places to visit in lancs

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15 Best Places to Visit in Lancashire

In northwest England, Lancashire is where you break free from the conurbations into beautiful countryside.

The landscapes can vary between green arable farms and pasture near the coast, and the wild and romantic moors and fells of the West Pennines and Forest of Bowland.

There’s great variety in the kind of towns you can call in on, ranging from raucous seaside resorts like Blackpool to former centres of industry such as Burnley.

And in-between you’ll uncover an abundance of adorable villages and historic market towns.

Lancashire is also a county of unembellished warming food like the Lancashire hotpot and savoury pies, and of course real ale.

Lets explore the best places to visit in Lancashire :

1. Lancaster

Although just a little city and easy to traverse on foot, Lancaster’s historic ties to the British throne (Queen Elizabeth II is the Duke of Lancaster) makes it an exciting place to explore.

It’s also very attractive, with lots of proud Georgian houses from the 1700s, particularly around the castle and on the banks of the Lune River.

And as for that castle, it’s one of the region’s most treasured historic monuments, suffused with almost a thousand years of tales and intrigue.

Go in for a tour, but don’t neglect the Lancashire City Museum, the Lancaster Canal or the haunting Ashton Memorial high on a hilltop in Williamson Park.

2. Blackpool

The coastal town of Blackpool is pretty much the model for an English seaside resort and is one of the country’s most beloved domestic holiday destinations.

A fixture since 1894, and one of the things that helped put the town on the map, is the 158-metre-high Blackpool Tower.

It was inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and has an observation deck  140 metres up and a glorious Victorian ballroom.

The sandy beaches were cleaned up in the 1980s and Blackpool South Beach meets the exacting Blue Flag standards for hygiene.

There’s way more in Blackpool than we can list here, but the Pleasure Beach amusement park and the Illuminations lights festival in the autumn months are extra incentive to come.

3. Garstang

An adorable market town, Garstang was mentioned in the 11th-century Domesday book and has a weekly market that has been running since 1310. Just west of the Forest of Bowland, this is prime walking country.

Set a course for the ruins of Greenhaigh Castle on elevated ground over Garstang.

There isn’t a great deal remaining of this sandstone building, but the decayed remnants have their own fragile beauty.

Up here there’s a great perspective of the town and countryside, while the Lancaster Canal crosses the town and runs all the way to Kendal.

Hire a longboat or walk the towpath for to experience Lancashire’s wild moorland and fells at a lighter gradient.

4. Lytham St Annes

A conurbation of two coastal towns a few miles down the coast from Blackpool, Lytham St Annes is an ideal antidote to its glitzier neighbour.

Amusements and theatre shows are replaced by more tranquil forms of enjoyment: The marshes on the Ribble Estuary and 80 hectares of sand dunes in the resort provide a wintering habitat for more than 100,000 migratory birds.

Golf is the sport of choice, and there are four courses, including the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, which has hosted the prestigious Open Championship, the oldest of the four majors.

St Annes is the seaside destination and is an understated Victorian resort, with a pier, gigantic beach and loads of period character.

As a textile town in the 19th and 20th centuries, Burnley is a good place to delve a bit deeper into industrial times in Lancashire.

The atmospheric Weavers’ Triangle, with its workers’ houses and cotton mills on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, is permeated with this history and you’ll get enthusiastic insights about these times at the visitors centre.

There’s a more refined side to Burnley too, at Towneley Hall a sublime Elizabethan manor house in sprawling grounds and with a museum containing everything from traditional local furniture to pre-Raphaelite paintings.

Burnley FC meanwhile is the overachieving local team, playing in the Premier League at Turf Moor one of the top flight’s last traditional grounds.

Crossing the river Calder with a stark majesty is the Whalley Viaduct, a titanic railway bridge built in the 1840s, 21 metres high and comprising 7,000,000 bricks.

Go to view the spectral ruins of Whalley Abbey.

This Cistercian monastery was founded in the 13th century but was divided up after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, The church and most of the monastic buildings were pulled down, but the dormitory is still there and is still used as a catholic place of worship.

The Northwest Gatehouse is also mostly intact and has Grade-I listing.

You’re in the scenic Ribble Valley in Whalley, and can hike up through woodland and pasture to the nearby Whalley Nab for a satisfying panorama of the village.

