Chorley
Chorley is a town in Lancashire, England located in the West Pennine Moors.
Understand
10 miles north-west of Bolton, 12 miles south-west of Blackburn and 6 miles north of Wigan. Preston is 10 miles north of Chorley, and Manchester is 30 miles south-east of Chorley.
Chorley describes itself as "Lancashire's Market Town". The markets take place most days, and continue to attract shoppers from around the local area. Chorley Borough, surrounding the town, includes many charming rural villages, and contrasting types of countryside. To the east of the town, the terrain rises up into the West Pennine Moors. Relatively low altitude, but still a remote landscape. The terrain to the west of the town could not be more different, with the flat, fertile West Lancashire Mosslands stretching away to the coast at Southport
Get in
By train
1 Chorley station is blessed with direct train links with Manchester, Preston, Blackpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
By car
Chorley lies close to the junction of the M6, M61 and M65 Motorways. The closest link to the Motorway network is Junction 8 of the M61. The A6 and A49 roads both pass through the borough.
By plane
Direct trains from Manchester Airport in around 50 minutes.
Get around
See
- 1 Astley Hall Museum and Art Gallery, Chorley PR7 1AX (west edge of town). Apr-mid Dec Sa Su & public hols 12:00-16:30. Museum and art gallery within an eccentric Elizabethan historic house. The extensive landscaped grounds of Astley Park are open daily. Free.
- 2 Preston England Temple (LDS or Mormon Temple), Hartwood Green, Chorley PR6 7EQ (M61 jcn 8 to A6 north). Open most days. The Mormons or Church of Latter Day Saints were almost driven out of the U.S. in the 19th century, but regrouped from their church in Preston to re-establish in Utah and worldwide. This temple, built 1994-98, commemorates that era, and now serves LDS for central and northern England, Scotland, and most of Ireland. Its gleaming white 48 m spire is visible for miles around.
- 3 Hoghton Tower, Hoghton Bottoms PR5 0SH (M65 jcn 3 to A675 northwest). April-Sept Su-Th 10:00-16:00; house only by guided tour at 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15:00. 16th-century fortified manor house atop a hill. Note the well house, banqueting hall, state bedroom and ballroom, and no less than three "priest holes". There's a fanciful association with Shakespeare and a myth that King James I knighted his dinner as "Sir Loin" steak when he stayed here in 1617. What's genuine is the birth here of Sunday sports - James was persuaded to repeal the sterner sabbatarian rules, and issued the Book of Sports setting out what was allowed, initially for Lancashire, then the whole country. Archery and dancing on Sunday were fine, bear-baiting was definitely out. Adult £10.
- 4 Winter Hill. At 1496 ft this is the highest point of the West Pennine Moors, on the border with Horwich and Bolton. It adjoins Rivington Pike, with a tower built in 1733. Views stretch to Lakeland and Snowdonia. Various markers and monuments commemorate incidents both apocryphal ("ooh, they were never seen again!") and real, eg the 1958 crash of a charter flight from Isle of Man to Manchester. Towering over all is the 309 m mast of the ITV transmitting station, broadcasting across northwest England.
Do
- 1 Camelot Theme Park, Park Hall Road, PR7 5LP, ☏ +44 1257 453044. March - Sept from 10am. Weekends only except in School Holiday periods. Theme Park with a loose Arthurian theme. Some decent rollercoasters. Book in advance online for savings against entry fees. Adult/Child over 1m £28. Child under 1m Free.
- 2 Chorley Little Theatre, 10 Dole Lane, PR7 2RL (Follow Southport Road from the Town Hall, and Dole Lane is on the left), ☏ +44 1257 264362. Built in 1910 as a cinema, now run by local volunteers as an arts venue. Regular amateur productions of high quality. Hosts some of the biggest names in stand-up comedy throughout the year and still fulfils its original role as cinema on some Sunday evenings.
Buy
- Chorley Markets. Chorley describes itself as Lancashire's Market Town and is proud of its popular market, which lies at the very heart of the town. The covered market opens 9am - 4.30pm on the following days. Monday - Flea Market and collectables. Tuesday - New goods and food cabins, with additional stalls on the adjacent Flat Iron car park. Thursday - craft, new goods and food cabins. Friday - new goods and food cabins. Saturday - new goods and food cabins with additional food and craft market on nearby Fazakerley Street every second Saturday.
Eat
A Chorley Cake is a thin sweet cake, made with currants in shortcrust pastry. It has similarities to an Eccles Cake, but is made with different pastry. It can be found in supermarkets around Northern England.
- Tapas Esteban, 8 Cleveland St PR7 1BH (just west of railway station), ☏ +44 1257 261259. Tu-Sa 10:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00. Friendly tapas place, gets good reviews for food and prices.
- The Nile, New Market Street, PR7 1BY, ☏ +44 1257 241341. Su-Th 17:00-00:30, F Sa 17:00-03:00. Kebab, pizza and similar post-pub food.
Drink
- Sir Henry Tate (JD Wetherspoon), New Market St. Su-Th 08:00-00:00, F Sa 08:00-01:00.
Sleep
- Premier Inn Chorley South, Bolton Road, PR7 4AB, ☏ +44 871 527 8248. The hotel has an onsite restaurant and has free onsite parking From £29 for private rooms.
- Premier Inn Chorley North, Malthouse Farm, Moss Lane, Whittle-Le-Woods, Chorley, PR6 8AB, ☏ +44 871 527 8248. The hotel has an onsite restaurant and has free onsite parking From £29 for private rooms.
Go next
- Manchester or Liverpool for big city attractions, or north into the Lake District.
| Routes through Chorley |
| Glasgow ← Preston ← | N  S |
→ Wigan → Liverpool |
merges with  (North) /  ← |
NW  SE |
→ Horwich → Manchester |
| Preston ← | NW  SE |
→ Horwich → Manchester |