In his 1878 History of the Fylde of Lancashire, John Porter described Kirkham as ".. probably the earliest inhabited locality in the Fylde district."^[5] Remains found at Carleton in the 1970s of an elk with two harpoons embedded suggest that the Fylde was inhabited as long ago as 8,000 BC.^[6]

The town is pre-Roman in its origin with a name originating from the Danish kirk (church) and -ham (Saxon for settlement, or "home"). The town owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location of a Roman fort.^[7] It appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the name of Chicheham and is described as lying on the Roman road between Ribchester (Bremetennacum) and the River Wyre. The town's market charter was granted in 1269–70 by King Henry III.^[8]

In the 15th and 16th centuries Kirkham remained a small market town. But from the late 17th century the town grew into a thriving textile centre. From 1830 sailcloth was being woven in cottages in the town and later at the Flax Mill, built in 1861 by John Birley.^[9] Kirkham Grammar School was founded in 1549 but the original building no longer exists.^[10]

In 1792 a Roman brass shield boss was discovered by local schoolmaster John Willacy, in the Dow Brook, in Mill Hill Field. Willacy sold the shield to a Scotsman, but it found its way to the Charles Townley collection in Burnley and from there to the British Museum. The oval shield, about 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, bore the representation of a human figure, seated, with an eagle to the left and an athlete at the side.^[5][6]

Horse racing took place at Carr Hill in Kirkham in March 1852 and again in March 1853. Point-to-point races were still being staged at Thornley-with-Wheatley, near Preston, by the Kirkham Hunt in the 20th century, including a meeting on Friday 6 April 1900. Races at Carr Hill continued up to the start of World War II, but it is uncertain whether they began again after the War had ended.^[11]

In 1887 a memorial was erected, at Town End, to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The memorial was later moved to a site adjacent to the United Reformed Church.^[12]

Looms ran in the town from about 1850 until 2003. At one time the town had eleven mills, the last to be built being Progress Mill in 1915. On the lower part of Station Road "The Last Loom" of Kirkham is on permanent public display. This loom, a cross-rod type from the 1920s, with the use of tappets at the side, could produce an extensive range of fabrics including velvets, twills and Bedford cord.^{[citation needed]}

In 1925, Church Street became the subject of a pencil on paper drawing by Pendlebury artist L. S. Lowry^[13] In his later "A Lancashire Village, 1935" he painted the scene again, but with a wider street full of people and a house in front of the church.^[14]

Due to an expansion of secondary education after the Second World War, in 1957 Carr Hill Secondary Modern School (now Carr Hill 11-18 High School and Sixth Form Centre), was built on the site of Carr Hill House and a former racecourse. It was officially opened in 1958 by the Duchess of Kent. Several housing developments have been built on the edge of the town in the last half of the 20th century.

Governance edit

The town council for Kirkham is elected as a parish council, which has six elected councillors and operates under the name "Kirkham Town Council". The council manages local services such as waste management, community spaces, planning permission and council tax among others.^[15][16]

The Lancashire County Council councillor is Stewart Jones.^[17] In the 2023 local elections the three Fylde Council seats were won by Edward Collins, Damian Buckley and Paul Hodgson (all Independent).^[18]

Banks edit

The Kirkham branch of HSBC closed in 2015^[19] and that of Nat West closed in 2017.^[20] The branch of Lloyds Bank also closed in 2017, the branch of Santander closed in October 2018 and the branch of Royal Bank of Scotland closed in January 2019,^[21] leaving Kirkham with no bank branches at all. The town has one remaining building society agent, for Yorkshire Building Society at Guy Penn Community Insurance Brokers, on Poulton Street.^[22]

Pubs and dining edit

There are several pubs in Kirkham, four of which are within or very close to the town centre including the Queen's Arms, the Swan and the Stable Bar. The Tap & Vent brewhouse, operated by Lytham Brewery, on Poulton Street, opened in December 2017.^[23][24]