The story of the city of Preston is one echoed throughout the northwest: A small market town that grew rich and large from the cotton mills in the 1800s.

This era was when Preston’s most imposing landmarks were created.

Take the gothic revival Church of St Walburge, which has the tallest spire of any non-cathedral church in the country.

Or there’s the classical purpose-built Harris Museum, with paintings by Lucien Freud and Stanley Spence, and the excellent Discover Preston section, guiding you through the city’s and region’s past back to prehistoric times.

Rolling down to the north bank of the Ribble River are the joyous Avenham and Miller Parks, with a Japanese Garden and a grand stairway dominated by a statue of Edward Smith-Stanley, the MP for Preston and three-times the country’s Prime Minister.

8. Morecambe

A seaside town in the scenic bay of the same name, Morecambe means huge sandy beaches, kite-flying, chippies, ice cream parlours and the many other simple joys of a British coastal destination.

One fabulous sight to take in is the breathtaking MIdland Hotel, an art deco masterwork built in 1933 and recently brought back to life.

Morecambe has several cultural connections, as the playwright Alan Bennett based some of his works in the town.

And if you have a thing for British comedy you’ll appreciate the statue of the performer Eric Morecambe, who is fondly remembered for the Morecambe and Wise double act in the 1970s.

One of Lancashire’s cotton towns, Chorley’s skyline was a crowd of chimneys until the last decades of the 20th century, while the nearby collieries closed in the 1980s.

The Industrial Revolution brought sudden growth to Chorley, but it had been an important town for centuries, with a market that goes back to the 15th century.

Come to browse the stalls on Tuesdays and try a freshly-baked Chorley cake, shortcrust pastry with a currant filling.

Astley Hall is owned by the town and is a sublime 17th century country house with a walled garden.

And for fresh air, the sandstone peak of Rivington Pike climbs to 363 metres and is an amazing vantage point for the barren but enchanting moorland around the Rivington Reservoir.

10. Poulton-le-Fylde

It may be that you’d prefer a more placid and rural setting to retreat to during your trip to Blackpool.

The pretty market town of Poulton-le-Fylde is ten minutes away and has a centre protected as a conservation area.

At least 15 buildings in this little town have been listed, and some, like the Golden Ball pub, have been regional landmarks for as long as anyone can remember.

Poulton is in an agricultural area, far from the coalfields and so was unaffected during the Industrial Revolution.

Salad and vegetables are grown in the local countryside and sold at Monday’s weekly market.

And while you’re on Market Square, look for the medieval whipping post and stocks, still in place though thankfully they haven’t been used recently!

Neighboured by tall hills, Darwen is a good shout for an outdoor holiday, with bike trails, footpaths and bridleways into the West Pennine Moors.

The scenery is windswept and barren, but has an untamed appeal.

These moors weren’t always accessible to the public, and that’s the story behind the Jubilee Tower.

At the crest of the 372-metre Darwen Hill, this landmark was created to commemorate Victoria’s jubilee in 1897, but also to celebrate the reopening of historic rights of way, which had been blocked off by private landowners for much of the late-19th century.

Up here drink in the vistas of Blackpool, the Isle of Man and Morecambe Bay.

Also spend some time in the town, visiting the Victorian Market Hall, which has 130 stalls overflowing with great local produce.

12. Blackburn

A large town between Preston and Burnley, Blackburn is well-known for its historic cotton-weaving industry.

This dates further back than in other towns in the county as Blackburn was settled by Flemish migrants who brought the trade with them in the 1300s.

The Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery, established in 1874, has curated a lot of this heritage, including the awesome Japanese Print Collection, as well as medieval manuscripts, fine arts and Egyptology collections.

The other big claim to fame is the football team Blackburn Rovers, who won the Premier League in 1995. They are the bitter rivals of Burnley but currently languish in the second tier of English football.

13. Ormskirk

On Thursdays and Saturdays, the pedestrianised centre of Ormskirk bustles with shoppers at a market that got its charter in 1286. And the moment you see it you’ll know that the 12th-century Church of St.

Peter and Paul is a bit of oddity: This is one of only three in Britain to have both a western tower and a spire.

What’s inside is just as intriguing, as the church is the burial place of several Earls of Derby.

