Discover Chorley: A town steeped in history, boasting vibrant festivals, parks, and clubs.
Myles Standish sailed to America with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower and helped found the colonies. He is linked to Chorley’s Duxbury estate. Duxbury, Massachusetts has a memorial to him that stands 116 feet tall.
Visit the Heritage Centre to explore his life story. St Laurence’s Church, Chorley’s oldest building, also has Myles Standish connections. People from Massachusetts often visit the Standish Pew. Nancy Pelosi visited when she was Speaker and gave the church a US flag, which flew during Biden’s inauguration after she attended the G7 Speakers Summit, organized by Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle.
St Laurence’s is known for music. Check their website for recitals, and find their music on YouTube. Choirs like Sing It Big perform often, and the Guild Choir also holds events.
Chorley hosts several festivals. The Flower Show is at Astley Hall in July and has won awards. The Chocolate Festival is on June 28-29 at Duxbury Park. What’s Your Story, Chorley celebrates books, and marked its 10th anniversary last March, featuring talks, music, and crafts.
Astley Hall’s oldest parts date to the 16th century. Chorley offers both chain stores and local shops. Heskin Hall Shopping Village is popular and includes Hepplestone Fine Art. Shops sell goods from water beds to jewellery. The markets date from 1498. The Covered Market is open four days weekly, and outdoor stalls are there every Tuesday.
Chorley has eight parks with Green Flag Awards. Brinscall Pool reopened in November 2024 after a £600,000 upgrade. Chorley is great for cycling, with easy access to The Fylde and Ribble Valley. Consider joining Chorley Cycling Club in Lancashire.
Tracey-Jane Hughes is a bra fitting expert. She recommends choosing a good bra, as it provides the base clothes sit on. A good bra can improve your comfort and even your apparent dress size. Tracey-Jane trains people at John Lewis and Sainsbury’s Tu. She coaches women to feel good.
Tracey-Jane became a bra fitter after her son was born, feeling she could improve bra fits. She studied bra fitting at De Montfort University. Bras have over 60 pieces and women have many shapes and sizes.
Comfort is essential for women. The wrong bra can cause health issues. Never pick a bra on label size alone; always try bras on before buying
Tracey-Jane advises finding the right band size, wearing it on the narrowest part of your back. Then, fit the cup to the larger breast, ensuring nothing presses into your skin. Buy the best bra for you this January. It will stop you from frowning.
Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds own Wrexham and turned the club around. They gained two promotions in two seasons!
Brian McFadden and Keith Duffy now own Chorley FC. Shane Lynch helped start the deal. Keith says Wrexham is different from Chorley; Wrexham is bigger, with a bigger club.
Chorley’s players are from the local area and show pride and passion for the badge. Top-level players get paid too much and lose drive if they aren’t coddled. This situation upsets Keith.
Chorley players work all day, then train and play matches, which is a great commitment. The owners love football. They are trying save the club and want to give it respect.
Brian lives near Rochdale, and Chorley feels like a breath of fresh air. The club has a good chance this season.
They aim for the National League. Staying there could lead to the Football League. Their role helps the club get there. Club values are important.
Chorley reminds Brian of his hometown. The community and club feel like family. He almost joined Rochdale a while back. Chorley lined up well for him.
Keith and Brian tour together as Boyzlife. The tour arrives at Blackpool Opera House on January 31. Their bands had 21 number one singles. Boyzlife formed in 2016. An album is coming soon.
Keith and Brian have been friends since 1998. They combined stories and songs for the show. Boyzlife was meant as a show only. A real band joined them later. They created their own unique sound.
Peter Cowell can help plan your garden. He is an award-winning garden designer. He uses 3D animation to show the design. He has appeared on BBC Gardeners’ World Live.
Chorley Theatre offers plays and films, run by CADOS. They host Miles Jupp and Justin Moorhouse. Jason Manford’s Comedy Club is coming. Gaslight will be performed in February. There will be events through 2025. The theatre features a bar.
Astley Hall celebrated being open to the public for 100 years. It is known as Chorley’s Jewel. See its architecture and furnishings. The grounds have gardens and a snowdrop trail. The Coach House hosts art. Café Ambio serves food.
Chorley has great golf courses. Chorley Golf Club has 127 acres. The 18-hole course welcomes visitors. Duxbury Park Golf Club also welcomes visitors. Highfield Course has a 9-hole course. Euxton Golf Centre offers activities for all.
Chorley has four nature reserves. January is great for exploring nature. Yarrow Country Park is the biggest. Hic Bibi was a brickworks. Blainscough was agricultural and coal land. Withnell was a railway cutting. It is an important wildlife space.
Park Hall Hotel is surrounded by woods. Cottages will be available this summer. Signature Grill House serves meals. The Mallard Bar has a menu too. The spa is a relaxing place and also offers a café.
Parr Hall Farm is an 18th-century farmhouse. It features a barn conversion. It is near Eccleston. The farm has 18 rooms for guests. Gardens surround the building. There are restaurants nearby.
Shaw Hill Golf and Spa Hotel is elegant. 30 bedrooms are available. Some overlook the golf course. The historic building has no lift. Allamby’s Brasserie serves meals. The spa offers relaxing options.
Yarrow Country Park is great for a walk. It is suitable for all ages. Buggies and wheelchairs work well. There are bathrooms and a café. The walk is one mile. It takes about 45 minutes.
Pack snacks and explore Yarrow Park. Park in the free car park near the steps. A slope to the right makes access easier. Follow the path to Big Lodge Water after that. Bird life frequents the area.
Follow the path to where it splits. Take the left path past Top Lodge. Turn left, and follow the fence on the path.
Go straight over the bridge. You will reach the weir and fish pass. These help the fish lay their eggs.
Go back to Big Lodge. Follow the path around the lodge to the left. Cross the bridge, turn right, pass the play area. This brings you back to the car park.