Poulton-le-Fylde

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.847
longitude= -2.995
official_name= Poulton-le-Fylde
population = 19,480 (2001 Census)
shire_district= Wyre
shire_county = Lancashire
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Lancaster and Wyre
post_town= POULTON-LE-FYLDE
postcode_district= FY6
postcode_area= FY
dial_code= 01253
os_grid_reference= SD3439

Poulton-le-Fylde (commonly shortened by locals to just Poulton) is a town within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. The town has a population of 19,480 as of 2001 and occupies an area of 7.79 km², for a population density of 2500 people/km². It is situated about 5 kilometres to the northeast of Blackpool town and the Irish Sea coast. The town gained its name from the Wyre estuary, which lies less than 2 kilometres to the north-east at Skippool. The name Poulton was created by combining the Old English words "Pol", for pool or creek, and "Tun", meaning a farmstead or enclosure. Thus the name signifies "settlement by the pool". In 1842 the suffix 'le-Fylde' was added to distinguish the village from Poulton-le-Sands, a community since renamed to Morecambe. The suffix comes from the Fylde peninsula, although the town is not in the modern day local government area of Fylde, which covers only the southern part of that peninsula.cite web
author=
month=October | year=2007
url=http://www.poulton-le-fylde-hcs.co.uk/
title=Poulton-le-Fylde
publisher=Poulton-le-Fylde Historical and Civic Society
accessdate=2006-08-10]

By 2009, the town of Poulton-le-Fylde is expected to join the Wyre and Preston North constituency of the UK Parliament.

History

During the Roman era, the area around this location was believed to be marshy ground, and was sparsely settled. The village was likely inhabited during the Anglo-Saxon period, and its name appears in the Domesday Book. A church is thought to have been located in the village since before the Norman Conquest. By the mediæval era, Poulton-le-Fylde served as a market town for the local area, and the town square has been used as a market dating from at least 1348. The ports on the River Wyre were later used for trade during the 18th century. These were supplanted by Fleetwood and Glasson Dock near Lancaster. Stocks were added to the square in 1351 as a punitive measure. Wrongdoers were locked in the stocks and had rotten eggs and other food items thrown at them. Both the stocks and whipping post were used up until the 19th century. These historical features are now preserved in the Market Square. In March, 1752, a fire swept through the west part of the village, burning buildings to the ground. These structures were later rebuilt after a national collection raised the funds. Poulton-le-Fylde remained a farming community centre for the area throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In 1970, the nearly intact skeleton of an elk (nicknamed 'Harold') was discovered in the vicinity. The skeleton was dated at 12,000 years of age, and contained the remains of weapon tips embedded in the legs. This skeleton is evidence that human hunters dwelt here during that prehistoric period. The skeleton is now located in the Harris Museum in Preston.

The Wyre Borough Council was formed during a local reorganization in 1974, with Poulton-le-Fylde acting as the administrative centre.

Places of interest

*The Bull Inn - This was once one of Poulton's three Coaching inns.
*Market Square - The square is now closed to traffic and contains several features of historical note. There is an island in the center with the old stocks, whipping post, fish slab, and market cross.
*Railway Station - The railway station now has services to Blackpool North, Preston, Leeds and Manchester and stations in between. A station first opened in 1840, 400 yards northeast of the current station which replaced it in 1896. Formerly the station supported a branch line via Thornton to Fleetwood. Services were discontinued under Beeching, but the line was kept open for freight access to and from a works belonging to ICI. There was another station, Poulton Curve Halt, for Fleetwood to Blackpool trains, between 1909 and 1952.
*St. Chad's Church - Located near the market square, this Georgian-style Parish church was built of red sandstone and dates back to 1094. In early spring the church yard provides a display of purple and yellow crocuses.
*Pubs and clubs - Poulton is known for its many drinking establishments, restaurants and nightclubs. These include The Thatched House, The Golden Ball, The Bull, The Grapevine, The Edge (formerly Lawdy Miss Clawdys, then Bedd), The Cube and The Old Town Hall. There are two nightclubs in Poulton — The Residence which once was owned by former television entertainer Keith Harris, and Club Monaco (formerly called The Hub, The Peppermint Lounge, and Ampersand), situated in the Teanlowe Centre.

Notable people from Poulton

* Ian Stuart Donaldson - punk rock musician; frontman of now-defunct Skrewdriver
* John Curtis - former professional footballer
* Georgie Mee - former professional footballer
* Paul Stewart - former professional footballer
* Fred Pagnam - former professional footballer
* Andy Summers - musician (The Police)
* Section 25 - despite being more usually associated with Blackpool, Section 25 are actually from Poulton.
* Tessie O'Shea - former Hollywood actress and musical hall entertainer lived in Mulberry Cottage on Breck Rd for many years
* George Formby - musician and actor - famous for his ukulele - lived on Mains Lane in Poulton in later years

Education

* Breck Primary School, [cite web
url=http://www.breckschool.co.uk/
title=Breck Primary School
accessdate=2008-01-05] on Fouldry Avenue, holds around 500 children and about 20-30 teachers. It also has a new "Breck Beanies" nursery.
* Baines High School and Baines Sixth Form was opened in 1717 by James Baines. The present headteacher is Roddy McCowan.
* Hodgson School, Moorland Road. Over 1200 students. Renamed, as of September 2007, to 'Hodgson School', from the previous 'Hodgson High School Technology College'. The head teacher is now Mr Tony Nicholson, a former assistant Head at the school, who replaced Mr Colin Simpkins who retired at the end of the 2007 academic year. Hodgson is number one in the GCSE league tables for the North-West region, and has just celebrated its 75th anniversary. Hodgson also has a pass rate of over 90% 5A* to C, (75%including English and Maths) GCSEs.
* Carr Head Primary School, Carr Head Lane.
* Poulton C.E. Primary School
* St. John's Catholic Primary School, Breck Road. [cite web
url=http://www.st-john-rc12.lancsngfl.ac.uk/
title=St. John's Catholic Primary School.
accessdate=2007-10-31]

References

External links

* cite web
title=History of Poulton-le-Fylde | work=Poulton-le-Fylde Historical and Civic Society
url=http://freespace.virgin.net/mc.storey/POULTON-LE-FYLDE.html
accessmonthday=October 24
accessyear=2005
* cite web
title=Welcome to Wyre | work=Wyre Borough Council
url=http://wyrebc.gov.uk/
accessmonthday=October 24
accessyear=2005
* cite web
title=The Fylde | work=Fred Moor Website Alliance
url=http://www.fredmoor.com/thefylde/pfylde.htm
accessmonthday=October 24
accessyear=2005
* cite web
title=The Poulton-Le-Fylde Brass Band
work=The Official Poulton-Le-Fylde Brass Band Website
url=http://www.poultonband.org.uk/
accessmonthday=July 10
accessyear=2006
* cite web
title=Poulton and Wyre Railway Society
work=The Official Poulton and Wyre Railway Society Website
url=http://www.pwrs.org/
accessmonthday=November 30
accessyear=2006