Higher Walton

Higher Walton is a small village on the road to Blackburn, just beyond Walton-le-Dale, where the road crosses the River Darwen. The view from the bridge upriver.


There are two old mills, both still standing. There was a cotton mill, High Walton Mill, between the river and the road. The mill is now a series of industrial/commercial units.


The road rises as it turns, making the mill the big - and I would say, most attractive - feature of the village.


The other mill, Moon's Mill Foundry, also known as Coupe Foundry, and now Shakespeare Foundry, appears to still be operational, though a map of 1891 indicates it was disused way back then. It is not as picturesque, and set back from the road.

At the top of the hill is All Saints church.


The church is still open, but the Wesleyan Methodist chapel across the road is not.


Higher Walton has three pubs still open. On the hill, opposite the mill, is the Swan Inn.


At the bottom, on the corner of the road to Bamber Bridge, is Bar 47. This opened as Cann Bridge Ale House in 2018, and became Bar 47 last year, I think. Clearly the building is much older, but I cannot find out what it used to be.


On the opposite side is the Mill, just a couple of buildings along from the actual mill. At one time it was the Jolly Mill (image here); not sure if the pub is no longer jolly, or if that was just the mill owner trying to convince his employees.

Further along was the Farmers Arms, now Raees.

[awaiting image]

This sculpture references the foundry, and is where I took the photo of the Mill pub from.


Behind the Swan Inn was the school, at the end of a short side street. No longer a school, but still there.


There was a mansion called Bannister Hall. The gatehouse is just off the main road.


The house itself is some way up a drive, but to judge from Google maps is in a sorry state of disrepair. There is a housing estate that uses the name, so there is Bannister Hall Drive, Bannister Hall Lane, Bannister Hall Crescent and Bannister Close. A certain lack of imagination...









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