The Rise and Decline of the South Fylde Ports

(Taken from Saxton’s 16th Century Map of .) Abstract

The paper attempts to identify the impact of natural and manmade features that have impacted the use and decline of ports at Fairhaven,

Lytham and Freckleton. Looking at each port in turn the history and factors influencing their decline have been examined, based on documentary evidence, published text, personal knowledge and familiarity with the area. It presents the conclusion that the inevitable silting up of the Ribble estuary brought about change affecting development of the entire area. Introduction

Family lore often belies history. Stories of shipbuilding and docks on the north Ribble shores, ships visiting and plying trade and passengers across and along the Ribble estuary and beyond, fishing boats that docked in

Granny’s Bay at Fairhaven, have been a staple of upbringing in the south

Fylde seafaring families, for generations.

Certainly, recent generations of those families will have seen land emerge where tidal water once supported both recreation and commerce. The latest generation with evidence of their own eyes, must ask ‘How these three ports managed to support and enhance the development of the town that they served?’

Combinations of accretion of silt deposits, dredging, training and shifting of the channels, the rise of the docks at Preston all conspired to defeat the commercial value of the ports, or did it?

This report seeks to assess the factors impacting on the rise and decline of the south Fylde ports. In doing so, the report will address:

 The evolution of the estuary

 The history of the ports

 The impact of the behaviour of the estuary on the

developments of the ports

 The current state of the ports

 The future of the estuary

Evolution of the Ribble Estuary

The Ribble cuts its path from its disputed source around the fells of Cam,

Wold Fell and in the Dales through deep valleys and glaciated plains, depositing thick sediments in its lower reaches and in the estuary.

The Ribble sediments are supplemented with sediments from continuous erosion of the shorelines between bay in the north to the

Mersey estuary in the south. Ashton (1909) describes the formation of depositions from sea sands suspended in the tidal flow being almost exclusively from the River Mersey.

The South Fylde coast is formed on successive shallow ridges of shingle banks known as ‘Stanners’ , formed by tidal action and sand-hills formed by wind and wave action. These mask underlying permo-triassic sandstones (Middleton, et al 1995) Ashton suggests that the source of the shingle ‘undoubtedly’ as the cliffs north of . Over time, probably the 15th century, the blown dry sand has filled what was a mere landscape giving rise to habitable space

The first maps of the south Fylde area show a coastline some 2000 yards out to sea from its current position.

Kitchen (2010) proposes that the coastline is subject to change more than any other element in the landscape. Constant deposition and shifting of sand, silt and shingle coupled with variations in tide heights reshape the coastline over relatively short periods. The Port of Freckleton

Lytham Docks Granny’s

Bay

South Fylde Coastline

North Channel

Fig. 1 The Ribble Estuary 1820-24 (Ashton, 1920)

Fig. 2 The Ribble Estuary 1917 (Ashton, 1920) showing the extent of ‘Training’ of the Ribble, bypassing Lytham and Freckleton

In 1881, there were 4 main channels through the treacherous banks of the estuary the North Channel, the Gut Channel, the Penfold Channel and the South Channel.

Dredging had been undertaken since 1839 and straightening of the river between Preston and Warton was completed by 1866, and the route out to sea finally completed in 1906. The purpose of straightening was not only to regularise the route to Preston, smoothing the twists and turns of the channels, but also to increase the flow and as a result to scouring effect to keep the channel free of sand and silt. In the South Fylde area additional contributions from:

 Purposeful draining of marsh lands for agriculture,

 Retraining the channels and dredging of the Ribble estuary,

 Colonisation of the foreshore and marshes by vegetation,

supplied with nitrates used on the land since the Second

World War

 Beaches washed only occasionally by high tides, rather than

the twice daily tides.

All have all conspired to shift the fortunes of the South Fylde Ports between prosperity and dereliction, though not all the news is bad.

Surveys of the Ribble Estuary over the last 150 years show clearly the effects of the changes of the shape of the coastline to both north and south of the river. Much effort has also been made, especially on the south side to make use of the new lands created by the accretions.