Thomas Stanley changed sides in the Battle of Bosworth, accelerating Richard III’s defeat and death, while the royalist James Stanley was beheaded at the end of the Civil War.

His head and body were buried in separate caskets.

14. Carnforth

A small town in northern Lancashire and close to the boundary with Cumbria, Carnforth’s reputation as a “railway town” was enshrined in 1945 when the classic movie Brief Encounter was shot at Carnforth Station by David Lean.

You can go into the Heritage Centre to see reconstructed sets and artefacts from the steam age.

You could also catch a steam train to Scarborough on the West Coast Line heritage railway, and get the luxury cream tea treatment in first class.

Carnforth is a town for walkers, who can climb Warton Crag, a steep limestone hill, which has a breeding site for peregrine falcons.

15. Heysham

On Morecambe Bay, Heysham is the a ferry-port with traffic to and from Ireland and the Isle of Man.

But there are lots of little things to hold your attention.

High above Morcambe Bay are the atmospheric ruins of St Patrick’s Chapel, a Grade I-listed building from the 8th century.

What makes this site so unusual is the presence of six tombs that were carved directly from the rock in the 1000s.

Heysham is the only site in the UK with two functioning power stations, and you may as well embrace them: If you’re curious about nuclear energy then the EDF centre offers pre-booked tours.

They’ll kit you out with safety gear like a hi-vis jacket, hardhat and safety glasses, and take you round the reactor, cooling systems and turbines.

15 Best Places to Visit in Lancashire:

• Lytham St Annes
• Poulton-le-Fylde

Places to visit in Lancashire

Visit Lancashire for a true taste of olde England and a merry mix of city, town and countryside. After the pizazz of Blackpool's piers and pleasure beach, escape to silent moors scattered with reservoirs and ruins for glimpses of owls and falcons. You can dip into a rich industrial heritage at mills and working museums and follow the trail of England’s most-famous witches across Lancaster and Pendle. And for food lovers, Lancashire is brimming with native culinary delights, having its own scrumptiously-creamy cheese, a signature dish in the form of Lancashire Hotpot, being the home of black pudding in Bury, the butter pie, Eccles and Chorley cakes, and Britain’s last original Temperance Bar in Rossendale. Visit Lancashire and see one of England’s most beautiful counties for yourself.

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Step into the cockpit of Blackpool’s Red Arrow Skyforce ride

Blackpool Pleasure Beach has joined forces with the world famous Red Arrows for a new 72ft-high white knuckle ride that’s great for family holidays.

Location: Blackpool, Lancashire

Picnic in Blackpool’s largest park

Stanley Park, in the heart of Blackpool, is renowned for being one of the region's finest parks.

Rainy Day Activities: Get spooked in the Blackpool Tower Dungeon

Tales of Lancashire's dark history and scary stories galore lay ready and waiting in Blackpool's spookiest indoor attraction, the Blackpool Tower Dungeon.

See everything Blackpool has to offer with one Pass

The Blackpool Resort Pass is back for 2018, and its set for the most exciting year yet!

Walk in the footsteps of Alfred Wainwright

Follow the Beamers trail through Witton Country Park, and onto the Yellow Hills above Blackburn.

Location: Blackburn, Lancashire

Take time out and relax with a Llama at Wellbeing Farm

If you’re looking to try something different with the kids, then try Llama Trekking through the beautiful West Pennine Moors.

Location: Bolton, Lancashire

Take a tour of Lancaster Castle

Uncover the history of this former court and prison, including it most famous “residents”, the Lancashire Witches.

Location: Lancaster, Lancashire

Visit the public artwork of the “TERN” Project

Have your photo taken with Eric Morecambe, and enjoy stunning views over the Bay as you take a stroll along Morecambe Promenade.

Location: Morecambe, Lancashire

August events: Lytham 1940s Wartime Festival

Come and enjoy the atmosphere and immerse yourself in heritage, entertainment, re-enactment and have-a-go fun.

Location: Lytham Green, Lancashire

September events: Be blown away at St Annes International Kite Festival

St Annes hosts the spectacular annual Kite Festival, featuring magnificent kites from all over the world.

