'I visited a cobble-stoned Lancashire village and it's a world away from its Yorkshire namesake'

A number of villages and communities can be found in the foothills of the Forest of Bowland and Ribble Valley, areas of outstanding natural beauty in Lancashire.

Their location conjures up images of breathtaking views, nature walks and cobble-stone streets, you may also automatically think of towns such as Clitheroe and larger villages such as Waddington or Whalley. Whilst they may be initially overlooked, there's a strong argument to visit and admire the lesser known villages that surround the scenic spot.

And there's one which sounds more like it should be in Yorkshire - but it's a world away from its namesake across the Pennines. West Bradford is a village situated outside Clitheroe in the foothills of the Forest of Bowland.

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With only one pub and no shop in the area, some may argue there's not a lot going for it. But after one visit on a quiet Wednesday afternoon, we strongly beg to differ.

With views of Pendle Hill in the background, the beauty of West Bradford is evident from the moment you step foot in the village. No matter which side you enter from, the you automatically feel as though you've stepped into a village postcard-ready scene, fit with everything you'd want in your perfect idea of a sleepy place to live - except the lack of a shop perhaps.

Our first port of call to get to know the village is to get our bearings and upon entering West Bradford, we're immediately hit with the sheer number of public footpaths and picturesque walks. We first opt for a walk along the river, perfect for joggers, ramblers and dog walkers alike.

West Bradford Brock runs through the village
West Bradford Brock runs through the village -Credit:Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News

One word of warning for anyone thinking of visiting is to wear suitable footwear, as the river bank is certainly a muddy one, but well worth a trip to experience the serenity of being within nature, yet so close to the heart of the village. Now ankle deep in mud, we decide to get to grips with the village itself and venture up in search for the local hotspots, an easy find in an area so small.

As we get to know West Bradford, we bump in to resident Margaret Smith who has lived in the village for 12 months two years ago and has returned to live in the village once again. "It's very quiet and everyone's really friendly," Margaret told LancsLive when we visited the area.

"There's quite a big community spirit. In the village hall there's quite a lot of things going on, so once a month they'll have a pop-up and they'll do activities. In the summer they had a sports day for the children and there was a big thing for D-Day. So lots of things going on."

Margaret Smith has lived in West Bradford for a few years
Margaret Smith has lived in West Bradford for a few years -Credit:Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News

Margaret also says there's a number of activities going on at St Catherine's Church, with coffee mornings, jumble sales, fundraising events and antique and craft fairs. "There is quite a lot of widowers or widows that live here as well," Margaret added.

"So it's quite nice for them to have community as well. There's families and young people as well, but there is a high proportion of retired people."

Margaret says she lives on Grindleton Road and explains her neighbour on one side has lived in the village for over 30 years and the other for over 40 years. She continued: "It's just so tranquil. We've got beautiful views and lovely walks just out your door."

Having had a few chats with dog walkers and other walkers who don't live in West Bradford but visit regularly, there's a strong sense that community spirit is truly at the heart of the area. With a big elderly population, it appears the community stick together when necessary - a nice idea in principle, but something that was given a real test during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020/21.

During this time, many villages and towns exercised their community spirit they'd be talking about for decades prior, with West Bradford a place that truly had each other's back. Having opened the only pub in the village 16 years ago, the landlady of the Three Millstones Inn, Lauren Foster, was instrumental in this.

Lauren and Matthew Frost are the owners of the Three Millstones Inn, the only pub in the village
Lauren and Matthew Frost are the owners of the Three Millstones Inn, the only pub in the village -Credit:Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News

Lauren told LancsLive: "Covid was when everyone came together. People needed food deliveries so I got to know a lot of them, where they lived and we used to go and chat on their doorsteps. There is a nice camaraderie and togetherness in the village."

Lauren and her husband Matthew took over the historic pub in 2008. "The previous owners took over the pub when it was derelict," Lauren told us.

"They had it for about two years and did a lot of the work. So when we took over, we just got the keys on a Friday and opened up on the Monday. We've done quite a bit of work to various things and then we've added the rooms as well. We've got 11 bedrooms as well now, those weren't there when we moved in."

In Summer months, Lauren says she has a lot of wedding guests visit her pub as there's an overspill from a popular wedding venue, Eaves Hall, just up the road. Although the people are the most important part of any place, West Bradford has some interesting stories in its past too.

Mahatma Gandhi once stayed in a guest house in the village when he visited Lancashire in 1931. The well-known figure visited the county's mill towns amidst the heart of the English textile industry as Gandhi's boycott of English cotton goods was at its height.

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