Scarisbrick
Scarisbrick -
pronounced scazebrick - is the largest parish in Lancashire with
8,000-plus acres of rich agricultural land stretching between
Ormskirk and Southport. It is bisected by the busy A570 between the
two towns as well as by the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, where
boating and fishing are popular.
Agriculture and allied businesses provide most of the employment
for Scarisbrick's scattered population, but the parish also has one
of the country's largest suppliers of church furnishings.
There is a notably good selection of pubs and restaurants. Holiday
caravan sites, livery stables, a rainbow trout fishery and a
championship golf course provide further leisure
opportunities.
The history of Scarisbrick is a living one, with many of the local
families bearing the same names as their ancestors from centuries
before. The name of the parish itself, and the family which became
directly associated with it, is first mentioned in the reign of
Richard I when Simon de Grubhead of Lathom gave Harleton (Hurlston)
and Scarisbrick to his brother Gilbert de Scarisbrick who adopted
the name of his property.
In the middle of the 19th century, Charles Scarisbrick remodelled
Scarisbrick Hall with the help of the famous Victorian architect,
Pugin. It was finished in 1867 by his sister Anne who had inherited
the estate and enlisted the help of Pugins's son who designed the
100-foot tower that is one of the most distinctive landmarks in the
area. As Pugin senior worked on the rebuilding of the Houses of
Parliament, it is not surprising that there is some resemblance
between Scarisbrick Hall and the buildings at Westminster.
The Hall is said to be one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival
architecture in England. Its turrets, gables and pinnacles are
dwarfed by the slender tower which is so much like the clock tower
of the Houses of Parliament. The hall is now the home of an
independent school.
Map:
Scarisbrick Parish