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One thousand and nine hundred years
ago ............
Coppull was home to the Brigantes,
a tribe found in all of Lancashire.
The 20th Roman Legion stationed at Chester began the conquest of the
Brigantes and new roads were driven northwards. One of these roads was
from Warrington to an important Roman camp at Walton-le-Dale. It passes
from near Standish Church, away down Hic-Bibi Lane, across Blainscough (Blaina's
Wood), down German Lane to Charnock Richard and Euxton.
In common with the rest of Lancashire, Coppull was later subjected to the
plundering and invasion of Saxons, Vikings and the Scottish raiders.
By 1215 comes the first mention of the Coppull Family perhaps related to
the Worthingtons of Worthington, since we hear of one township - Coppull
with Worthington.
In 1236 Richard, Lord of Coppull, gave Perburn (Bogburn and Coppull Moor)
to Burscough Priory. By 1461 the Stanley Family acquired the Manor of
Coppull and it was held by Henry VIII in 1521. The Manor passed on through
several different families and was perhaps sold by Charles I. It was owned
by Alexander Rigby of Bury in 1600, by the Livsey Family in 1750 and sold
to John Hodgson of Ellerbeck in 1820.
In 1830 Coppull was a rather unimportant agricultural area of a few
cottages, houses and farms, and a small chapel to the east. A Mr. Yates
lived at Ellison's Tenement (Station Farm) which was surrounded by a few
cottages, then no buildings until Roe Hey Farm, the wheatsheaf cottages by
the Wheatsheaf pub and Clayton Gate Farm at the top of Birkacre.
Birkacre (the field where the birch trees grow) had a bleaching and cloth
printing works.
The Printers Arms was then a shop, used by the handloom weavers who worked
at Millstone Platt.
The Horse and Waggon was in Church Fold across from the church. A few
farms and cottages were scattered along Coppull Moor Lane and Preston
Road. The Oak Tree Hotel was open, but the Springfield pub was then a
farm.
About 800 people lived here, most of whom could neither read nor write.
After 1850 Coppull began to grow rapidly, many new rows of houses were
built to become the homes of coal miners and factory workers. There were
many collieries and deep shafts were sunk for the John Pit, Springfield
Pit, Blainscough, Hic Bibi, Darlingtons, Ellerbeck, Birkacre and Pearsons
mines. Mineral lines carried coal tubs to the main railway.
Brickworks at Hic Bibi, Coppull Moor and off Mike Lane used Coppull clay
for this industrial boom.
By 1906 Coppull Ring Mill was opened, followed shortly by the Mavis Mill,
new schools, churches and chapels were erected, together with shops, bus
and train services, a village brass band, and cricket and football teams
were established.
Today the mines and mills have all closed, the clogs and shawls have gone.
We now live in Coppull and work elsewhere, and there are new housing
estates, a Clinic, a Library and a Community Centre.
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