There had been schemes to regularise the Ribble channel since 1806, however the conflicting interests of the Preston Merchants anxious to get better access to the sea and the landowners keen reclaim land along the estuary rendered many plans ineffective (Turner, 2008). Lytham Dock

Freckleton Pool (Dock)

Ribble - North Channel

River Douglas

Fig. 3 The South Fylde Coast 1842-1852 (Cassini Historical Maps, 1:50,000)

Lytham Dock

Freckleton Pool (Dock)

River Ribble (North Channel Silted up

River Douglas

Fig. 4 The South Fylde Coast 1920 (Ordnance Survey, 1:63360)

Lytham Dock

Freckleton Pool (Dock)

River Ribble (North Channel

River Douglas

Further reclaimed land

Fig. 5 The South Fylde Coast 1998 (Ordnance Survey, 1:50000) The Preston Navigation from docks to open sea was being dredged to support traffic into the port at Preston until the late 70’s. As dredging the main channel ceased the impact on the estuary has been dramatic on the shorelines of Lytham and Freckleton. Lytham Old Lifeboat Station & Slipway

Lytham Creek (to the Docks)

Ribble Navigation Stonework

Fig. 6 The reclaimed foreshore of Lytham

A history of Ports.

The history of the South Fylde ports is dependent on the history and

progress of the Wyre to Ribble coastline. The relationship between trade

and ‘Coasting’ is documented as early as the 17th Century. At that time

transport links for the movement of goods was limited by poor roads and

the size of loads that could be horse drawn. Use of ships, large and small,

was commonplace. ‘Coasters’ facilitated trade around the 11000 miles of

UK coastline.

Lancashire in particular, has a generous supply of navigable rivers, creeks

and estuaries, from the River Dee in the south to the Lune in the North.

Towns around the coast benefitted, Kirkham especially, with two rivers

serving its industry, the Wyre (or Wyer, as it was) and the Ribble. Registered cargoes reflect the economic powerhouse the Kirkham and its link with Poulton was at the time, with traffic to and from the Baltic and the Colonies: Hemp, Canvas, Sailcloth and later, Linen.

Evans (2018), quotes Willan, (1964) the English coast was served by more active ports per square mile than other European Country.

In the 17th Century, the North West coast ‘Head’ port was Chester, covering an area from Caernarvon in the South to Grange in the North.

Evans goes on to reference Baldwin (1768) who listed in the same Port classification, Liverpool, Poulton and Lancaster.

The Fylde Coast trade attracted the attention of the Exchequer and a number of places were designated as ‘Loading’ places where Customs

Officials could oversee loading and unloading operations. Three ‘Legal

Quays (or Keys) were allocated in Poulton for this purpose.

A History Timeline

1671 Customs documents show Poulton as the ‘Member’ Port of the Fylde. Preston is described as a ‘Creek’.

1680 Limits of designation of the port of Poulton ‘…from 12 fathoms of water at the foot of the River Ribble to 12 fathoms of water at the foot of the , thence to the foot of the River Broadfleet’ (at ). These limits were further refined in 1722 to include all of the North side of the Ribble along the sands and seacoast.

1724 4 Customs Officials are appointed for the port of Poulton

1734 Extension of the canal navigation of the River Douglas from via across the Ribble to Freckleton for the carriage of heavier cargoes of coal and salt.

1750 Poulton downgraded as a ‘Member Port of Preston 1759 Freckleton given Legal Quay status

1790 Evidence of shipbuilding in Freckleton

1799 Evidence of a Roman Port at Freckleton, evidenced by discovery of Anchors and ships timber.

1810 Evidence of Shipbuilding at Wardleys Creek and mainly for Flax merchants of Kirkham

1833 - Recorded vessel movements for Freckleton and Lytham show 1837 trade in and out of around 300 ships per year of mainly coastal trade

1839 becomes ‘Head Port’, over Preston, when Customs House built there. Prior to opening of Fleetwood Dock, Main Docks were Ulverston, BARROW, Walney, Ireleth & Angerton, Lancaster, Glasson, Creeks of Poulton, Lytham & Freckleton, Preston and .

1842 Clifton Estate built dock with a wooden quay at Lodge Pool, Warton (Nancy’s Bay). Although not a Port, it can be counted as a Landing Place, as were the piers at Lytham, St Annes & Blackpool.

The Port of Freckleton

‘Freckleton Pool’ is fed from Dow Brook to the north of the village of

Freckleton and from the drainings of Freckleton Marsh to the east.

‘Freckleton Pool Wharf’ or Dock is located south east of the village. Its use for commercial has been recorded since the late 17th century

(Shakeshaft, 2001). Though it is likely that Dow Brook had been used long before. Yates map of 1786 shows the location of warehouses in the dock area and published tariffs for goods sailing to and from Freckleton and Lytham are listed in 1810. The range of goods is interesting, from Barley and Canvas to Wine and Wheat and including Clay Pipes, Tobacco and Tallow.

