Goosnargh
Encyclopedia
Goosnargh 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 civil parish
of Whittingham
, although the ancient centre lies in the civil parish of Goosnargh. The parish
of Goosnargh had a population of 1,204 recorded in the 2001 census
.
personal name) and erg (Norse for "hill pasture"). The name appeared in the Domesday Book
as "Gusansarghe" but by 1212 had changed to "Gosenargh", closer to today's pronunciation. However, one reference suggested "Gusansarghe" was from Norse gudhsins hörgi (related to hörgr
), meaning "at the idol's (god's) temple."
Goosnargh has two public houses, The Grapes located on Church Lane and The Stags Head on Whittingham
Lane. The Bushells Arms located on Church Lane has closed.
There is also a Post Office
, hairdresser, pharmacy, village hall and a fish and chip shop in the village. There used to be a gift shop and an estate agent in the village but these have recently closed down. The village is also the location of the Whittingham and Goosnargh Social Club.
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
.
The oldest house in Goosnargh is Stone Cottage on Goosnargh Lane. It is now 339 years old. The beams in the 900 year old local church have traces of sea salt in them. People believe they were from old Viking long boats.
The village itself has a population of 1,540, much of which is included in the civil parish
of Whittingham
.
The number 4 bus runs through Goosnargh about every hour and goes to Preston in one direction and Chipping in the other. It is the only bus service to Goosnargh, except for school buses (584, 585 and 678).
Goosnargh village has a primary school: Goosnargh Oliversons C of E. Broughton Business and Enterprise College, Longridge High School and St Cecilia's are the three High Schools whose catchment areas include Goosnargh.
The footballers Lily Parr
and Peter Corr
both died in Goosnargh.
and Whitechapel
, and Beacon Fell Country Park
. Two miles out of Goosnargh village is a restaurant, Ye Horn's Inn, most famous for its duck. Five of the ten Lancashire Cheese
dairies listed on the British Cheese Board's website in 2009 are located in Goosnargh parish.
The parish contains the Roman Catholic church of St Francis, Hill Chapel, and an adjoining Catholic primary school of the same name. The sixteenth-century Catholic martyr
George Beesley
was born at the site.
Only one side of one road in Goosnargh village, including the parish church, lies within Goosnargh parish; almost all of the village lies within adjacent Whittingham
parish. This may explain why the village is sometimes referred to as “Goosnargh and Whittingham”, as if there were two villages. Some road signs on entering the village display “Goosnargh and Whittingham”. The website of the local “Goosnargh & Whittingham Whitsuntide Festival” refers to “the twin villages of Goosnargh and Whittingham”. An article in a local newspaper also refers to “the villages of Whittingham and Goosnargh”. However, no modern maps show a village marked “Whittingham” and the website of Whittingham Parish Council refers only to the village of Goosnargh.
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 between 1991 and 1995 and the nuclear bunker was closed.
. 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".
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
on the north side of Preston
City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district in Lancashire, England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. The village lies between Broughton
Broughton, Lancashire
Broughton is a village and civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England, about north of Preston city centre. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,735...
and Longridge
Longridge
Longridge is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is situated north-east of the city of Preston, at the western end of Longridge Fell, a long ridge above the River Ribble. Its nearest neighbours are Grimsargh and the Roman town of Ribchester , ...
, and mostly lies in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Whittingham
Whittingham, Lancashire
Whittingham is a civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. The parish measures east-to-west, from the outskirts of Longridge to the outskirts of Broughton, but only 1 mile north-to-south. Its population was 2,189 in 2001...
, although the ancient centre lies in the civil parish of Goosnargh. The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Goosnargh had a population of 1,204 recorded in the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Etymology
The name, meaning "Gosan's or Gusan's hill pasture", derives from (an Old IrishOld Irish language
Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Goidelic languages for which extensive written texts are extant. It was used from the 6th to the 10th centuries, by which time it had developed into Middle Irish....
personal name) and erg (Norse for "hill pasture"). The name appeared in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as "Gusansarghe" but by 1212 had changed to "Gosenargh", closer to today's pronunciation. However, one reference suggested "Gusansarghe" was from Norse gudhsins hörgi (related to hörgr
Hörgr
A hörgr or hearg was a type of religious building or altar possibly consisting of a heap of stones, used in Norse paganism...
), meaning "at the idol's (god's) temple."
Goosnargh village
The Anglican parish church of St Mary the Virgin is situated on Church Lane.Goosnargh has two public houses, The Grapes located on Church Lane and The Stags Head on Whittingham
Whittingham, Lancashire
Whittingham is a civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. The parish measures east-to-west, from the outskirts of Longridge to the outskirts of Broughton, but only 1 mile north-to-south. Its population was 2,189 in 2001...
Lane. The Bushells Arms located on Church Lane has closed.
There is also a Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, hairdresser, pharmacy, village hall and a fish and chip shop in the village. There used to be a gift shop and an estate agent in the village but these have recently closed down. The village is also the location of the Whittingham and Goosnargh Social Club.
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
Caraway
Caraway also known as meridian fennel, or Persian cumin is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe and Northern Africa....
seed shortcake
Shortcake
Shortcake is a sweet biscuit .Shortcake is typically made with flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, salt, butter, milk or cream, and sometimes eggs. The dry ingredients are blended, and then the butter is cut in and mixed until the mixture resembles cornmeal...
biscuit. Goosnargh Cornfed Chicken and Duck is championed by chefs including Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
.
The oldest house in Goosnargh is Stone Cottage on Goosnargh Lane. It is now 339 years old. The beams in the 900 year old local church have traces of sea salt in them. People believe they were from old Viking long boats.
