Thornton, Lancashire

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.871
longitude= -3.004
official_name= Thornton
map_type= Lancashire
population =
shire_district= Wyre
shire_county = Lancashire
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Lancaster & Wyre & Blackpool North & Fleetwood
post_town= THORNTON-CLEVELEYS
postcode_district = FY5
postcode_area= FY
dial_code= 01253
os_grid_reference= SD339421

Thornton (together with its neighbouring town of Cleveleys, known as Thornton-Cleveleys) is a town on the Fylde, in Lancashire, England, about four miles north of Blackpool and two miles south of Fleetwood. It is in the borough of Wyre. The two towns are linked by Victoria Road.

Thornton for Cleveleys railway station was formerly the principal intermediate stop on the Fleetwood branch of the LMS/British Rail London Midland Region railway, running from Poulton-le-Fylde, but it has been years since the station was used, and with the recent fencing-over of the level crossing in Station Road/Victoria Road East in order to prevent youths from congregating on the tracks, the glory days of Thornton are long since gone. However, a recent decision by an action group based in Poulton means they will finance a feasibility study into bringing the railway back to Thornton and Fleetwood. cite news
last =
first =
coauthors =
title = Boost for plans to reopen Poulton to Fleetwood rail link
work =
pages =
language =
publisher = Blackpool Gazette
date = 2007-08-08
url = http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/fleetwood-news?articleid=3093862
accessdate = 2007-09-18 ]

Thornton is mentioned in the Domesday Book where it was referred to as Torentum but its much younger neighbour, Cleveleys, a bustling seaside resort, developed in the 19th century around a hotel owned by a Mr. Cleveleys.

Thornton was also once the site of a Roman occupation; there was a fort around where the Cala Gran caravan park now is.

Marsh Mill, a large well-preserved windmill, built in 1794, is a prominent landmark. It was commissioned by Bold Hesketh, uncle of Peter Hesketh (later Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood) who would go on to play a prominent role in the expansion of Fleetwood. Tragedy struck in May 1930, when a Miss Alice Baldwin and a Mrs Mary Jane Bailey visited the windmill with an interest in purchasing it. However, when both women stepped onto the fantail platform, the platform collapsed and the women fell to their deaths.

Thornton contains a number of schools, including Stanah Primary School, Royles Brook Primary School, and Millfield Science and Performing Arts College in addition to a small public library. [cite web | url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries/librarydetails/libsearch1.asp?name=Thornton&x=26&y=12 | title=Welcome to the Library and Information web site - Thornton Home Page | accessdate=2008-02-26 | pulisher=Lancashire County Council]

Notable people

*Alan Taylor, former professional football goalkeeper.
*

Gallery

References