Location: St Annes on Sea, Lancashire

Enjoy traditional family fun by the seaside

Discover the mythic coastline and its associated sculptures along the seashore from Cleveleys to Fleetwood.

Location: Cleveleys & Fleetwood, Lancashire

Tickle your taste buds on the Lancashire Cheese Trail

Discover the Lancashire Cheese Trail, and watch cheese being made at Dewlay Cheese.

Location: Garstang, Lancashire

Hunt for the witches in the woods of Pendle

Embark on the interactive Pendle Sculpture Trail, and find the witches ceramic plaques in an atmospheric woodland setting.

Location: Pendle, Lancashire

Wander Blackpool’s small but perfectly formed Model Village

See English rural life through a microscope and marvel at the exquisite detail of these handmade figurines, at Blackpool’s Model Village.

Rainy Day Activities: Make a splash at Sandcastle Waterpark

The Sandcastle Waterpark is home to Masterblaster - the world’s longest indoor rollercoaster waterslide - and so much more to keep everyone entertained on a rainy day.

Admire Blackpool's light fantastic

Every autumn, Blackpool lights up the Lancashire skies with a sparkling spectacle that has to be seen to be believed.

Ballroom dancing in Blackpool

It's strictly dancing...

Be seduced by ritzy Blackpool and its mighty Tower

Soar to dizzying heights at Blackpool Tower, whirl around on its famous dance floor and be dazzled by ‘the greatest free light show on earth’.

Learn, enjoy and discover at Blackpool Zoo

There’s something here to tickle everyone’s creepy crawly fancy, from crocodiles and rattlesnakes, to sea lions and emus.

Take a break on a narrowboat cruiser

Lock, stock and swing bridge.

Location: Rochdale, Lancashire

Uncover Blackpool’s Victorian heritage and charm

Explore the Winter Gardens innate beauty and enjoy afternoon tea in the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

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Nearby cities to visit.

Explore the rambling stately mansions and turreted castles of the northwest, with landscaped gardens to die for. Wildlife lovers can meet tiny bugs to giant Asian elephants at Chester Zoo.

Grand listed buildings, riverside panoramas – and a city bursting with both pop and culture. Trips to this Merseyside city start at Liverpool Pier to snap the trio of iconic buildings.

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Top Things to Do in Lancashire, England - Lancashire Must-See Attractions

Things to do in lancashire, explore popular experiences, popular cities in lancashire.

Ways to tour Lancashire

The Brontes, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre

The Blackpool Tower Circus Admission Ticket

Walking tour of Lancaster - Execution Slavery Industry

3-Day Yorkshire Dales and Peak District Small-Group Tour from Manchester

The Blackpool Tower Eye Admission Ticket

SEA LIFE Blackpool Admission Ticket

Motorcycle Trials Bike Experience Day

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Friday & Saturday night comedy club entry

Viva Decades Rewind! 80s, 90s & Now

Top attractions in lancashire.

Walking Tours

Shows, Concerts & Sports

Tours & Sightseeing

What travellers are saying

• Blackpool Zoo
• Blackpool Tramway
• The Blackpool Tower
• Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary
• Blackpool Tower Ballroom
• The Bee Centre
• Wild Discovery
• Clip 'n Climb Blackpool
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Natterjack Alpacas
• Queen Street Mill Textile Museum

The 20 Best Villages in Lancashire

From the mill villages and the moors to the seaside settlements of the coast, Lancashire has a wealth of little places to explore.

Here are some of our picks for the best Lancashire villages.

Table of Contents

Beloved of location scouts and directors, Downham has no village sign, satellite dishes or TV aerials, making it a popular choice for filming period dramas. Located in the Ribble Valley, the village forms part of the Downham Estate, managed by the Assheton family.

Found in the Forest of Bowland, Slaidburn was historically part of Yorkshire until boundary changes in 1974 reassigned it to neighbouring Lancashire. The war memorial stands on the site of a whipping post, while its church boasts a Jacobean screen and Georgian pulpit.

The village of Hest Bank is popular with walkers who come to enjoy the views across Morecambe Bay. Beside the Lancaster Canal you’ll find its oldest building, the 16th century Hest Bank Inn.

A 14th century Cistercian abbey is Whalley’s most important landmark. The village stands on the banks of the River Calder, which the monks cut into a weir which provided a source of drinking water and fed a wheel at the Corn Mill.

