Euxton
Village in Lancashire, England
title: "Euxton" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["geography-of-chorley", "villages-in-lancashire", "civil-parishes-in-lancashire"] description: "Village in Lancashire, England" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euxton" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Village in Lancashire, England ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| coordinates | |
| official_name | Euxton |
| map_type | Lancashire |
| population | 9,993 |
| population_ref | (2011 Census) |
| os_grid_reference | SD555186 |
| civil_parish | Euxton |
| shire_district | Chorley |
| shire_county | Lancashire |
| region | North West England |
| country | England |
| post_town | CHORLEY |
| postcode_area | PR |
| postcode_district | PR6, PR7 |
| dial_code | 01257 |
| constituency_westminster | Chorley |
| static_image_name | Euxton - geograph.org.uk - 1536068.jpg |
| static_image_caption | Euxton lies along the A49 and the A581 roads between Chorley and Leyland. |
| pushpin_map | United Kingdom Borough of Chorley |
| pushpin_map_caption | Shown within Chorley Borough |
| :: |
|coordinates = |official_name= Euxton |map_type= Lancashire | population = 9,993 | population_ref = (2011 Census) |os_grid_reference= SD555186 |civil_parish= Euxton |shire_district= Chorley |shire_county= Lancashire |region= North West England |country= England |post_town= CHORLEY |postcode_area= PR |postcode_district= PR6, PR7 |dial_code= 01257 |constituency_westminster= Chorley |static_image_name= Euxton - geograph.org.uk - 1536068.jpg |static_image_caption= Euxton lies along the A49 and the A581 roads between Chorley and Leyland. |pushpin_map = United Kingdom Borough of Chorley |pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Chorley Borough
Euxton ( ) is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England. The population at the 2011 census was 9,993, but is now estimated to be around 14,000 due to housing developments in the village, including at Buckshaw. The village is just to the west of Chorley, and south of Clayton-le-Woods.
Euxton covers an area around 2.5 mi from east to west and 2 mi north to south. The village is made up of several areas including Runshaw Moor, Balshaw, Shaw Green, Daisy Hill, Buckshaw, Pincock, Primrose Hill, Glead Hill, Dawbers, Spout Hillock, Culbeck and Pear Tree.
The boundaries of Euxton have remained largely unchanged, as they follow a series of natural waterways. The northern boundary is formed by Worden Brook, which runs through the centre of Buckshaw Village and becomes Shaw Brook, marking the border between Euxton and Leyland. To the east, the boundary was historically defined by German Brook and German Lane (now Washington Lane), whereas the boundary is now broadly aligned with West Way. The southern boundary is formed by the River Yarrow, while to the west, the parish boundary follows historic field lines from Runshaw Moor southwards to the point where the A581 changes from Dawbers Lane to Southport Road near the Elephant Restaurant and on to the Yarrow.
Euxton is served by five primary schools: Balshaw Lane Primary, Primrose Hill Primary, Euxton C of E Primary, Euxton RC Primary and Trinity C of E/Methodist Primary School.
History
Euxton's original village settlement in Pincock was based near the ford over the River Yarrow, along the route of the old Roman road Watling Street – now the A49 road – that runs through the length of the village, from Pincock to Packsaddle.
Demonstrating its significance, Euxton had a market charter granted in 1301 by Edward I and whilst the area was called Euxton, the township was called Euxtonburgh. The name suggests an Anglo-Saxon origin. It has been suggested that it is derived from "Efe's Tun", with "tun" referring to a farmstead and Efe being a personal name and the later addition of burgh suggesting the settlement had grown and been fortified.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Euxton_Hall_-geograph.org.uk-_1399049.jpg" caption="title=Euxton Hall Grade II Listing }}"] ::
Charles II lodged at Euxton Hall in 1651 when on his way south to Worcester, he is said to have drunk water from the stream at the edge of Euxton describing it as "Cul Beck" or cool brook giving it its name, from whence the area takes its name.
The hall had three lodge houses, one at the bottom of Chapel Brow, one at main gates of Euxton Park on Wigan Road and one on Dawber's Lane which is now much extended and known as Dower House. The centre of the village later moved from the old ford to be closer to Euxton Hall and its chapel (now Euxton Parish Church).[[File:Euxton Parish Church (geograph 4403183).jpg|thumb|Euxton Parish Church (geograph 4403183)]]
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Buckshaw_Hall_-geograph.org.uk-_1097090.jpg" caption="publisher=Euxton.com }}"] ::
One of the most significant buildings in Euxton is Buckshaw Hall, an H-plan two-storey timber framed property on a sandstone base, with both brick and wattle and daub infilling and a slate roof. It is considered to be one of the best preserved Tudor halls in Lancashire.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Euxton_Hall,Building-geograph.org.uk-_1399050.jpg" caption="df=dmy-all }} and built in 1866 as a private chapel for the Anderton family who lived in Euxton Hall."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Runshaw_Hall_(geograph_3308701).jpg" caption="Runshaw Hall]]There has been a building at Runshaw Hall since medieval times and the current house was built in 1862 and later acquired by William Bretherton."] ::
Early industry
Euxton Hall, which was a significant stately residence, now acts as a private hospital and is half its former glory, with the second storey being removed in the 20th century along with its grand colonnade. Euxton Hall's 19th century gatehouses can be seen at the bottom of Chapel Brow, near the parish church whilst the other gatehouse can be seen at the entrance of Euxton Hall Gardens. Earlier gatehouses were previously located on Dawbers Lane and Runshaw Lane. Balshaw Lodge, which has recently been redeveloped, was originally built as guest lodgings for the hall.
