Wigglesworth combines historic buildings from several centuries with an easy circular walk along the Ribble Way. This means two different interests come into play when choosing a destination: architectural history and walking. The buildings offer several points of reference in time, while the walk presents a separate practical choice.

Historic buildings in Wigglesworth

Wigglesworth Hall Farm North dates back to the 15th century; parts of the building date from the 17th and 18th centuries. These dates should be distinguished: they describe, on the one hand, the origins of the house and, on the other, parts from later centuries. This is not a single construction date, but rather a layering of periods that is important when placing the building in context.

Wigglesworth Hall Barn is considered a former tithe barn and dates from around 1600. Its description therefore combines an approximate date with an attributed former function. The architectural details are also specific: the barn has eleven bays and a blocked-up entrance with a Tudor arch. A bay is a section of a building’s structure. The number eleven and the specified entrance provide two different points of reference for looking at the building.

Deepdale Head Farmhouse has an open hearth (inglenook) with the remains of a beehive oven. The distinction is important: the hearth is open, while only remains of the beehive oven are present. Thus, two different elements are included in the description of the interior.

The K6 telephone kiosk opposite the Plough Inn is another precisely dated example: Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed it in 1935. The square cast-iron kiosk has a domed roof. Its design date, material and shape each offer a different way of looking at its architecture. Compared with Hall Farm North, several centuries separate the house’s origins from the kiosk.

The Crow Trees Inn is an inn dating from the late 17th century. Together, these examples span the origins of buildings in the 15th century, the period around 1600 and later building elements, through to the kiosk’s design in 1935. Wigglesworth’s architectural history cannot be reduced to a single period: the different dates and features provide a broader picture of historic architecture.

Exploring on foot

The Ribble Way can be reached from Wigglesworth. An easy circular walk leads from Wigglesworth via Hard Head Farm and Cappleside. On the return leg, it follows the Ribble Way through the Long Preston Flood Plain Project and over Cow Bridge back to Wigglesworth. The route lists the points on both the outward and return legs, making the circular route easy to follow.

The general option of reaching the Ribble Way from Wigglesworth and the described circular walk answer different planning questions: the first gives you an idea of where the trail is, while the second sets out a specific route that starts and ends in Wigglesworth. If you’d like to include a walk in your trip, check trail conditions and access before setting out.

When choosing between architectural history and walking, these are two clearly distinct interests. The historical information covers buildings and a telephone kiosk with different dates and architectural details; the circular walk passes several named points before returning to Wigglesworth. You can weigh up which aspect of the place matters most to you during your stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Scotch Corner, Settle, Hellifield, Hunton, Grosmont, Reeth, Spofforth, Cayton.

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