Famed for its annual agricultural show, the village of Chipping also boasts the oldest shop in England . A local wool merchant opened a store on the site of what’s now the Chipping Craft Centre in 1668.

Barley sits close to the Pendle Hill and made its money from agriculture and textiles. Excavations a decade ago unearthed a cottage buried under an earth mound, which some believe may have belonged to one of the Pendle witches who were tried for murder by witchcraft in 1612.

Croston can trace its history back to the 7th century and the arrival of St Aidan. It gets its name from the cross erected for people to worship by, as there was no church. Other notable landmarks include Croston Old School, now a community centre, which dates from 1660.

Located in the Ribble Valley, Ribchester is built on the site of a Roman settlement called Bremetennacum, a cavalry fort. Later, it was a centre for cotton weaving. Today, the looms no longer clack and instead, villagers commute to Preston, Manchester and Blackburn for work.

Heysham is a charming seaside village on the edge of Morecambe Bay. Its 17th century workers’ cottages have bags of character. The acclaimed landscape artist J.M.W. Turner would have agreed; he painted Heysham in the 1790s while touring the area.

Well-kept Blacko is a regular winner of awards for best kept village and the Britain in Bloom contest. Visitors shouldn’t miss Stansfield Tower, built in 1890 to offer a view over Ribblesdale, though sadly a little too short to achieve that goal. However, a 3500 year old axe was once found nearby.

Higham, a village in the borough of Pendle, is known for “The Spout”, a natural spring that rises in the centre of the village. Near it you’ll find the poundfield, a walled grassed area use to hold animals. The mathematician, astronomer and surveyor Sir Jonas Moore, the son of a yeoman farmer, was born in Higham in 1617.

Located in the Lune Valley, people have lived in and around Caton since Roman times; a millstone found in Artle Beck bears Emperor Hadrian’s name. West of the village you’ll find the Crook O’Lune picnic site beside the river.

The village of Brookhouse, neighbouring Caton, is home to a beautiful parish church, which features a 12th century door and a 16th century tower. It takes its name from Brookhouse Hall but in fact was originally called Caton.

The seaside village of Baycliff, centred on a village green, grew up in the 17th and 18th centuries. Originally a farming and fishing community, it later diversified into quarrying limestone and iron ore mining.

Silverdale lies on the coast at the intersection of Lancashire Coastal Way and Cumbria Coastal Way. There are several opportunities for birdwatching close to the village, notably at the RSPB Leighton Moss and spotting the peregrine falcons which nest at the nearby Warton Crag Nature Reserve.

Wycoller is probably most famous for its connection to the Brontes – its ruined hall was the inspiration for Ferndean Manor in Charlotte’s novel Jane Eyre. Wycoller Beck flows through the village, now a country park. Seven bridges, the first built over 1000 years ago, cross it.

Located in the Rossendale Valley in East Lancashire, Edenfield nestles in the shadow of Scout Moor. Up on the moor you’ll find a memorial to 19th century local poet Edwin Waugh, worth the climb.

Hurst Green

In the heart of the Ribble Valley, the village of Hurst Green is home to Stonyhurst College, where J.R.R. Tolkein wrote some of The Lord of the Rings in an upstairs classroom. The ghost of highwayman Ned King who died near the Punch Bowl Inn also reputedly haunts the village.

Scorton lies in the Forest of Bowland. This pretty little place is a popular destination for walkers, many of whom climb to Nicky Nook, from where the views over Lancashire’s coast, Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland fells are breathtaking on a fine day.

People have lived in this area for over 4000 years. Tockholes was the site of serious fighting in the English Civil War – during the battle here more than 40 horses were killed. Later, the village was a centre for silk weaving.

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THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Lancashire

Things to do in lancashire, explore popular experiences, popular cities in lancashire.

Ways to tour Lancashire

The Brontes, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre

The Blackpool Tower Circus Admission Ticket

Walking tour of Lancaster - Execution Slavery Industry

3-Day Yorkshire Dales and Peak District Small-Group Tour from Manchester

The Blackpool Tower Eye Admission Ticket

SEA LIFE Blackpool Admission Ticket

Motorcycle Trials Bike Experience Day

Scavenger Hunt in Blackpool by Operation City Quest

Friday & Saturday night comedy club entry

Viva Decades Rewind! 80s, 90s & Now

Top attractions in lancashire.

