Broughton: Discover Culture and History

Broughton combines prominent reminders of local history with a landscape that sets its historical traces in a vivid setting. For families and other travellers who enjoy discovering different eras on holiday, the range extends from the First World War and the Civil War to older ecclesiastical and everyday buildings. This creates a destination where you can shape your days around different themes and switch between culture, history and landscape.

Experience History at Specific Sites

An important point of reference is the Broughton in Amounderness War Memorial. The Grade II listed building is a First World War memorial dating from 1921 and was altered in 1948. Because of its historic interest, it is regarded as an eloquent testament to the impact of global events on the local community and to the sacrifices made in the conflicts of the 20th century. It therefore represents not just a single building, but also the connection between international history and local remembrance.

Cromwell’s Mound takes you much further back in time. It is a rare surviving field fortification from the Civil War, associated with the Second Civil War of 1648. Cromwell’s Mound is also traditionally associated with the Battle of Preston, which took place on 17 August 1648. Those interested in military history or political upheaval will find here a different way of accessing the past than at the War Memorial.

Ecclesiastical and Everyday Traces

The history of St John Baptist, Broughton also reaches far back. It began in the 12th century or earlier as the landowner’s family chapel. The oldest part of the church is the tower, which dates from 1533. This depth of history makes the site interesting for travellers who want not merely to collect individual dates, but to place the development of a historic location within its context over several centuries.

A sundial stands in Broughton churchyard and probably dates from the 18th century. Its features include a simple square base, an octagonal vase-shaped pedestal with a moulded square foot and finial, a brass plate and a curved gnomon. Church Cottage, which dates from the 18th century, opened as a museum in 1995; the Church Cottage Museum is located on Church Lane in Broughton, Preston.

Further details complete this picture: Toll Bar Cottage dates from the 1740s and served at that time as a toll collector’s house. Broughton Henge is an installation created from historic local gateposts. Both examples draw attention to different forms of local history – to transport and everyday life as well as to the deliberate creation of a historic landmark.

Landscape as a Historical Setting

Cromwell’s Mound lies in a flat valley through which Moss Leach Brook flows. This landscape information helps to ensure that the historical themes are not viewed in isolation: Broughton’s character encompasses both specific buildings and their setting within an open landscape. When planning your trip, it may therefore be helpful to decide on your priorities early – for example, memorial sites, ecclesiastical history, 18th-century buildings or the connection between history and landscape.

Choose Broughton as your destination if you would like to shape your stay around specific historic sites and their setting within the landscape. When choosing your accommodation, the desired character of your trip is therefore the main consideration: a cultural focus with history as its guiding thread.

Further Local Pages for Your Planning

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Broughton, you can expand your travel planning with Bacup, Longridge, Arkholme, Hutton, Colne, Ormskirk, Calder Vale and Burnley.

For the broader travel overview: Lancashire.