Thornton Hough, Village c.1950

Photo ref: T221004

More about this scene

This village is referred to as 'Torintone' in the Domesday book, but during the reign of Edward II it, and much of the surrounding land, came into the possession of Roger de Thornton, whose only daughter married Richard de Houghe, and hence it became 'Thornton Houghe'. The recent development of the village has been largely due to two men. The first was Joseph Hirst, a wealthy Yorkshire woollen manufacturer, who retired here in the 1860s and built his ideal home, Thornton House. He also built a village school, the parish church, the vicarage and the row of terraced cottages in Church Street. The second was William Hesketh, later Viscount Leverhulme, who came here from Bolton in 1887 and set up his soap factory at Port Sunlight. Not to be outdone by old Joseph Hirst, he too built a church and another school, and added the post office, the village club and a range of fine houses throughout the village. Today, Thornton Hough is a most attractive village that has been designated a Conservation Area, and has been awarded numerous 'Best kept village' awards.