Beggars Bush: A Perambulation through the Disciplines of History, Geography, Archaeology, Literature, Philology, Natural History, Botany, Biography & Beggary

Clitheroe, Lancashire Beggars Bush Plantation 1847

The location is a plantation of trees along the north side of the Clitheroe Road just west of Bashall Bridge, east of Cow Ark. It forms part of the Browsholme Hall Estate. Google maps shows a fairly sparse screen of trees, none of great maturity. The name plantation suggests that this was not originally woodland. The area is shown wooded on the OS Survey 1:63360 First Series (1847) and the Land Utilisation Survey of Britain 1:63360 (1925 to 1948).

The history of Browsholme Hall from Stephen Haigh follows:

Browsholme Hall lies in the civil parish of Bowland Forest Low, about 6km northwest of Clitheroe, 2km north of the River Hodder, and at the foot of the upland area whose summit is Waddington Fell . . . Although now in Lancashire, historically Browsholme lay in the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the township of Forest of Bowland (Lower Division).

The present Browsholme Hall was established in the early 16th century (circa1507) by Edmund Parker, whose predecessors had established themselves at the site in the 14th century, and who for many generations held the tenancy of a vaccary (cattle farm) there . . . The freehold at Browsholme was bought from the Crown in 1607 by Thomas Parker, and subsequently the family ascended the economic and social scale, acquiring land and other assets throughout the region (mainly in Yorkshire and Lancashire), a process assisted in part by a number of advantageous marriages . . .  and this increasing wealth and influence led to many additions and alterations being made at Browsholme Hall, which express this1. The Hall and much of the Browsholme estate is still owned by the Parker family . . .

Many members of the Parker family were interested in the management of the estate and landscape improvements.

Other curious names nearby include South Africa, to the north.

Sources

Ribble Valley Borough Council Planning Application   3/2007/1092/P

Haigh, S, Barn at Home Farm, Browsholme Hall, Bowland Forest Low, Lancashire: Historic Building Recording

 

 

Posted: October 18th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: | No Comments »


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