Walking Tours

Shows, Concerts & Sports

Tours & Sightseeing

What travellers are saying

• Blackpool Zoo
• Blackpool Tramway
• The Blackpool Tower
• Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary
• Blackpool Tower Ballroom
• The Bee Centre
• Wild Discovery
• Clip 'n Climb Blackpool
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Natterjack Alpacas
• Queen Street Mill Textile Museum

Top Things to Do in Lancashire

Things to do in lancashire, explore popular experiences, popular cities in lancashire.

Ways to tour Lancashire

The Brontes, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre

The Blackpool Tower Circus Admission Ticket

Walking tour of Lancaster - Execution Slavery Industry

3-Day Yorkshire Dales and Peak District Small-Group Tour from Manchester

The Blackpool Tower Eye Admission Ticket

SEA LIFE Blackpool Admission Ticket

Motorcycle Trials Bike Experience Day

Scavenger Hunt in Blackpool by Operation City Quest

Friday & Saturday night comedy club entry

Viva Decades Rewind! 80s, 90s & Now

Top attractions in lancashire.

Walking Tours

Shows, Concerts & Sports

Tours & Sightseeing

What travellers are saying

• Blackpool Zoo
• Blackpool Tramway
• The Blackpool Tower
• Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary
• Blackpool Tower Ballroom
• The Bee Centre
• Wild Discovery
• Clip 'n Climb Blackpool
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Natterjack Alpacas
• Queen Street Mill Textile Museum

Top Things to Do in Lancashire - Lancashire Must-See Attractions

Things to do in lancashire, explore popular experiences, popular cities in lancashire.

Ways to tour Lancashire

The Brontes, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre

The Blackpool Tower Circus Admission Ticket

Walking tour of Lancaster - Execution Slavery Industry

3-Day Yorkshire Dales and Peak District Small-Group Tour from Manchester

The Blackpool Tower Eye Admission Ticket

SEA LIFE Blackpool Admission Ticket

Motorcycle Trials Bike Experience Day

Scavenger Hunt in Blackpool by Operation City Quest

Friday & Saturday night comedy club entry

Viva Decades Rewind! 80s, 90s & Now

Top attractions in lancashire.

Walking Tours

Shows, Concerts & Sports

Tours & Sightseeing

What travellers are saying

• Blackpool Zoo
• Blackpool Tramway
• The Blackpool Tower
• Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary
• Blackpool Tower Ballroom
• The Bee Centre
• Wild Discovery
• Clip 'n Climb Blackpool
• Blackpool Pleasure Beach
• Natterjack Alpacas
• Queen Street Mill Textile Museum

Top Things to Do in Lancashire, England

Places to visit in lancashire, explore popular experiences, popular cities in lancashire.

Ways to tour Lancashire

The Brontes, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre

The Blackpool Tower Circus Admission Ticket

Walking tour of Lancaster - Execution Slavery Industry

3-Day Yorkshire Dales and Peak District Small-Group Tour from Manchester

The Blackpool Tower Eye Admission Ticket

SEA LIFE Blackpool Admission Ticket

Motorcycle Trials Bike Experience Day

Scavenger Hunt in Blackpool by Operation City Quest

Friday & Saturday night comedy club entry

Viva Decades Rewind! 80s, 90s & Now

Top attractions in lancashire.

Walking Tours

Shows, Concerts & Sports

Tours & Sightseeing

What travellers are saying

• Blackpool Zoo
• Blackpool Tramway
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You are here: Things To Do > Historic Houses and Halls

Historic Houses and Halls

Stately Lancashire. Historic Lancashire gems.

From the Wars of the Roses, the famous witch trials of 1612 , the clash of Parliamentarian and Royalists armies of the civil war, the Jacobite Rebellion  and the wealth created by the industrial revolution Lancashire’s historic houses have witnessed a wide range of major historic events.

Discover the history and stories behind Lancashire’s grand houses and halls including the story behind the knighting of Sir Loin at Hoghton Tower ; how JRR Tolkien was inspired by the countryside around Stonyhurst College ; the tragic tale of the white lady at Samlesbury Hall and the gruesome severed head at Towneley Hall .

