Buildings | Images Of Burscough

The Bull and Dog Inn, Liverpool Road (South), c1900.

The Bull and Dog is the oldest Pub (or Inn) in Burscough and was established over 270 years ago. In 1753 a Mr Goore was the victualler there. Up to the 1890s the Bull and Dog was regarded as the centre of Burscough and most of the older pastimes of coursing, pigeon shooting, ploughing matches and the like were associated with the place. There are many public houses and inns which bear the name Bull and Dog in their titles and these refer to the 'sport' of bull baiting which was very popular in this area during the 17th and 18th centuries.

(Photo courtesy - John Gorst)

The Bull and Dog Inn, Liverpool Road (South), c1925.

The Bull and dog Inn is an old hostelry and, like the other Inns of the time in Burscough during the latter part of the 18th century and early part of the 19th century, charities were distributed there. These charities were mainly Houghton's and Sutch's charities and the number of people receiving benefits varied from between 50 and 90 and the amounts paid varied from 1/6d to 6/- per person. The Friendly Societies later developed in this area and in 1842 the 'Oddfellows' established a lodge at the Bull and Dog Inn which was called the John Bull Lodge.

(Photo courtesy - John Gorst).

The Bull and Dog Inn, Liverpool Road (South), c1930s.

Auctions were held at the Bull and Dog and the Packet house Hotel, especially during the first half of the 19th century, and they were usually concerned with the selling of land and agricultural premises. In 1801 the Bull and Dog was sold by auction to Richard Reynolds who purchased the Inn from Mr Edward Baldwin who then had possession of the premises. During the 1820s a Mr Cooper Tyrer was the victualler but by the 1840s the inn was owned by Robert Edge, whose family held the Bull and Dog Inn for nearly a century, and in 1947 the inn was sold for £20,000.

(Photo courtesy - John Gorst).

Baldwin's Farm, Edge Lane, Burscough.

This farm and several others were demolished in 1942 to make way for the building of HMS Ringtail. Land was requisitioned under the Defence (General) Regulations 1939 made under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939.
Occupied prior to demolition by James Almond and his wife Mary (Martland). James was born c1868 and died 27th Dec 1950.
Baldwin's Farm would have been at the centre of the old airfield. Bob Leatherbarrow said, 'James Almond was heartbroken when he lost his Farm, and he was very highly regarded as a Farmer'.

Bath Lodge.

In former times Bath Wood occupied an area of just over 20 acres, but with the introduction of the Liverpool - Ormskirk - Preston Railway in 1849, part of the wood was destroyed. It was customary to build a small lodge on such land as indeed was the case at Bath Wood. The Lodge was probably built during the early part of the 18th century and in the 1870s it was occupied by a Mr William Jones who leased the property from the Stanleys of Cross Hall. At some point between 1787 and the 1840s, the dog kennels were built. By 1849 the Lodge was occupied by Mr William Valentine (lessee) who farmed the land surrounding the Lodge and the premises were described as a house and dog kennel, yard and garden.

During the second world war the lodge was occupied by an Irishman called Barney and the following years and decades would see the Lodge fall into disrepair. In 2009 the Lodge was fully restored and is now a private residence.

The Stanley Institute.

Building work commenced in 1899 and was completed in 1902. The sole contractors were Messrs. A K Irving and Sons of Southport, and architect being Mr H E Peach also of Southport. It was erected at a cost of £3,903-12s. 4d., of which the sum of £2,000 was donated by the Earl of Derby and various other donations amounted to over £1,065. The remaining £838 was collected by public subscription. The furnishings and the completion of the bowling green (now the rear car park) in 1903 cost a further £700, bringing the total cost of the building, furnishings, bowling green and other fixtures to just over £4,600. Adjacent to the building a house was built for the caretaker, in addition to a two stalled stable and a cycle shed.

Martin Hall.

John Holcroft occupied the farm up to about c1851, when the hall was tenanted by the Leyland family. Ralph Leyland occupied the hall from the 1850s until the 1870s, being followed by Peter and Arthur Leyland, who tenanted the hall during the 1880s and 1890s respectively. The house descended with the Wrightington family till about 1900, when it was purchased by the Earl of Derby. The farm was subsequently tenanted by Mr William Scarisbrick in 1902 and in 1939 Mrs Anne Scarisbrick bought Martin Hall from Lord Derby. She was followed by her son Mr Thomas Scarisbrick and his wife. The Hall was demolished in 1965.