Croston

Coordinates: 53°39′45″N 2°46′37″W / 53.662529°N 2.777067°W / 53.662529; -2.777067

Croston
Church Street, Croston Village Centre
Croston  Croston shown within Lancashire
Population	2,679 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SD487187
Parish	Croston
District	Chorley
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LEYLAND
Postcode district	PR25,PR26
Dialling code	01257/01772
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Chorley
List of places: UK • England • Lancashire

Croston is a village and civil parish in Lancashire, England between Chorley and Southport and is next to the River Yarrow. St. Michael's and All Angels' Church is at the centre of the village. At the end of Church Street there is a stone cross which was erected in 1953. There is a 15th century cobbled pack horse bridge which crosses the River Yarrow. The village green is used as a venue for the annual May Day Madness and Bastille Day (14 July) celebrations.

History

Croston began in the 7th century when St. Aidan arrived at the riverside settlements. In the absence of a church, a cross erected as a place of worship. Croston gets its name from 'cross' derived from the Irish and the Scandinavian word 'tun' which means town (cross-town). It is unique as there are no other Crostons in the UK.

Centuries ago the parish of Croston was far larger than it is today^{[citation needed]}. It included Chorley, Much Hoole, Rufford, Bretherton, Mawdesley, Tarleton, Hesketh Bank, Bispham, Walmer Bridge and Ulnes Walton. A charter granted by Edward I in 1283 permitted an annual medieval fair and market to be held on the village green. Ancient maps also depict a castle which is believed to have been of a wooden construction because there is no evidence of a stone structure.

Croston used to have a large brick police station which has recently been refurbished. It was replaced by a smaller police station in the 1970s. It is similar in style to those in the surrounding areas, notably Bamber Bridge and Leyland police stations, however considerably smaller.

Croston Hall

Croston Hall was built by the De Trafford family and was the manor house to the village of Croston. The Hall was demolished in the 1960s, but there is a plan for a Country House hotel to be built on its site. The family was Roman Catholic, they built a church in the grounds of the house, it was left to the people of Croston on the death of the last De Trafford in the 1960s.

Croston Old School

Croston Old School is a Grade 2 listed building which originates from 1660. It is situated in the centre of the village at the end of Church Street and next to the 900 year old church. Until 1999 the buildings were used as a school. Croston Old School Community Trust's grant from the National Lottery for £481,062 has funded the majority of a scheme to create a Community Resource Centre for Croston.

The building provides:

• A new home for Croston Pre-school
• A large community space with meeting rooms
• An exhibition area for local arts and heritage projects
• A reference library and a reading room
• Space for adult education

Bishop Rawstorne C of E Language College

Bishop Rawstorne C of E Language College is the secondary school that is based in the village of Croston. The school has between 800-900 pupils between the ages of 11 and 16 years of age.

Geography

See also

• Croston railway station.
• Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway.

External links

• Croston Main Page
• Croston Village Festivities website
• Croston Facebook Page
• Croston chorley.gov.uk.