The Bullhorn Smokehouse opened in March 2021 and is located on Poulton Street.^[25][26] The Old Bank, a fine dining venue, was opened by restaurateur Andrew Booker and his son James, in the premises of the former Midland/HSBC bank in 2021^[27][28] In February 2022 the former premises of the Santander bank were used as the home for the new German Brewhaus.^[29] Indulge Dessert Bar opened, on Market Square, on 30 March 2000.^[30][31]

Regeneration edit

In 2022 Fylde Borough Council purchased Grade II listed "Hillside" on Preston Street and the former Lloyds Bank on Poulton Street, as part of the town's £10m regeneration plan, Kirkham Futures. "Hillside" was a former restaurant and popular wedding venue, but both buildings had been empty for some years. The former bank, which was originally a Charity Girls School dating back to 1860, is hoped to be converted into a community cinema.^[32]

Kirkham Futures is a four-year plan, led by Fylde Council's regeneration team, in partnership with Lancashire County Council and Kirkham Town Council, which will use a £6.3m grant from the Government's Future High Streets Fund (FHSF).^[33]

In January 2023, the town's Market Square closed for up to 52 weeks for town centre improvements to be carried out.^[34][35] The Phase 1 Public Realm works for Kirkham will replace existing public realm and infrastructure, such as street furniture, in the area of Market Square and Poulton Street. Included in the contract is a five-year maintenance and repair commitment by the contractor, after which such upkeep would be included in existing revenue budgets. A lighting scheme to be implemented in Market Square will be maintained and repaired within the existing revenue budget provision. The contract was awarded to Eric Wright Civil Engineering Ltd following a successful procurement exercise.^[36]

In 2023 and 2024 a cooperative partnership funded a programme of events inspired by the former Roman presence in Kirkham and Wesham, allowing the community to participate in art and archaeology projects. Activities indlcued a community archaeology project, a high street mural and a heritage-inspired art and lantern festival.^[37]

Kirkham has two secondary schools: Carr Hill High School a mixed comprehensive school, and Kirkham Grammar School, an independent school. Feeding into these two schools are the primary schools of Kirkham: Kirkham and Wesham Primary School, Kirkham Grammar Junior School, St John the Evangelist (also known as "The Willows") Catholic Primary School and Kirkham St Michael's C of E Primary School. Additionally, Pear Tree School offers special education for children and young people, aged 2-19, with severe and profound and multiple learning difficulties.^[38]

The Church of England parish church is St Michael's whose minister is Fr Richard Dashwood.^[39]

The United Reformed Church on Poulton Street is a Grade II listed building and is an early example of the work of the architectural practice of Briggs & Wolstenholme. It has a "massing and prominent spire rising from a tall tower" and was built in 1896. In 1995 a large single-storey rear extension, including a basement, was built to accommodate a youth centre, meeting rooms, kitchen and toilets. In about 2000 the vestibule was extended forward to the same level as the balcony above.^[40][41]

There is also a Roman Catholic church – St John the Evangelist, built in 1845, but known locally as "The Willows" – on the Ribby Road,^[42] and a Methodist church on Nelson Street.^[43]

Zion (Independent) Chapel was founded in 1818. Although the church has long since been demolished, the graveyard remains. Now associated with Kirkham United Reformed Church, but adjacent to the Manse Nursing Home in the centre of the town, this unusual isolated burial-ground is still well maintained.^{[citation needed]}

Kirkham lies at the centre of a relatively rich agricultural area. By the mid 18th century, however, the manufacture of sail cloth and the flax-weaving industry had become well established in the town. By 1876 there were several factories employing almost 1,000 workers in the cotton and other industries and by the end of the century the town had grown considerably in importance.^{[citation needed]}

Kirkham and Wesham railway station was opened in 1840 as "Kirkham Station",^[44] when the Preston and Wyre Railway and Harbour Company opened its line to Fleetwood. South of the town is Kirkham Prison, an open prison built on part of the site of the Royal Air Force base which closed in 1957.^{[citation needed]}

The small library located on Station Road has been open since 1939^[45] and has recently^[when?] reopened following a major refurbishment.^[46]

Kirkham Club Day, an annual gala, is held in early June, jointly with Wesham. The day involves the various churches and their chosen "Rose Queens", together with biblical tableau floats, civic dignitaries and brass bands, walking in procession through the town in the morning.