Beyond the stately buildings there are formal gardens and extensive grounds to explore, many featuring adventure playgrounds, sculpture trails, seasonal flower walks and farm animals – perfect for all the family to enjoy.

Browsholme , Hoghton and Leighton are still family homes and have passed through generations and still display wonderful possessions created by world renown artists and craftsmen. Furniture by Gillow and Hepplewhite, fine art by  JMW Turner, Lely and Reynolds as well as exquisite porcelain, glass and textiles. You may even bump into the owners and their children of the house whilst enjoying a guided tour. Read more in about these extraordinary, some say eccentric, owners in Living In History .

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Number of results: 27

, currently showing 1 to 20.

Furness Abbey

Historic Site

Barrow In Furness

Impressive red sandstone remains and ornately decorated chapter house. Once was the second most prosperous Cistercian abbey in England.

Judges' Lodgings Museum

The Judges' Lodgings dates back nearly 400 years on a site that has been at the centre of Lancaster's history for nearly 2000 years

Pendle Heritage Centre

Heritage / Visitor Centre

The Pendle Heritage Centre is open daily and includes a Garden Tearoom, 18th Century Walled Garden, Cruck Frame Barn, a Parlour shop, Tourist Information Centre, Pendle Arts Gallery and a Conference Centre.

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating

Samlesbury Hall

Historic House

Built in 1325 Samlesbury Hall is steeped in fascinating history, retaining its original typical black and white exterior, the Hall is almost equidistant between Blackburn and Preston, yet retaining a rural feel.

The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery

Set in the beautiful Whitaker Park in Rawtenstall, it’s a great day out for all.  A traditional and contemporary a museum, but with a modern twist.

Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum

Arts, Crafts & Galleries

This 14th century grade 1 listed hall has a rich history with many stories to tell, with grand period rooms decorated with oil paintings and sculptures covering several centuries of life at the hall which was the home of the Towneley family for over…

Haworth Art Gallery and Artists’ Studios

Haworth Art Gallery is best known for its collection of Tiffany art glass.

Astley Hall, Coach House and Park

Astley Village, Chorley

One of the most intriguing historic houses in the North West, Astley Hall, located in the beautiful surroundings of Astley Park, offers a fascinating look into over 400 years of history and the lives of the families who once called it home. Visitors…

Leighton Hall

Award winning Leighton Hall is the lived-in house of the famous furniture making Gillow dynasty. A visit to Leighton is an opportunity to unravel the fascinating past of this ancient, Lancashire family.

The Cottage Museum, Lancaster

Step back in time to Lancaster in the 1800s!. Spread over five tiny floors, make yourself at home in this simply furnished house.

Gawthorpe Hall

An Elizabethan Gem in industrial Lancashire, period rooms, work by Charles Barry and Pugin, nationally important Rachel Kay - Shuttleworth textile collection, National Portrait Gallery paintings, connections to English Civil War.

Browsholme Hall

Browsholme Hall has been the ancestral home of the Parkers, Bowbearers of the Forest of Bowland since the time Tudor times. Today it is still the family’s home and visitors are invited to enjoy its magnificent architecture, fabulous interiors and…

Conishead Priory

Church/Chapel

Peaceful and inspiring Buddhist Temple, amazing Romantic Gothic mansion, relaxing café, gift shop and book store. Six minute woodland walk to beach.

Wycoller Hall

The hall was built by the Hartley family at the end of the 16th century and subsequently extended in the 18th by Squire Henry Owen Cunliffe, in order to attract a wealthy wife. Charlotte Brontë is thought to have frequently visited Wycoller village.

Heskin Hall

One of the best examples of Tudor architecture left in northern England, Heskin Hall is set in eight acres of grounds and surrounded by over 300 acres of farmland, and boasts panelled rooms, a great staircase, a priest hole, baronial fireplaces and…

Warton Village, St Oswald's Church and the Old Rectory

North of Carnforth, this village has strong links to the Washington family, ancestors of the USA's first President George Washington. The local church bears the Washington coat of arms, and flies the Stars & Stripes flag every 4th July.

