Old Lancashire Boundary

[bibacux2001]

I was given a book on an ancient lake (which has now dissapeared) for Christmas called Martin Mere The Lost Lake. It is very interesting becuase it covers the area where I live and it would seem that I live on the ancient shores of what was once Englands biggest Lake. It refers to the area where I live as being 'The Hamlet Of Tarlescough' which suprised me as my address has always been known to me as Burscough which still exists. I am wondering if there are any sites that deal exclusivley with these ancient boundary changes etc and maybe other avenues of information that may help in discovering the past of the area local to myself. I have tried Google but seem only to get sites with old maps or modern content. Any help will be most appreciated.

[gary baldy]

It may not be exactly what you are looking for but Lancs CC run a fantastic site:

http://mario.lancashire.gov.uk/

where you can look at old maps on top of new ones and even old aerial photos on top of new ones. It is well worth exploring. It is often worth dragging yourself away from your computer and going to your local big-ish library (Blackpool? Preston?) who will have loads of stuff and i'm sure there is a local Historical Society in your area who will know what you want to know. If i find anything more on the net i'll post it.

[dotjhawkes]

In my Village Atlas for Lancashire there is a copy of the 1844 Ordnance Survey map for the area and it shows Tarlscough village as being between Back Moss Lane and Boundary lane, which is on the way to Martin Mere, but it is also shown as Tarlscough in the AA road atlas I have, from 2003. If you go to your nearest main Library, Ormskirk maybe, ask to look at the Victoris County Histories for Lancashire and it will tell you when the Hamlet was first established and which Manor it came under.

[dotjhawkes]

Sorry I mean The VICTORIA County Histories.

[spudqueen]

I live in Lancashire and that book sounds interesting. Who is the author?

[bibacux2001]

To gary baldy and dot j hawkes I would say a masssive thankyou. if u send me your email i will tell you all the things i have found out about Tarlscough Hall and its hamlet. To Spud queen I will post book details tomo Thursday thanks for interest.

[Famous5]

Don't know if your book explains, but one of the reasons Martin Mere was lost is because it was drained by the local landowners, including the Heskeths of Rufford Old Hall, in the 1690s. An Act of Parliament of 16932 permitted this, and it took 2000 men to cut a 24 ft wide channel to the estuary of the River Ribble, with floodgates against the high tide. I think you should still be able to see thes channels around the Burscough area, and there are still pumping stations around to keep the levels down.

One legend says Martin Mere is where King Arthur threw Excalibur.

Remember too that what remains of Martin Mere is a wildfowl sanctuary, attracting millions of birds (and visitors) a year

[schmokinweed]

I live in Lancs too, this sounds fab. I shall definitely check it out.