158 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 7. 



both above and below Tlibcliester, at the place itself the stream is 

 somewhat tame. The village is irregularly built, its streets are very 

 quiet. It has, however, the appearance of having seen better days." 

 The village of Ribchester is six miles N.N.W. from Blackburn, and 

 three miles S.S.E. from Longridge. Its situation is remarkably 

 pleasant ; and the streams of the Ribble, Oalder, and Hodder, refresh 

 with theii waters the valley of Ribblesdale, and enrich the general 

 scenery, which is thus described by Mr. William Dobson in his 

 "Rambles by the Ribble :" — About a mile up the river, en the south 

 side, is Sale Wheel,' a scene of great beauty. " The gorge through 

 which the river passes," says Mr. Wm. Dobson, " is about forty or fifty 

 yards in length. On each side are large boulders, and around and 

 against these, in times of flood, the water boils and chafes with great 

 fury." Not without reason does Mr. Dobson compare this view to 

 some of the well-known scenery on the Rhine ; and it is strange that 

 this beautiful spot should be so little appreciated by the people in the 

 district. Many a day have I spent with delight in exploring the 

 beautiful Ribble in its course from Ribchestor to Mytton. 



The leading landowners are Jas. Fenton, Esq., J. P., Dutton Manor, 

 2,300 acres; Frederick Openshaw, Esq., J.P., Hothersall Hall, 1,216 

 acres; Thos. Rymer, Esq., Cheetham HiU, 377 acres; the Marquess de 

 Rothwell, Sharpies Hall, 152 acres; and the late Thos. Whittaker, 

 Esq., J.P., Moon's Mill, 131 acres. 



The total acreage of the parish, which includes Dutton, 1,809 acres ; 

 HothersaU, 1,033 acres; and Ribcliester, 2,093 acres; is 4,935 statute 

 acres. The land is good for grazing purposes. 



The chief manufactures carried on in Ribchester are cotton weaving 

 and wood-turning. There are two cotton factories in Ribchester, one 

 belonging to Mr. John Brindle, and the Co-operative Mill, now in 

 course of erection. 



Remnants of old crosses are very numerous in the locality. There 

 is one at Lovely Hall, Salesbury ; another one was found in Ribchester 

 chiu-chyard some years ago ; in the garden wall of the White Lion Inn 

 (now a farm house) was a plain stone cross, which was removed some 



'Salesbury Wheel. 