Levens Hall

Elizabethan mansion with world famous topiary gardens designed by M Beaumont in 1694, fountain garden and buttery, licenced restaurant and gift shop.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-65) was one of the most important and best loved Victorian writers. Her novels and letters reveal a warm-hearted woman who was a shrewd judge of character, inquisitive, witty and profoundly concerned with social justice.

Gresgarth Hall Garden

Gold medal-winning landscape designer, Arabella Lennox-Boyd, opens her own stunning garden at Gresgarth Hall near Lancaster on the second Sunday of the month from February to November.

Whitworth Heritage Museum

The Whitworth Heritage Museum has many exhibits, and an extensive library of documents relating to the local area, gives an insight into the historical life of Rossendale.

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Lancashire’s most dog-friendly attractions and places to eat according to TripAdvisor

The best places to take your dog in Lancashire from beaches and parks to pubs and cafes

• 12:25, 22 MAY 2021

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With 2021 set to be the year of the staycation, there couldn’t be a better time to explore Lancashire with our dogs.

It can be difficult to find places to visit and eat that allow dogs, let alone welcome them as much as their human companions!

Fortunately, dog-friendly holiday provider Canine Cottages has crunched the TripAdvisor data to find the most dog-friendly places to go in Lancashire.

Based on the percentage of reviews on TripAdvisor suggesting a place was dog-friendly, they found the most dog-friendly beaches, places to visit, pubs and cafes across the county, which can also be found in this handy interactive map .

Finding a beach or attraction where your hounds are allowed isn’t always easy, due to different restrictions applying to various places.

Luckily, TripAdvisor users have come to the rescue and suggested that the most dog-friendly places to visit in Lancashire are:

• Solaris Centre, Blackpool
• Cuerden Valley Park, Preston
• Lytham Hall, Lytham St Anne's
• Wyre Estuary Country Park, Thornton Cleveleys
• Yarrow Valley Country Park, Chorley,
• Witton Country Park, Blackburn
• St Anne's Beach, Lytham St Anne's
• Worden Park, Leyland
• Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, Blackburn
• Ashton Gardens, Lytham St Anne's

Offering a real mix of attractions, it’s clear to see reviewers agree there are great places to go in Lancashire with your dog, whatever your interests are.

Feeling peckish? Canine Cottages have rounded up the top dog-friendly places to eat across Lancashire too. 28.3% of visitors to Central Beach Cafe raved about its dog-friendliness, whilst Village Green Tea Room was a close second with 27.9%

Below is the full top 10:

• Central Beach Cafe, Lytham St Anne's
• Village Green Tea Room, Rivington
• Sunnyhurst Pub, Darwen
• 1887 The Brew Room, Blackpool
• The Queens Hotel, Lytham St Anne's
• The Royal Arms, Darwen
• Bijou of Lytham, Lytham St Anne's
• Fresh Cafe, Lytham St Anne's
• Station Pub & Grill, Lytham St Anne's
• The Green Man at Inglewhite, Inglewhite

Join our brand new website TeamDogs now.

When you get there, make sharing a picture of your dog in our Top Dogs feed your very brilliant first job. Maybe when you've done that, leave a recommendation to help fellow dog owners in the TeamDogs community.

Canine Cottages have also released the Dog-Friendly Index , a handy tool where you’ll find these and even more dog-friendly places as recommended by TripAdvisor reviewers.

Covering the entirety of the UK, and featuring helpful filters for finding your perfect kind of day out or place to visit, the Dog-Friendly Index is a must-have tool for dog owners. Each place that has been featured has also been given a useful paw rating out of 5, with only places rated 3 paws or higher featuring in the tool.

Shannon Keary, Digital PR Manager at Canine Cottages, said: “With so many more people looking to explore what’s on their own doorstep with their dogs this summer, it’s fantastic to see the sheer number and diversity of places that welcome dogs across the country; hopefully this can only continue to grow.

We hope that our Dog-Friendly Index tool helps to highlight the top spots for dog owners to visit near them, as well as highlight some hidden gems they may not have been aware of.”

Download the LancsLive app for free on iPhone here and Android here .

You can sign up for free daily updates with the LancsLive newsletter here .

To keep updated, follow LancsLive on Facebook and @LiveLancs on Twitter .

Have you got news for us? Contact our newsdesk on [email protected] .

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