The village itself has a population of 1,540, much of which is included in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Whittingham
Whittingham, Lancashire
Whittingham is a civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. The parish measures east-to-west, from the outskirts of Longridge to the outskirts of Broughton, but only 1 mile north-to-south. Its population was 2,189 in 2001...
.
The number 4 bus runs through Goosnargh about every hour and goes to Preston in one direction and Chipping in the other. It is the only bus service to Goosnargh, except for school buses (584, 585 and 678).
Goosnargh village has a primary school: Goosnargh Oliversons C of E. Broughton Business and Enterprise College, Longridge High School and St Cecilia's are the three High Schools whose catchment areas include Goosnargh.
The footballers Lily Parr
Lily Parr
Lilian "Lily" Parr was an English professional women's association football player who played as a winger. She is best known for playing for the Dick, Kerr's Ladies team, which was founded in 1917 and based in Preston, Lancashire....
and Peter Corr
Peter Corr
Peter Joseph Corr was an Irish footballer. Corr played as an outside-right for, among others, Everton and Ireland. In 1949 he was a member of the Ireland team that defeated England 2–0 at Goodison Park, becoming the first non-UK team to beat England at home...
both died in Goosnargh.
Goosnargh parish
Goosnargh parish includes the small villages of InglewhiteInglewhite
Inglewhite is a small village in the parish of Goosnargh in Lancashire, England. It lies at the intersection of the roads from Longridge to Garstang and from Broughton to Beacon Fell.-Etymology:...
and Whitechapel
Whitechapel, Lancashire
Whitechapel is a tiny hamlet in the civil parish of Goosnargh in Lancashire, England. It lies on the border of the Forest of Bowland near the foot of Beacon Fell, and close to the neighbouring village of Inglewhite. Its name is marked as White Chapel on some maps.The area was known as "Threlfall"...
, and Beacon Fell Country Park
Beacon Fell Country Park
Beacon Fell is a fell in the civil parish of Goosnargh in Lancashire, England. It has been a Country Park since 1970. It falls within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty although it is separated from the other hills in the Forest...
. Two miles out of Goosnargh village is a restaurant, Ye Horn's Inn, most famous for its duck. Five of the ten Lancashire Cheese
Lancashire cheese
Lancashire is an English cow's-milk cheese from the county of Lancashire. There are three distinct varieties of Lancashire cheese. Young Creamy Lancashire and mature Tasty Lancashire are produced by a traditional method, whereas Crumbly Lancashire is a more recent creation suitable for mass...
dairies listed on the British Cheese Board's website in 2009 are located in Goosnargh parish.
The parish contains the Roman Catholic church of St Francis, Hill Chapel, and an adjoining Catholic primary school of the same name. The sixteenth-century Catholic martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
George Beesley
George Beesley
George Beesley was an English Roman Catholic priest. He is a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1987.-Life:...
was born at the site.
Only one side of one road in Goosnargh village, including the parish church, lies within Goosnargh parish; almost all of the village lies within adjacent Whittingham
Whittingham, Lancashire
Whittingham is a civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. The parish measures east-to-west, from the outskirts of Longridge to the outskirts of Broughton, but only 1 mile north-to-south. Its population was 2,189 in 2001...
parish. This may explain why the village is sometimes referred to as “Goosnargh and Whittingham”, as if there were two villages. Some road signs on entering the village display “Goosnargh and Whittingham”. The website of the local “Goosnargh & Whittingham Whitsuntide Festival” refers to “the twin villages of Goosnargh and Whittingham”. An article in a local newspaper also refers to “the villages of Whittingham and Goosnargh”. However, no modern maps show a village marked “Whittingham” and the website of Whittingham Parish Council refers only to the village of Goosnargh.
Fallout bunker
The Royal Observer CorpsRoyal Observer Corps
The Royal Observer Corps was a civil defence organisation operating in the United Kingdom between 29 October 1925 and 31 December 1995, when the Corps' civilian volunteers were stood down....
21 Group Headquarters and the Western Sector Control of the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation
United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation
The United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation was a British civilian organisation operating between 1957 and 1992 to provide the authorities with data about nuclear explosions and forecasts of likely fallout profiles across the country in the event of war.The UKWMO was established and...
used to be located on Langley Lane, on the border of the parishes of Goosnargh and Whittingham
Whittingham, Lancashire
Whittingham is a civil parish in the City of Preston, Lancashire, England. The parish measures east-to-west, from the outskirts of Longridge to the outskirts of Broughton, but only 1 mile north-to-south. Its population was 2,189 in 2001...
. 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 between 1991 and 1995 and the nuclear bunker was closed.
In popular culture
The name "Goosnargh" appears in the works of Douglas AdamsDouglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
. In So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish is the fourth book of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" written by Douglas Adams. Its title is the message left by the dolphins when they departed Planet Earth just before it was demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass, as described in The...
, it is a Betelgeusian
Betelgeuse
Betelgeuse, also known by its Bayer designation Alpha Orionis , is the eighth brightest star in the night sky and second brightest star in the constellation of Orion, outshining its neighbour Rigel only rarely...
word used by Ford Prefect
Ford Prefect (character)
Ford Prefect is a fictional character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by the British author Douglas Adams. He is the only character other than the protagonist, Arthur Dent, to appear throughout the entire Hitchhiker's saga.-Name:Although Ford had taken great care to blend into Earth...
"when he knew he should say something but didn't know what it should be". Alternatively, in The Meaning of Liff
The Meaning of Liff
The Meaning of Liff is a humorous dictionary of toponymy and etymology, written by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd, published in the United Kingdom in 1983, and the USA in 1984....
, his comic dictionary based on British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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".