The town's War Memorial is located in a small memorial garden on Barnfield.^{[citation needed]}

The St George Hotel was situated at the bottom on Station Road, at Town End, but closed in 2011 and was demolished in 2012 to make way for a block of flats.^[47][48]

In January 2021 Bradley's Bar, located inside AFC Fylde's Mill Farm Stadium, was converted to become one of the North West's COVID-19 vaccination centres. The facility was adapted to meet the necessary standards to allow a safe and efficient delivery of the vaccine whilst critically maintaining social distancing requirements.^[49][50]

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada. Television signals are received from the Winter Hill TV transmitter. ^[51]

Local radio stations are BBC Radio Lancashire, Heart North West, Smooth North West, Capital Manchester and Lancashire, Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire and Central Radio North West, a community based station which broadcast from Preston. ^[52]

The town is served by its own free newspaper, the Kirkham and Wesham Advertiser. Both the Blackpool Gazette and the Lancashire Evening Post cover Kirkham news, as does the weekly Kirkham and Fylde Express.^[53]

Kirkham Swimming Baths was erected in 1908 by the bequest of William Segar Hodgson J.P. and has served Kirkham as a public swimming pool for over a century. Open seven days a week, galas, free children swims and adult-only swims were regularly held. In February 2008 a campaign was initiated to save the baths from closure. This included a public march through Kirkham and Wesham on 1 March attended by some 3,000 local supporters^[54] A local action group was subsequently formed to organise the longer term survival of the baths, and was successful in presenting a business plan to Fylde Borough Council. The baths, were run by the YMCA, having been re-branded as "Rural Splash",^[55] but closed permanently after suffering significant structural damage caused by Storm Arwen in December 2021.^[56][57]

The town's football club is AFC Fylde. The club was known as Kirkham and Wesham F.C until the end of the 2007–08 season, and was formed by the amalgamation of Kirkham Town F.C. and Wesham F.C. The change of name to AFC Fylde was made to try to encourage a broader fan-base from across the Fylde coast.

AFC Fylde is currently based north of Wesham on the Mill Farm complex and plays in the National League. The team won the FA Vase in the 2007–08 season, beating Lowestoft Town in the final at Wembley Stadium on 11 May 2008. They were also promoted to the North West Counties Football League Premier Division after finishing second in Division Two. In 2008–09 they were North West Counties Football League champions and so won promotion to the Northern Premier League Division One North.

In May 2022 the British Lawn Mower Racing Association staged a meeting at Sunfield Farm, off Freckleton Road, to help to raise money for Ukraine.^[58]

Kirkham is twinned with both Ancenis in Loire-Atlantique, France^[59] and Bad Brückenau, a spa town in Bad Kissingen district, northern Bavaria which is situated in the Rhön Mountains in Germany.^[60] Kirkham has an active Twinning Association and has regular contact with both Ancenis and Bad Brückenau.^[61]

Kirkham currently has 20 listed buildings, one of them being Grade II* and the rest being Grade II. Many of the buildings in the town centre date from the Georgian and Victorian eras.

• St Michaels Church, Kirkham, Church Street
• Kirkham United Reformed Church, Poulton Street
• Kirkham Windmill - Dowbridge, now a private residence^[62]
• St John the Evangelist R.C Church (known locally as the Willows Church)
• Kirkham Baths, Station Road - built in 1914, now closed
• Kirkham Library, Station Road
• Ash Tree House - formerly a house, built c.1765, Church Street, is a Grade II listed building^[63][64] and is now a general practice

• Ramsbottom, M. (2013), Around Kirkham through Time, Stroud, Amberley Publishing
• Ramsbottom, M. (2013), An Historical Tour around the Town of Kirkham, Kirkham, (self-published)

• A comprehensive history of Kirkham
• Historic Town Assessment Report (Archaeological and Historical Report)
• Roman Roads in Lancashire
• Geograph images of Kirkham
• Kirkham Twinning Association
• Kirkham Methodist Church