PENWORTHAM, a village, a township, and a parish, in Preston district, Lancashire. The village stands on the river Ribble, near the Northwestern railway, 1½ mile SW of Preston; and has a post-office under Preston.
The township contains also the village of Middleforth-Green, and the hamlet of Charnock-Moss; and comprises 2,277 acres. Real property, £7,221; of which £30 are in fisheries. Pop. in 1851, 1,487; in 1861, 1,506. Houses, 271.
P. Priory, P. Hall, P. House, the Oaks, Hurst Grange, White Friars, and Swallow House are chief residences. An ancient castle stood here, to guard the navigation of the Ribble; but was long ago erased. A Benedictine priory, a cell to Evesham abbey, was founded here, in the time of the Conqueror, by Warine Bussel; was given, at the dissolution, to the Fleetwoods; and has left no remains.
The parish contains also the townships of Howick, Hutton, Longton, and Farington. Acres, 11,317; of which 1, 450 are water. Real property, £26,169. Pop. in 1851, 5,722; in 1861, 5,488. Houses, 996. The property is subdivided.
Bricks and tiles are made in Howick; and brewing and malting are carried on in Longton.
The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Manchester. Value, £125. Patron, L. Rawstorne, Esq. The church is of the 14th century; was partly rebuilt, partly enlarged, in 1856; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with porch and low tower; and contains handsome monuments of the Fleetwoods and the Rawstornes.
The p. curacies of Longton and Farington are separate benefices.
A chapel of ease, a Wesleyan chapel, a workhouse for female children, an endowed grammar school, and charities £70 are in P. township; and dissenting chapels and public schools are in the other townships.
From the The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales published in 1872.
~
