Learn about Lytham
Lytham Hall
In 1605 Sir Cuthbert Clifton purchased the manor of Lytham, he had pulled down the manor house which had replaced the old priory and built his own manor house - in architectural style, a typical Jacobean building of the time. In 1757 Thomas Clifton built another new Hall incorporating parts of the earlier building. This Georgian building is the outstanding building in the Fylde and the grounds are open to visitors several days a year.
Lytham Windmill
Built on what is now Lytham Green in 1805, the Windmill is the landmark that everyone sees when they come to Lytham. One of several mills on the Fylde, Lytham Mill was worked until 1919 when a fire destroyed most of the machinery. Rebuilt and renovated several times since, the Mill now houses a permanent exhibition of the history of the Mill and of bread-making; tableaux of Lytham life during the last 100 years, various memorabilia and models. Open to visitors, free admission.
Lytham Lifeboat House
Next door to the Windmill is the old Lifeboat House constructed largely of cobblestones, these being a feature of many Lytham buildings. The old lifeboat house is now a Lifeboat Museum telling the story of Lytham lifeboats from 1851 to the present day. A lifeboat was first stationed at Lytham in 1851 by the Shipwrecked Mariners Society, later replaced by the RNLI, and the twelve lifeboats, which have been stationed in Lytham over the years, have saved hundreds of lives. Lytham lifeboat is famous for its rescue, in December 1886, of the crew of the 'Mexico', following two disastrous attempts by Southport and St Anne's lifeboats. Only two crew members survived from the Southport boat and the entire St Anne's crew perished at sea; still regarded as the worst disaster in RNLI history.
Visitors to the Lifeboat House will be able to see the conditions inside a 19th century lifeboat station at an interactive exhibit being planned by a group of Flyde volunteers. The Lytham Heritage Group is revamping the town's disused lifeboat museum, which closed its doors in 2004, to once again turn it into a tourist attraction.
The grade II listed station, which originally opened in 1851, is do to reopen to the public next year.
Alan Ashton, Chairman of the Group said:
"There is still a little bit of work required to the building before we set up the inside. We are trying to re-create the type of situation that existed in the lifeboat stations 150 years ago. The money for a lot of the project will come from the Group's finances and individuals who have already come forward offering their support. We don't know how much it will cost yet. We're looking at opening next year because there is a lot of work to be done."
The original lifeboat museum focused on the Mexico disaster of December 9, 1886, when 13 Fylde coast volunteers died in a hurricane while trying to reach the German barque Mexico, which had struck a sandbank.
He said:
"We are trying to make it as authentic as possible and the lifeboat service has offered us support. It is an extremely exciting project, because nowadays it is possible to create sounds and smells for people. I'm quite confident it will give a boost to tourism in the area. Lytham has a history of terrific lifeboat support."
It is hoped the attraction will benefit from similar crowds to those attracted by Lytham's trademark windmill - which is staffed by Group members in partnership with Fylde Borough Council. Mr Ashton added:
"The building is right next to the Lytham windmill and we've had 4,500 visitors there over Easter. Hopefully if we get the station open we can have the two as a joint attraction."
The project has received the backing of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Andy Fallow, spokesman for the RNLI, said:
"I'm sure the historians in the station would help out any way they could, as they originally set up the museum. Our head office keeps archives and they would be available to aid a project like this. The museum which was there before was an excellent exhibit. If we could reopen another one it would be great."
Fylde Borough Council, which owns the building, gave the go-ahead for the proposal earlier this month.
Lowther Gardens
These were laid out and named Lowther Gardens by Squire J Talbot Clifton in 1873, after his wife, Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton of the Lowther family. It was set out on poor grazing land once known as "Hungry Moor". The Gardens were given to the town in 1905 and the local authority added the Lowther Pavilion in 1921.
Pubs and Hotels
The Clifton Arms Hotel was first erected on Clifton Street, in the space that is now Park Street, on or around 1794. Its successor, (two storey building) was built in 1840 on West Beach. In 1875 all buildings comprising the hotel were raised to the same height and sold on to a private company.
By 1897 the Ship and Royal was being referred to as 'the newly-built' hotel, situated in its present position on Clifton Street.
The County and Commercial Hotel was built on the site of the Market Hotel and the Commercial Inn on Church Road. Flourishing in the early 1900s and still is.
In 1857 the Bath House building on East Beach was demolished and the 'Neptune Hotel' was erected in its place. This was later changed to Queen's Hotel. 1995-6, taken over by Scottish and Newcastle breweries and given the infamous Rat and Parrot tag, with the name Queen's being marginalised almost to non-existence. Now under new ownership, the name has been returned again to The Queen's.
