Kirkham
Kirkham is a small town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England. Kirkham has 20 heritage listed buildings. Many of the buildings in the town centre date from the Georgian and Victorian eras.
Wrea Green and Freckleton are nearby villages. Freckleton is a thriving English village with lots of local businesses, although there is still a dependency on agriculture. It is a charming place from which to explore some of the beautiful surrounding countryside.
Understand
Kirkham (originally Kirkam-in-Amounderness) sits midway between Blackpool and Preston (11 mi (18 km) west of Preston) and adjacent to the smaller town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location of a Roman fort. It had a population of 7,900 in 2021.
Situated just north of the river Ribble, Freckleton is one of the oldest villages in the Fylde and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Over the years it has been home to a thriving agricultural community before becoming an industrial village involved in the ship building industry during the 1800s.
Get in
Wrea Green is about 5 minutes away from the M55 motorway, which joins on to the major M6 road.
The only form of public transport to Wrea Green is by bus, and it is serviced by the following routes.
- Stagecoach 76: use this bus for travel to/from Lytham, St Annes, Kirkham, Moss Side and Preston. Operates on the hour every day.
- Stagecoach 75: use this bus for travel to/from Poulton, Singleton, Weeton, Kirkham and Preston. Operates on the hour Monday-Friday, times vary at weekends.
Rail travel is quite convenient: there are two local stations each two miles away from Wrea Green; one in Moss Side and the other in Kirkham (Kirkham & Wesham Station)
Get around
Because Wrea Green is so small, it is very easily to walk around everywhere. However, to get to Ribby Hall Holiday Village, the easiest way would be to get any one of the above bus services as it is quite far from the village centre.
See
- 🌍 Wrea Green Duckpond (known by locals as "The Dub"). Feed the ducks, a traditional Wrea Green past-time. The duckpond is on Wrea Green Village Green, which is the largest in Lancashire.
- 🌍 The Wild Discovery, Ribby Road, Wrea Green. Small zoo.
- 🌍 Freckleton Air Disaster Memorial, Freckleton. In 1944 a US B-24 Liberator bomber crashed, hitting three houses a snack bar and a school, with the loss of 61 lives.
Do
- Club Day procession in Freckleton. Part of the Club Day weekend in June; the first of which is believed to have happened in the mid-19th century. There is a parade around the village incorporating local churches, bands and May Queens on floats with a fair, sporting games and a half marathon held on the Sunday.
Eat
Drink
- The Grapes, Wrea Green. A traditional English bar with restaurant.
- Rigbys Farmhouse Restaurant, Carr Lane, Warton (between Wrea Grean & Warton), ☏ +44 1772 632370. W-Su. Traditional English restaurant. ₤20-25 per person.
Sleep
- Ribby Hall Holiday Village, Wrea Green. For longer holidays.
- Birley Arms Hotel, Bryning Lane, Wrea Green (halfway between Wrea Green & Warton). With restaurant. for those on a smaller budget.
- 🌍 The Villa, Wrea Green. Has a restaurant. Also runs the Villa Express in Kirkham. For those without a budget (i.e. quite expensive!).
- Bray Head Bed and Breakfast, Freckleton. Offers self-catering accommodation with a continental self-service breakfast.
Connect
As of April 2022, Kirkham has 5G from Three and 4G from the other UK carriers.