Higher Walton, Lancashire

infobox UK place
latitude= 53.743
longitude= -2.644
official_name= Higher Walton
population=
os_grid_reference= SD575275
shire_district= South Ribble
shire_county= Lancashire
region= North West England
country= England
post_town= PRESTON
postcode_area= PR
postcode_district= PR5
dial_code= 01772
constituency_westminster= Ribble Valley Higher Walton is a village in South Ribble, Lancashire, England. It is on the old road between Blackburn and Preston where it crosses the River Darwen. The road, at this point, is now part of the A675. Nearby places include Walton-le-Dale, Coupe Green, and Bamber Bridge.

The main road through the village has a number of shops, including a post office, butcher and a recently opened bicycle shop. The village has three pubs - the Swan, the Mill Tavern, and the Farmers Arms. There is a church (All Saints, in the Blackburn diocese of the Church of England) [ [http://www.blackburn.anglican.org/diodir/leydean.htm Blackburn Diocese: LEYLAND Deanery ] ] and a primary school in the village.

The M6 motorway passes through the village, west of the centre, and crosses the River Darwen and A675 Higher Walton Road on a convert|474|ft-long bridge that was built as part of the Preston Bypass and opened in 1958. [cite book | title=The Motorway Achievement: Building the Network: The North West of England | author=Harry L. Yeadon | year=2005 | publisher=Phillimore & Co. Ltd | location=Chichester, West Sussex | page=p. 17 ]

The village was formerly called "Moon's Mill",cite web | url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53121 | title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6 (1911): Townships: Walton-le-Dale | pages=pp. 289-300 | authors=William Farrer & J Brownbill (editors) | work=British History Online | accessdate=2008-04-26 ] and developed around a cotton mill in the 19th century. [ [http://www.lancashirebooks.co.uk/index.php/32/Higher_Walton Higher Walton Books ] ] .

Governance

Higher Walton is in the county of Lancashire. It is part of the district of South Ribble, which is a borough formed in 1974 after the reorganisation of local government in the Local Government Act 1972.fact|date=April 2008 It had been part of the township of Walton-le-Dale. In 1877, a local board was formed for the township, which in 1894 became Walton le Dale Urban District. [cite web | url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10173644&c_id=10001043 | title=Walton le Dale UD Lancashire through time: Boundaries of Local Government District | accessdate=2008-04-25 | work=A Vision of Britain Through Time ]

As part of the "Samlesbury & Walton" ward, Higher Walton is represented on South Ribble Borough Council by two councillors, and as of 2008, both are from the Conservative Party. [cite web | url=http://www.southribble.gov.uk/srbc_councillors_info.asp?orderBy= [wards] . [ward] &header=wardname#Samlesbury%20&%20Walton | title=South Ribble Borough Council - Councillors | accessdate=2008-04-25 | publisher=South Ribble Borough Council ]

Famous residents

The contralto, Kathleen Ferrier (1912-1953) was born in the village. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19951110/ai_n14017093 OBITUARY:Winifred Ferrier | Independent, The (London) | Find Articles at BNET.com ] ]

References