The Talbot Hotel, Clifton Street was built between 1850 and 1870. In 1873 the license was granted to a certain Charles Brewster, who took over from Alexander Seed. In 1900 the Bath Street entrance was being used as the order office, under landlord Cornelius Salthouse, and this remained as the recreation room, until the major refurbishment during the 1980s. Now converted into a shopping complex.
Railway Hotel, Station Road, was erected at the side of the original Lytham Station; it was Catterall and Swarbrick's house. Later the name was changed to Hansom Cab with the change of brewer.
Churches and Chapels
St Cuthbert's C of E Parish Church, Church Road, Lytham. This is the third church of this name to be built on this site since the founding of the parish during the 12th century. It was built in 1834, at a cost of £1,600.
St Peter's RC Church, at the junction of Clifton Street and Station Road, was built in 1839. Prior to this, Roman Catholics had to worship up at Lytham Hall in a little chapel too small for so great a congregation. A recent alteration has resulted in a centre aisle being created, with the two winged aisles being retained.
St John's Parish Church on East Beach, facing the windmill, was built in 1849. It has been for many years the Lifeboatmen's church. The vicar of St John's is Chaplain to the crew.
The Congregational Church, on Bannister Street, opposite Lytham Police Station, was built in 1852. It is now known as the United Reformed Church.
The Methodist Chapel, in Park Street, was built in 1868 to replace the much smaller chapel in Bath Street, behind the Queen's Hotel. When first erected it was known as the Wesleyan Chapel.
Market square
The Lytham Commissioners, who promptly claimed the tower for their offices, after its completion in 1872, built the Market Hall at a cost of £1,000+. The Market was not the expected success it was built for, so the premises were converted into shops, though still retaining the name of Market. (1890s).
There was, in the Market Square, Lady Eleanor Cecily's water-fountain, placed there as a memorial to her husband, John Talbot Clifton, after his death in 1872. Lady Cecily also added a clock above The Market Hall in 1872. This fountain was eventually to be placed in Sparrow Park, when the Market Square site was required to contain the Cenotaph in 1922.
Lytham pier
Opened by Lady Eleanor Cecily Clifton, 17 April 1865. It was designed by Eugenius Birch as the first pleasure attraction in Lytham. It was 914 feet long and with continuous seating and gas lighting all along its deck; there was at first just a lounge and waiting room at the pier-head, to serve the passengers for the pleasure steamers docking there, but in 1892, at a cost of £12,000, the Pavilion was built half way along the deck.
In 1895 the Pier Company collapsed, but was reformed in the shape of one that could enlarge the Pavilion in 1901 and converted the bandstand at the pier-head into the Floral Hall.
In 1903, a storm sent two steel-hulled barges away from their mooring and crashing through the pier. These two sand barges were owned by Preston Navigation Company who paid for the £1,400 repair bill, following a court case.
The pier fell into disrepair following a fire in 1928 when the pavilion was burnt out. In 1959, and in spite of a residents' petition of 2,593 signatures, the Town Council refused to pay the £5,000 needed to save it, and so it was demolished in 1960.
Clifton Square
This is where Church Road, Park Street, Clifton Street, and Dicconson Terrace meet, at the easterly side of Market Square. The original sites of the most important buildings in the town were centred in the Square. At one time the terminus for the tram service was located here, where the main stop for today's buses stand. The taxi rank is by the Market Square away from the main thoroughfare, whereas when the horse-drawn carriages were waiting for custom, they did so on the Square, between Clifton Street and Henry Street.
Today most of Lytham's shops are positioned on Clifton Street, Park Street and Church Road.
The shopping centre has become one of the most popular venues for shoppers in the North West, with an essential good mix of retail shops and many cafes, bistros and restaurants
Lytham Hospital
North Lancashire Primary Care Trust are in the process of constructing a new state of the art Primary Care Centre on the hospital site at Lytham. The former hospital building will be demolished as part of the scheme to make way for the new centre.
The Primary Care Centre will include a new Pharmacy, cafe, incorporate two GP practices relocated from Lytham along with PCT services and a diagnostics provision. The Centre will be bright and cheerful offering the patient much improved facilities. The scheme also includes a health port which will alloy visiting mobile services to be provided on site e.g. MRI, Mammography etc. The patient journey and experience will be greatly enhanced above current provision and will include X-ray, endoscopy, consulting rooms, physio, occupational therapy, nurse treatment rooms, health education, clinics and a community dental service for school children.
The scheme has been widely publicized locally and a number of public meetings have been held to allow the PCT to hear the view of the residents. Local groups have also been involved such as the Friends of Lytham and the local Civic Society. The works have been complicated due to the need to keep open an adjacent ward block running. Works are about to begin in earnest and the new Centre is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008.