There was a large Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF Chorley) built here in the buildup to the Second World War (Nevell et al., 1999). At its peak the factory employed over 40,000 people, and had its own railway station. It was probably the biggest munitions filling factory in the world, and it is said that the bouncing bombs used in the Dambusters raid were made there. ROF Chorley later came under the ownership of British Aerospace, and in subsequent years was closed down with the land being sold. In the early 2000s the former ROF Chorley site was effectively flattened and sanitised, so that the land could be transformed into the new Buckshaw Village.
Modern industry
Plans by Tarmac to operate a sand quarry near the village were approved in August 2008 by a planning inspector. The quarry, to be located between Runshaw Lane and Dawber's Lane, had been proposed for ten years and is opposed by the village council, and by local residents, some of whom set up an action group, Euxton Residents Against Sand Extraction (ERASE), due to its impact on health, traffic and environment locally. The quarry has permission to operate for 15 years.
Estates and public houses
The village also has seven public houses; the Talbot, the Euxton Mills, the Railway at Euxton, the Bay Horse, the Traveller's Rest, the Plough and the War Horse (in the Buckshaw part of Euxton). [[File:Euxton Mills - geograph.org.uk - 1536029.jpg|thumb|Euxton Mills - geograph.org.uk - 1536029]]
Euxton has several large housing estates, particularly in the eastern half of the village built in the late 1960s by Trevor Hemmings. The Talbot Estate lies to the east of Euxton and the Greenside Estate to the north on Runshaw Lane.
Newer housing estates include Wentworth Drive to the north-east of the village and Church Walk and Park Avenue to the west.
Euxton's population was significantly increased after the Royal Ordnance Factory in Buckshaw was demolished and redeveloped, creating a huge new residential and commercial area in the north of the village.
Transport
The north-south M6 motorway lies to the west of the village. Access from the M6 is by junction 28 for the A49 road at nearby Clayton-le-Woods.
Euxton has two railway stations, with stopping services operated by Northern:
- Euxton Balshaw Lane railway station is sited on the West Coast Main Line, between Preston and Wigan. Services operate hourly in each direction between Liverpool Lime Street and Blackpool North. The station was re-opened in 1997, after a gap of some 30 years.
- Buckshaw Parkway railway station was opened in 2011 to serve the new Buckshaw Village development. It is on the Manchester-Preston line, with direct destinations include Chorley, Bolton, Preston, Barrow, Blackpool, Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport.
Euxton is home to three listed railway bridges: Pincock Bridge, Old Station Bridge (Wigan Road) and Bay Horse Brow (Euxton Lane). There are also bridges on School Lane and Balshaw Lane.
Bus services are operated primarily by Stagecoach Merseyside & South Lancashire.
Sport
The former ROF Chorley sports ground was used by English football team Bolton Wanderers as its training headquarters. On 19 February 2016, the training facility was sold by Bolton Wanderers to Wigan Athletic whilst on 1 September 2020 Wigan sold it to Preston North End.
The village is also home to Euxton Corinthians F.C., Euxton Villa F.C., Euxton Girls F.C. and Euxton Cricket Club. Euxton Villa F.C. have a training ground on Runshaw Lane.
References
Bibliography
- Nevell, M., Roberts, J. and Smith, J. (1999) A History of Royal Ordnance Factory, Chorley, Lancaster : Carnegie Publishing,
References
- "Euxton Parish".
- https://support.google.com/maps/thread/400073653?hl=en&sjid=15528332820957792194-EU
- "A brief history of Euxton". Euxton Parish Council.
- "Euxton Hall Grade II Listing". British Listed Buildings.
- "Townships: Euxton". British History.
- "Euxton". Ancestry.com.
- "History of Euxton". Euxton.com.
- Hyland, GW. "EW Pugin Gazetteer".
- Marshall, Tyrone. (2008-08-15). "Tarmac wins Euxton quarry appeal". [[Newsquest Media Group]].
- (May 2023). "Timetables and engineering information for travel with Northern". Northern Railway.
- (2023). "Stops in Euxton". Bus Times.
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35612052 Wigan Athletic buy struggling Bolton Wanderers' Euxton training facility], [[BBC Sport]], 19 February 2006
- [https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/wigan-athletic-administration-training-ground-sale-preston-a9698671.html The Independent: "Wigan Athletic confirm sale of training ground to Preston North End"]
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