History

Whittle has an amazingly interesting past.

The stone quarries were most likely first started in Roman times. Whittle Hills would be the first high ground that they would see if they came up the Ribble Estuary. Lots of Roman coins were found when the canal channels were dug out. The quarries are well known for the huge millstones that were sent to countries all over the world.

There were once two canals running through the village. The Lancaster Canal opened in 1803, then the Leeds and Liverpool in 1816. Chorley Old Road too was once the main coach road from London to Preston and the last coach went through in 1853. About fourteen coach houses were in existence at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Whittle has also had a spa, Whittle Springs, which opened in 1823. They used water that came from a borehole which bubbled up when they were drilling for coal. It was said to have special alkaline properties. Lots of people visited it over a number of years, up to 10,000 over one bank holiday period. This later became Whittle Springs Brewery until it closed its doors in around 1920.

Factories in Whittle-le-Woods - two weaving factories and three printing and dying factories, there were four large chimneys which once sent out black smoke.

There were many shops in the village at one time. There was a butchers, lime kilns, coal yards, cloggers, barbers and a tanning yard. There were dozens of small shops selling a vast variety of goods, lots of them in people's front rooms. Of course there were also lots of wells for people to get their water. Whittle 'pictures' played a huge part in people's lives 60 years ago with the advent of cinema. The films changed three times per week and it cost from three old pence to one shilling in the best seats.

Whittle-le-Woods had stately homes at Shaw Hill (the Crosse family), and at Crook Hall (the Claytons).

Farms were all over the village, some only 20 to 30 acres. These farms employed many people, especially at harvest times, hay making and potato picking. Many have now gone to make way for development. There were once five farms in Town Lane. Many of the original stone cottages were demolished to build modern homes for the expanding population.

Whittle-le-Woods is a thriving and prosperous village, proud of its heritage and the access we have to the beautiful surrounding countryside.