Churchtown Pub Walk

An easy circular walk of historical interest through open countryside and along the River Wyre.

Starting Point

The walk commences from the Punch Bowl car park just off the A586 at Churchtown (turn left at the cross down Church Street), in the parish of Kirkland. Grid Reference: 482428.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Wyre Borough Council Licence No. 100018720 2004
Refer to Ordnance Survey Material (Based Upon)

Terrain

Easy, level walking passing through the ancient village of Churchtown, across fields, roads and tracks, and along the edge of the river Wyre. Field paths can be muddy.

Distance

Approximately 3 miles. Allow 1 to 1½ hours to complete the walk.

The Route

Please observe the Countryside Code at all times.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Wyre Borough Council Licence No. 100018720 2004
Refer to Ordnance Survey Material (Based Upon)

1. Leave the Punch Bowl Inn and go left down Church Street.
2. Straight ahead of you is St. Helen’s Church which used to be the parish Church of Garstang. The church is named after St. Helen, the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine. The building is sometimes known at the ‘Cathedral of the Fylde’. If time allows walk round the church and its grounds.

   Go past the church up the tarmac path passing a small brick building. This is the Sunday School and was built in the early 19th century.

   Go through the metal gate and follow the flood embankment making your way to the suspension bridge.

   Go through the suspension bridge over the River Wyre. This bridge was rebuilt in the 1980’s and was originally a wooden swing bridge.

3. Now you are over the river you have left the parish of Kirkland and are now in Catterall Parish. The large white building on your right is Catterall Hall, a mid 18th Century building.

   Cross the wooden stile and go through the stone stile and then continue straight down the track.

   Follow the track round to the left, passing a small woodland on your left. Note the windswept beech trees.

4. When you meet the road (Catterall Lane, go left, midway between the entrance to Ripon Hall Farm and Franklaw Water Treatment Works is a gate in the hedge on the left. Go through the gate and bear diagonally right across the field in the direction of the white house. Go through the next gate and continue diagonally across the field to the stile in the corner.
5. Cross the stile in the hedge. If you look straight across the A6 you will see a stone cross to the left of the gate. This used to be a resting place for travellers carrying coffins on their way to church. The cross was restored by Catterall Parish in 1984. You will also notice some traffic lights. These are used to allow cows to cross the road, and were the first of their kind to appear in Lancashire. Greenland’s Farm was built by Richard Singleton who died in the 1800’s.

   Go left for a short distance along the A6 for joining Old Lancaster Road. This used to be the main road until the A6 was widened in 1927.

   Go down the road and go left through the metal gate after the large red brick house, (Carter House is spelt out in the brickwork at the top of the building above the windows).

6. Follow the track passing a red house ‘Arnwood’ on your left.

   Go over the next two cattle grids or stiles and follow the track along the edge of the River Wyre.

   Go over the stile then turn right, through the stone stile, over the suspension bridge and back towards the church.

7. Make your way back up Church Street. If you have time go past the Punch Bowl to the dialpost at the road junction. Note the cobbles in front of the houses which used to cover the whole road. The cross is an 18th Century dialpost which was formerly the village clock. It was restored several years ago by the Churchtown Society, who had the numerals re-cut and a new pointer installed. The sundial can be seen on the south face of the cross.

The Punch Bowl Inn

The Punch Bowl Inn was originally known as the ‘Covered Cup’ named after the communion chalice. It was built in 1532.

St. Helen’s Church

The oldest part of the building dates back to 1200 AD.

The first vicar was appointed in 1190 by Cockersands Abbey.

The circular nature of the churchyard suggests is was a pre-Christian holy site. The oldest dated stone is 1632. There have been approximately 50,000 burials here since 1657.