Freckleton port’s significance, along with Lytham dock was in the necessary unloading of cargoes bound for Preston and East Lancs. These were off loaded into ‘Lightermen’ and shipped further up the Ribble to wharfs in Preston. In terms of export, coal was moved from the pits of the

Wigan coalfields to the ports on the Ribble for transportation to all the growing industrial centres of UK.

Shakeshaft reports that merchants in Kirkham were trading in the Baltic from Wardleys on the Wyre and Freckleton. Flax from Ireland also counts amongst the cargoes going through the port. It was the opening up of the

River Douglas on the south of the estuary that transformed the fortunes of

Freckleton Wharfe. The Act of 1720 enabled making the River Douglas navigable to to provide an alternative route for coal to Liverpool and NW Lancs, increasing traffic in and across the Ribble.

The work was completed in 1742. Shakeshaft records the variety and volumes of imports and exports from the port and the growing prosperity of both local and Kirkham merchants.

The Coal trade

In 1753 land was set aside for a coal yard with access to the ‘Pool’ and the Ribble opening up a trade that had gone on via packhorse and wagon across the Ribble ford between the mouth of the Pool and Hesketh Bank for the previous 30 years at least, for distribution to the growing fuel hungry mills and industries in the Fylde. In 1760 the port of Preston, of which Freckleton was counted as part, was defined for customs purposes , with a description of warehouses, ‘keys’ and wharfes measuring some 200 yards in length. In 1783 the Leeds Liverpool Canal Co purchased the

Douglas Navigation Co and the development of the reduced the cost of shipping coal to Preston, bypassing Freckleton. The coal trade kept the wharfes busy until the sailcloth and sacking mill,

Balderstone found cheaper sources of coal via the railway from Kirkham.

Shipbuilding

Part of the trade in the port had been shipbuilding since about 1872.

Shipping registration since 1786 required details of ships to be registered with customs at their home ports. The register shows sloops, flats and schooners being built upto about 100 tons, used largely for use from

Freckleton but including those for ‘Coasting’. Latterly, until fire destroyed the workshops in 1970, the yard serviced and repaired RNLI lifeboats.

‘Boat building and repairs are still carried out on the slipways of

Freckleton, though now mainly pleasure craft, yachts and the like. Workshops & Warehouses

Slipway

Remains of old Wharves

The ‘Pool’

Fig. 7 The ‘Shipyards’, on Freckleton Pool, looking North

Decline

Whether the decline of trade to and from Freckleton was caused by provision of alternative ports, canals and railway or by silting up of the

Pool seems unclear. What is clear is that the reduced use of the port will have contributed to the silting of the Pool. Access to the pool is still possible at high tide, however silting up of the channels restricts access.

The following are photographs taken of the Pool area in April 2010. The Boatyard

Silting at low tide

Fig. 8 Freckleton Pool from Naze Point at the entrance from the Ribble looking North

Old Wharves

Fig. 9 Remnants of the Wharves on Freckleton Pool, Looking North from a point beyond the boatyard. Boatyard

Old Wharves

Fig. 10 Freckleton Pool, Looking South from a point beyond the boatyard.

Lytham Dock

Lytham Dock is located to the east of Lytham at the ‘estuary’ of the Main

Drain and Liggard Brook which drains the floodplain of south Fylde, from

Marton Mere in the north and from Kirkham and Warton in the East. The docks comprised, in its heyday both wharves for the loading and unloading of goods and shipbuilding facilities. In addition, cruising ships plied the Ribble carrying passengers and goods between Lytham, Preston and and occasionally the Isle of Man and North Wales (Turner,

(2008). Turner goes on to describe the departure, in 1842 of a party of

Lytham émigré’s to New from Lytham Docks. Voyages short and long were conducted from both the dock and from 1865, a pier which reached out from the Promenade. The docks origins may have been enabled by the building of a sluice gate on Main Drain at as a sea defence following the ‘Great Flood’ of 1719.

Between 1800 and 1820 shipping traffic increased dramatically particularly between Lytham and Ireland. The Clifton family recognised the potential of the docks and in 1824 established claim to anchorage rights. A parliamentary bill of 1838 authorised construction of a dock.

However, because of development of Fleetwood as a port and some wrangling over rail links to either of the ports, it wasn’t until 1845 that facilities at the dock.

