An 18-hole crazy golf course, an Olympic-sized curling rink and a cinema showing event cinema screenings give Barton a varied leisure offering. Historic traces add to this, from the former cross to the water-powered corn mill. These make it possible to distinguish between two areas of interest when planning your trip: activities at The Flower Bowl and architectural history in Barton.
Leisure activities at The Flower Bowl
The Secret Garden at The Flower Bowl in Barton, Preston, is an outdoor 18-hole crazy golf course. The Flower Bowl also has an Olympic-sized curling rink. The venue’s cinema shows event cinema screenings featuring theatre, opera, concerts, musicals and ballet. Each offering has its own focus: outdoor crazy golf, the winter sport of curling, and a cinema programme of stage and musical performances.
When choosing between these options, consider what kind of experience you are looking for: an outdoor game, curling, or a screening from one of the arts genres listed above. Details about the curling rink may change operationally, so check the latest information before planning your visit around it. If you have a specific cinema visit in mind, it is worth checking the programme.
The cross and canal bridge
Barton Cross was re-erected in 1901 on the base of an earlier cross. This earlier cross may date from the late Middle Ages. The year 1901 therefore refers to its re-erection, not to the possible date of the original cross. It stands at the junction of an old north–south route. Those interested in the history of the area will find both a cautiously qualified reference to an earlier period and a precisely dated event here.
Another structure is Lancaster Canal Hepgreave Bridge Number 39, a Grade II listed structure in the parish of Barton. Its precise name helps distinguish the canal bridge from Barton Cross and Barton Corn Mill. Together, these examples show different facets of local history: a re-erected cross and a listed canal bridge.
Barton Corn Mill and finding your way around
Barton Corn Mill is a rare surviving water-powered corn mill in Lancashire. The present building dates in part from at least 1671; this date applies to parts of the building, not necessarily to the entire structure. The mill’s relationship with the landscape is also part of its history: its mill leat ran parallel to Barton Brook. The building, mill leat and brook provide a tangible link to the former use of water power.
For orientation, the large axle of the waterwheel and an information board are mentioned: they are on the side opposite Barton Village Car Park, across from the village hall. The converted Barton Corn Mill and Barton Mill House are private homes, but can be viewed clearly. The described sights at the mill therefore include both the visible buildings and the information board; the two houses remain private homes.
Plan your stay around your interests
When looking for hotels in Barton, you can first decide what your main interest is: leisure activities at The Flower Bowl or historic details around Barton Cross, the canal bridge and the mill. This way, planning starts with what you would like to experience in Barton. You can give each topic a different priority without having to turn them into a fixed sightseeing itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Fleetwood, Withnell, Poulton Le Fylde, Burscough, Colne, Cockerham, Tunstall, Whitworth
For the wider travel overview: Lancashire.
