Goosnargh

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.82467
longitude= -2.67447
map_type= Lancashire
official_name= Goosnargh
population= 1,204 (Parish)
shire_district= Preston
shire_county = Lancashire
region= North West England
constituency_westminster=
post_town= PRESTON
postcode_district = PR3
postcode_area=PR
dial_code=01772
os_grid_reference= SD557367
civil_parish = Goosnargh
civil_parish1= Whittingham
static_

static_image_caption = Goosnargh Parish Church

Goosnargh (IPA-en| ['guːznə] ) is a village and civil parish on the north side of Preston, Lancashire, England. The village lies between Broughton and Longridge, and mostly lies in the adjacent parish of Whittingham, although the ancient centre lies in the parish of Goosnargh.

History

The name appears to derive from "Gosan" or "Gusan" (an Old Irish personal name) and "erg" (Norse for "hill pasture"), the name appearing in the Domesday Book as "Gusansarghe" [http://web.archive.org/web/20030606052249/lancstowns.co.uk/prestontowns.htm] .

The nearby Chingle Hall is purported to be the most haunted place in Lancashire, and Whittingham Hospital (now closed) was once a mental hospital. Although Whittingham Hospital is closed there is a category B secure unit located in the old Whittingham Hospital grounds called the Guild Lodge.

The village today

Goosnargh is home to three pubs that are popular amongst local residents and passers by, "The Grapes" located on Church Lane, "The Bushells" located on Church Lane and "The Stags Head" on Whittingham Lane.

There is also a Post Office, newsagents, off licence, fish and chip shop, gift shop and estate agents in the village.

The village holds an annual festival on the first Saturday after the Spring Bank Holiday Monday during which there is a procession through the village. The procession includes decorated floats, fancy dress, maypole dancing and marching bands.

The village gave its name to the Goosnargh Cake, a type of caraway seed shortcake biscuit. Goosnargh Cornfed Chicken and Duck is championed by chefs including Gordon Ramsay.fact|date=August 2008

Goosnargh parish includes the small villages of Inglewhite and Whitechapel, and Beacon Fell Country Park.

Goosnargh in literature

The name "Goosnargh" appears in the works of Douglas Adams. In "So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish", it is a Betelgeusian word used by Ford Prefect "when he knew he should say something but didn't know what it should be". Alternatively, in "The Meaning of Liff", his comic dictionary based on British place names, it is defined as "Something left over from preparing or eating a meal, which you store in the fridge despite the fact that you know full well you will never ever use it".

Goosnargh in the cold war

The Royal Observer Corps 21 Group Headquarters and the Western Sector Control of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation used to be located on Langley Lane, on the border of the parishes of Goosnargh and Whittingham. In the large underground nuclear bunker was the standby national control of the famous "Four-minute warning" air raid warning system for the UK. The ROC and UKWMO were disbanded beween 1991 and 1995 and the nuclear bunker was closed. [Hunt, p.151] [ [http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/l/langley_lane/index.html Subterranea Britannica: Royal Observer Corps: Preston] , accessed 6 November 2007]

Notes

References

* Hunt, D. (2003) "The Wharncliffe Companion to Preston — An A to Z of Local History", [http://www.wharncliffebooks.co.uk Wharncliffe Books, Barnsley] , ISBN 1-903425-79-4.

External links

* [http://www.whittinghamhospital.co.uk Whittingham Hospital]
* [http://www.lancashirecare.nhs.uk/index.php/p107_secure_services.html Guild Lodge]
* [http://www.whitfestival.co.uk Goosnargh & Whittingham Whitsuntide Festival]
* [http://www.lancashireparishcouncils.gov.uk/parishes/parish_display.asp?parishid=129 Goosnargh Parish Council]