Proposals for a railway line to support the growth of Lytham and its dock, was mooted as early as 1829. A branch line from the Preston & Wyre

Railway was established in 1846 (Ashmore, 1982) to support a Timber

Wharf. Main Drain

Main Preston Wyre Railway

Lytham Dock Branch Line

Sluice Gate

Lytham Dock

Shipyard on Liggard Brook

Fig. 11 The Lytham Dock Branch Line (Ordnance Survey, 1892) By the early 1850’s the branch line was proving unpopular, the wooden wharves were collapsing and the Rail line subsiding. Surprisingly, in 1865 the rail company announced a new station on the branch called Warton

(Lytham Dock). By 1874 the station disappeared from the timetables.

A letter in the Lytham Times of October 1874, referred to the dock as ‘a mud-hole …. as it has been referred to over the last 30 years’ (in Turner,

2008).

Feb. 12 Lytham Creek (Dock) from the Sluice Gate on Main Drain looking South

Fig. 13 Remnants of the wooden quayside stanchions. The modern boatyard in the background.

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding is thought to have been going on in Lytham since the 18th

Century although the first recorded vessel built there was in 1818, the

Brigantine ‘Grace’. A small Graving dock built off Liggard Brook is

recorded (Lytham Historic Town Report, 2006).

Shipbuilding sheds (Demolished)

Old Wharves

Graving Dock

Fig. 14 The Graving Dock area looking west on Liggard Brook Shipbuilding sheds (demolished)

Old Wharves

Fig. 15 The Shipbuilding area looking east on Liggard Brook A shipbuilders yard was established at the mouth of the Brook in 1888, as

replacement for a site at Ashton Quays in Preston. The Preston site

became redundant when the Ribble was diverted to built Albert Edward

Dock.

Fig. 16 River boat built at Lytham. The yard produced river boats, shallow draft stern wheel steamers for

East and West Africa and the Amazon, 30+ were built for the Amazon, stimulated by the development of the motor industry driven rubber industry. In World War 1 Lytham Shipbuilding and Engineering Shipyard was producing hospital ships for use in Mesopotamia, Minesweepers,

Tugs, barges and drifters. During World War 2 it was Caissons for the D-

Day Mulberry Harbours.

The shipyard is credited with building the steamboat featured in the film

‘African Queen’, although no hard evidence exists to support the claim.

Decline

Nothing is recorded as being built at Lytham after 1945. Silting up of the creek and with the increasing costs of dredging brought a halt to further building, although leisure craft are still built and maintained in the dock area.

Granny’s Dock

This minor port is referred to more in family lore rather than in historical texts. Although John Melling a fisherman in St Annes referred to ‘mooring boats at Lytham at Granny’s Dock which is now Fairhaven Lake and the boats were anchored where the refreshment house now stands’.

(Shakeshaft, 2008). Mayes (2000) refers to a crescent shaped double Stanner formed off the

North Channel creating a natural harbour, providing access from Granny’s

Bay at high water referred to as Granny’s Dock.

An outline of the coast line shows a Stanner, a bar of shingle and sand running out into toward the North Channel in the estuary. West of

Lytham. The Stanner would have provided shelter for the small fishing smacks of the St Annes and Lytham fleets. It’s likely that this had been a safe haven for centuries before. Certainly, recollections of the fishermen’s descendants suggest that is the case.

The area around Fairhaven Marina was developed by Fleetwood businessman, Thomas Riley in 1892. It was named after the Clifton Estate

Land Agent, Thomas Fair. The plan was to seal off the water within the

Stanner and create a lake for leisure purposes. A severe flood had breeched the Stanner in1896 and a sea wall was proposed on the Stanner to protect the development. This would also justify the sealing of the open end of the Stanner. Granny’s Dock

Granny’s bay

The ‘Stanner’

Fig. 17 The Granny’s Dock area 1842-1852 (Cassini Historical Maps, 1:50,000)

Fig. 18 Enlargement of the same map.

Fig. 19 The 1900 plans for Fairhaven Lake and Ashton

Fig. 20 Recent mapping of Fairhaven and the Lake. Granny’s Bay is the area under the notation ‘Visitor Centre’. (OS 1:50000, 1998)

The alleged moorings for Lytham & St Annes Fishing Smacks.

Fig. 21 Fairhaven Lake looking North West from the Ansdell entrance.

Clearly, far from the silting up of the other South Fylde ports, Granny’s

Bay’s fate was sealed with the decision of enclose the sea water lake known as Fairhaven Lake.

The future of The Estuary

Leisure forms the basis of the ports continued, if limited use. The silting up of the estuary has perhaps provided new opportunities. With the closing of the gap between the north and south banks of the estuary, the prospect of a new causeway beckons. We have seen that a ford existed across the river between Freckleton and Hesketh Bank allowed passage of trade and people. Passage across the channels has been considered in the recent past with hovercraft making the 10 minute journey from

Squires Gate in south Blackpool across to Southport only being halted by the recognition of the site of special interest for breeding wading birds.

