Read
Encyclopedia
Read is a village in the Ribble Valley
in Lancashire
, England about 1 miles (1.6 km) west of Padiham
on the A671
which was originally a turnpike
road from Portfield, near Preston, to Padiham
in the 1840s.
) headland."
The old village developed in the 16th century along the main mediaeval road between Whalley
and Padiham.
The Battle of Read Old Bridge was fought in 1643 between a Royalist force and Parliamentarians, resulting in the downfall of the Lancashire Royalist cause.
Royalist forces of about 4,000 and commanded by the Earl of Derby, had taken Whalley. The forces of Parliament, only about 400 in number.
The Royalists had to use Read Old Bridge. When the Royalists approached the bridge they faced musket fire which made them retreat in confusion.
The Royalists gave Whalley and in doing so about 400 largely untrained soldiers beat 4,000 men winning Lancashire for Parliament.
was the seat of the Nowell family from the 14th century and Roger Nowell was a magistrate at the time of the Lancashire Witches in 1612 sending them to Lancaster
for trial and eventual execution.
In the 1870s Victoria Mill, together with a few houses for employees, was built alongside the turnpike road by the Kemp family and this area of Read became known as Newtown. More houses and shops were built using stone quarried in the village and Read now has a variety of small businesses catering for many needs.
The parish church is dedicated to St John Evangelist by Henry Ross of Accrington
, 1884, with the west steeple dating from 1911.
The nearby Martholme Viaduct
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) south-west carried the defunct Great Harwood
loop line of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
over the River Calder
between Simonstone
and Great Harwood and was built by Sturges Meek, 1870–77, and consists of ten 65 ft high arches on a gentle curve
Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley is a local government district with borough status within the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Clitheroe. Other places include Whalley, Longridge and Ribchester. The area is so called due to the River Ribble which flows in its final stages...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England about 1 miles (1.6 km) west of Padiham
Padiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
on the A671
A671 road
The A671 is a road in the North West of England, that runs between Oldham, Greater Manchester and Worston, near Clitheroe, Lancashire. Major towns on the route include Rochdale and Burnley. The road is approximately long...
which was originally a turnpike
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
road from Portfield, near Preston, to Padiham
Padiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
in the 1840s.
History
The name "Read" is a contraction of an Old English term meaning "roe (deerDeer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
) headland."
The old village developed in the 16th century along the main mediaeval road between Whalley
Whalley, Lancashire
Whalley is a large village in the Ribble Valley on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire, England. It is overlooked by Whalley Nab, a large picturesque wooded hill over the river from the village....
and Padiham.
The Battle of Read Old Bridge was fought in 1643 between a Royalist force and Parliamentarians, resulting in the downfall of the Lancashire Royalist cause.
Royalist forces of about 4,000 and commanded by the Earl of Derby, had taken Whalley. The forces of Parliament, only about 400 in number.
The Royalists had to use Read Old Bridge. When the Royalists approached the bridge they faced musket fire which made them retreat in confusion.
The Royalists gave Whalley and in doing so about 400 largely untrained soldiers beat 4,000 men winning Lancashire for Parliament.
Buildings
Read Hall and ParkRead Hall and Park
Read Hall and Park is a Manor House and ornamental grounds of about in Read, Lancashire, England. The Hall dates from the early 18th century and is a grade II* listed building. Neither are open to the public.-Location:...
was the seat of the Nowell family from the 14th century and Roger Nowell was a magistrate at the time of the Lancashire Witches in 1612 sending them to Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
for trial and eventual execution.
In the 1870s Victoria Mill, together with a few houses for employees, was built alongside the turnpike road by the Kemp family and this area of Read became known as Newtown. More houses and shops were built using stone quarried in the village and Read now has a variety of small businesses catering for many needs.
The parish church is dedicated to St John Evangelist by Henry Ross of Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
, 1884, with the west steeple dating from 1911.
The nearby Martholme Viaduct
Martholme Viaduct
Martholme Viaduct is a 19th-century railway viaduct in the English county of Lancashire. It lies between the town of Great Harwood and the village of Read, and belongs to both the district of Hyndburn and that of Ribble Valley. The viaduct was constructed 1870–77 by engineer Sturges Meek. It was...
, about 1 miles (1.6 km) south-west carried the defunct Great Harwood
Great Harwood
Great Harwood is a small town in the Hyndburn district of Lancashire, England, north-east of Blackburn.-History:Great Harwood is a town with a industrial heritage. The Mercer Hall Leisure Centre in Queen Street and the town clock pay tribute to John Mercer , the 'father' of Great Harwood, who...
loop line of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
over the River Calder
River Calder, Lancashire
The River Calder is a major tributary of the River Ribble, starting in Cliviger close to Burnley in Lancashire, England and is around 24 km / 15 miles in length. Its source is very close to that of the West Yorkshire river with the same name, and that of the River Irwell. It flows through...
between Simonstone
Simonstone railway station
Simonstone railway station was located on the east side of Simonstone Lane, south of Simonstone centre and near Padiham, Lancashire, England. It was on a branch line of the East Lancashire Line, from Burnley to Blackburn.-History:The line between Padiham and Rose Grove opened in 1875...
and Great Harwood and was built by Sturges Meek, 1870–77, and consists of ten 65 ft high arches on a gentle curve