Burscough

Infobox UK place
official_name = Burscough
country = England
region = North West England
population = 8,968 (Parish)
(2001 Census)citeweb |url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=795832&c=burscough&d=16&e=15&g=464341&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=781 |title=2001 Census: Burscough |work=Office for National Statistics|accessdate=10 May|accessyear=2007]
os_grid_reference = SD444118
latitude = 53.60
longitude = -2.84
constituency_westminster = West Lancashire
post_town = ORMSKIRK
postcode_area = L
postcode_district = L40
dial_code = 01704
civil_parish = Burscough
shire_district = West Lancashire
shire_county = Lancashire
static_

static_image_caption = Burscough town centre

Burscough (pronounced Burs/co) is a village and civil parish within West Lancashire, in North West England, to the north of both Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.

Growth

Burscough developed originally as a two small farming villages (Burscough and Burscough Bridge) on a low ridge above the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, and has Viking roots — "Burh-skogr" = fortress in the woods. With constant development of new housing estates and apartments, Burscough's population has recently rapidly grown and the two communities have long since melded together. At the 2001 Census, the population of the parish stood at 8,968.

RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail)

There was an operational Fleet Air Arm air station RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail) located 1.5 statute miles to the SW of the town. This was active between September 1943 and May 1946.

Community

Burscough has a number of primary schools, which are:
* [http://www.lordsgateschool.co.uk/ Lordsgate Township C of E]
* [http://www.st-john-ce56.lancsngfl.ac.uk/ St. Johns Church Of England]
* [http://www.burscough.lancsngfl.ac.uk/index.html Burscough Village (formerly Colbern Close Primary)]
* [http://www.burscoughbridge.lancs.sch.uk/ Burscough Bridge Methodist]
* [http://www.burscough.lancs.sch.uk/ St. Johns Catholic]

There is also a secondary school, Burscough Priory Science College (formerly Burscough Priory High School), and also a small [http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries/librarydetails/libsearch1.asp?name=Burscough public library] . Shopping in the town is dominated by a large Tesco supermarket, however there remains some other smaller shops including a Spar and a Co-op, as well as local florists, barbers, etc. For many years there was an Ordnance Depot on the eastern edge of Burscough, but this has closed and the site has been redeveloped into housing.

Transport

The A59 trunk road and Leeds and Liverpool Canal pass through Burscough. The junction with the Rufford Branch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal is in Burscough. The town has two main railway stations: Burscough Junction, on the Liverpool to Preston line, was opened by the East Lancashire Railway on 2 April 1849, though the line now terminates at Ormskirk. Burscough Bridge, on the Southport to Manchester line, was opened by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway on 9 April 1855. There is also a third station in Burscough, New Lane, which is a small halt on the same line as Burscough Bridge. These lines formerly had a junction known as the Burscough curves. The deletion of the curves prevents through train services between Ormskirk and Southport and Southport and Preston. The presence of the two stations is a sign of the two previous villages and their differing landowners.

The Windmill Farm miniature railway is located at the Windmill Animal Farm. The railway operates over a 0.5 mile track (to be extended) at 15 inch gauge, using locomotives previously from the Fairbourne.citeweb|url=http://www.windmillanimalfarm.co.uk/steamtrain.html
title=Windmill Farm Steam Train|work=Windmill Animal Farm|accessdate=2 March|accessyear=2008]

port

Burscough F.C.

Burscough Football Club play at Victoria Park. They won the FA Trophy in 2003 when they defeated conference side Tamworth in the final at Villa Park. In the 2005-06 FA Cup competition they beat league side Gillingham 3-2 at home in the first round. After winning the Unibond Premier League in 2007, they are currently competing in the Conference North.

Fishing

There is a fishery in the town at Warper's Moss Lane which has four man-made lakes stocked with a wide variety of coarse fish, including carp to around lb to kg|20. Fishing is available on a day ticket.

Martin Mere

Martin Mere is a large wildfowl reserve and visitor attraction on the edge of Burscough and is owned by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. In 2006 Martin Mere featured in the BBC television programme Autumnwatch.

Gallery

ee also

* Burscough Priory
* Burscough Priory Science College
* Lathom and Burscough Urban District
* Martin Mere

References

* The Directory of Railway Stations, R.V.J.Butt, PSL, 1995, ISBN 1 85260 508 1