The Ribble is to be the UK’s pilot project for the EU’s Water Framework

Directive, which aims to enhance the ecology of the estuaries and coastal waters. In any event, the RSPB regards the estuary as the most important

UK estuary, supporting over 250,000 birds over the winter season.

Presenting a commercial and ecological benefit for the future.

Conclusions

The development of Preston as a major port with the opening of the Albert

Edward Dock there in 1892, good rail links and perhaps more especially the ‘Training’ of the Ribble between 1880 and 1909 when the mid channel of the Ribble was lined with stone and timber, conspired to alter the livelihoods and fortunes of many local families. As a consequence, the declining commercial use of the Ribble estuary enabled the deposit of silts restricting the use and longevity of the port facilities.

River Douglas

Stonework ‘Training’ on the Ribble

Fig. 22 River Ribble where the River Douglas enters looking South South East from Naze point Freckleton. Evidence of the ‘Training’ of the Ribble. Stonework banking

Stonework ‘Training’ on the Ribble

Fig. 23 Evidence to the ‘Training’ of the Ribble. Stonework banking at the entrance to Freckleton pool looking East from Naze Point The seaward end of the training was never regarded as completely successful and by the mid 1980’s silted up completely, the channel reverting to its old course from a break in the wall. The North and South channels silted up in the early 20th century.

Limitations of the research

The principal limitation is the lack of published comprehensive topological and historical research on the South Fylde area, other than the planning documents of local authorities which have particular bias of their own.

Further research linking the two disciplines would be helpful in an attempt to understand the pressures forcing change on the populations of the area over time. A coincidental article in the Newsletter of the Lytham Heritage Groups and an exhibition of material relating to Shipbuilding in Lytham were very helpful.

St Annes Library was particularly helpful in enabling access to early maps and random material relating to this study.

References Ashmore, O., (1982) The industrial Archeology of the North west , Vol 29, Manchester University Press. Ashton, W.M., (1920) Evolution of a Coastline, Stanford, London Baldwin, (1768), ‘New complete guide to all persons who have any trade or concern with the City of London and adjacent’, 11thEd, Baldwin, London. Evans, G.,(2018) Poulton: Life Trade & Shipping, Palatine Books Kitchen (2010), J, ‘What has happened to the sandy beach, The Antiquarian (Newsletter of the Lytham Heritage Group) Jan 2010, P3-5.

Mayes, G.I. & J.E., (2000) On Broad Reach: The History of the St Annes on the Sea Lifeboat Station 1881-1925, Bernard McCall, Bristol. Shakeshaft, P., (2001) The History of Freckleton, Carnegie Publishing Ltd. Shakeshaft, P., (2008) St Annes on the Sea: A History, Carnegie Publishing Ltd. Turner, B., (2008) Victorian Lytham: Portrait of a 19th Century watering Place, Brian Turner. Willan, T.S., River Navigation in England1600-1750, Cass, London.

Bibliography

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Barrowclough, D., 2008, Prehistoric Lancashire, The History Press. Coastal Defence, Report on the evolution of the Ribble Estuary, with particular Foreshaw, D., On Those Infernal Banks: A record of Lifeboats, British Aerospace. Freckleton Parish Plan, 2005 [Online] Available at: server11.web- mania.com/users/frecklet/council/FPP_final.pdf, [Accessed 1 May 2010]

Lambert, T., A Brief History of Preston, Lancashire, [Online] Available at: http://www.localhistories.org/preston.html [Accessed: 05 May 2010] Lancashire County Council, May 2006, Lytham St Annes Historic Town Assessment Report, [Online] Available at: http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/documents/historictowns/Lyth amComplete_LowRes.pdf [Accessed 20 April 2010] Mawson, T.H., (1937) ‘Amounderness: report of the Regional Planning Committee for the area of the Fylde’, Fylde Joint Town Planning Advisory Committee.

Port of Preston, [Online] Available at: http://www.madeinpreston.co.uk/Port/port1.html [Accessed 1 May 2010] reference to the north Sefton coast. Version 1.1, March 2008, [Online] Available at: http://www.heskethbank.com/history/evolution_of_ribble_estuary/evoluti on_of_ribble_estuary_part_1.pdf [Accessed 28 April 2010] Rothwell, C., (2010), Ports & Harbours of the North West Coast, History Press. Lytham Hall Stewards Accounts Book, 1696- 1704

Mike Coyle 06 May 2010