Holmeswood is a small agricultural village in
West Lancashire, in the north-west of England. It lies just north of the
Martin Mere Wetland Centre and to the south of
North Meols about six miles east of the
Irish Sea coast at
Southport.
The village's position on the
West Lancashire Coastal Plain lends it very fertile soil; unsurprisingly, agriculture (primarily of vegetables, though also some grain) is the economic mainstay of the village. Some smaller-scale pastoral farming is also seen, too.
In contrast to the more northerly villages around
Banks, Holmeswood has remained largely undeveloped, although it is conveniently placed for commuting to the nearby towns of
Southport,
Preston
Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to:
Places
England
*Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement
**The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement
**County Boro ...
,
Burscough and
Ormskirk. For local matters, the village falls under
Rufford Parish Council.
The village lies almost wholly on the
B5246, which runs from
Mere Brow to
Rufford.
As befits an agricultural village of its size, Holmeswood has a small village hall (now home to the village nursery school), Methodist primary school and a bowling and tennis club.
Geography
Architecture
Holmeswood Hall stands among the dark woods between the villages of Mere Brow and Holmeswood. Thomas Hesketh, son of Nicholas Hesketh, was born at Holmeswood Hall in 1406.
The present Holmeswood Hall was built in 1568 which is the date given on the 1847 Ordnance Survey map at
Lancashire Records Office
The Lancashire Archives, previously known as the Lancashire Record Office, is a county record office located in the city of Preston which serves Lancashire, England. It was established in 1940.
Early history
In 1808 the Lancashire Justices fir ...
.
[Ordnance Survey Map, published 27 December 1847, Captain Tucker and Captain Stanley.] This makes the building a grade II listed building.
The
Hesketh family being the owners of
Rufford Old Hall, re-built the present hall as a hunting lodge.
The rise or 'brow' in approaching the hall is the ancient bank of Martin Mere. It can be seen today as a wood between Mere Brow and the hall itself the road is the ridge of the bank.
References
External links
Parish of Rufford with Holmeswood community website* http://www.holmeswood.freeuk.com/
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Villages in Lancashire
Rufford, Lancashire