Бретертон: История и современность ланкаширской деревни.

Bretherton is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, situated to the south west of Leyland and east of Tarleton. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 669. Its name suggests pre conquest origins and its early history was closely involved with the manor house Bank Hall and the families who lived there. Bretherton remained a rural community and today is largely residential with residents commuting to nearby towns.

Bretherton derives from either the Old English brothor and tun or Norse brothir and means "farmstead of the brothers". It was first recorded in documents in 1190. Bretherton has been variously recorded as Bretherton in 1242, Brotherton occurs in 1292, Bertherton in 1292 and Thorp was mentioned in 1212.

Bretherton, was part of the Penwortham fee and assessed as two plough lands. It was given by the Bussels to Richard le Boteler of Amounderness, who made grants to Cockersand Abbey around 1200 and Lytham Priory. In 1242 the manor was held by six families of Richard Banastre, Walter de Hoole, Richard de Thorp, William de Brexes, Thomas de Gerstan and Simon del Pool who held the land from the Lord of Penwortham. Over time these six parts were consolidated into two moieties held by different branches of the Banastre family, the Banastres of Bank, and that of Sir Thomas Banastre. The Bank moiety remained with the Banastres until 1690 when Christopher Banastre died leaving two daughters. His eldest daughter, Anne, married Thomas Fleetwood who made the first to attempt at draining Martin Mere. Their daughter, Henrietta Maria, married Thomas Legh of Lyme Park and subsequently the manor descended to Lord Lilford. It became part of the Chorley Poor Law Union, formed in 1837, which took responsibility for the administration and funding of the Poor Law and built a workhouse in that area. Bretherton became part of Chorley Rural Sanitary District from 1875 to 1894, and part of Chorley Rural District from 1894 to 1974. Since 1974, it is part of Chorley Borough's Lostock ward and has a parish council. Bretherton is part of the South Ribble parliamentary constituency, which elected Seema Kennedy as Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party at the 2015 General Election.

The township covers 2,292 statute acres of flat low lying land mostly used for agriculture. The River Lostock forms a village boundary and the River Douglas and River Yarrow join before flowing into the River Ribble to the north.

The village was almost self supporting but changes have occurred within living memory; well paid employment elsewhere and rationalisation of farming caused people to move to local urban centres, such as Leyland, Preston and Chorley. The village is now largely residential, a dormitory village with few residents engaged in agriculture or associated support industries. Many residents access services such as shops, schools, medical services, employment and leisure pursuits outside the village.

The Liverpool and Preston turnpike road of 1771, now the A59, and a branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal cross the west of the township. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway's Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway line passes through the north east of Bretherton but the nearest station is at Croston to the south east. There are four minor roads in Bretherton village, North Road (B5248), South Road, Pompian Brow and Marl Cop.

There are several listed buildings in Bretherton including several farmhouses and St John's Church. The manor house, Bank Hall, a Grade II* Listed Jacobean mansion from 1608 became derelict in 1972. A local group of campaigners the Bank Hall Action Group, formed in 1995 to “Save Bank Hall”. It was a contestant on the BBC 'Restoration' series in 2003. The building continued to deteriorate but planning permission was granted in 2011 for its restoration and conversion to a visitor centre and housing. Work began on restoring the house in 2017 and was completed in 2021. The visitor centre opened to the public in December 2022. Volunteer work still continues to restore the gardens including its walls and buildings. Bank Hall Barn a Grade II Listed Elizabethan tithe barn was restored and converted into housing in 2004. Carr House, built in 1613 was home to the Stone family and is associated with Jeremiah Horrocks who observed the transit of Venus, it was later used as a doll museum.

Bretherton Endowed Primary was founded as a free school by a merchant, James Fletcher in 1653. The present school has around 115 pupils on role. The majority of secondary age pupils in the village attend Tarleton High School or Bishop Rawstorne CE Academy in Croston.

A record of a chapel is mentioned in a charter of 1344 but nothing else is known. The Anglican Commissioners' Church of St. John the Baptist was consecrated in 1840. It is built in the Early English Gothic style. Chapels were built for Wesleyan Methodists in 1824, rebuilt in 1836 and 1883 and for Congregationalists in 1819, rebuilt in 1896. The parish council maintain a recreation ground with children's play area, tennis court, football pitches and bowling green off South Road. In 2009 Bretherton was awarded the Lancashire's Best Kept Village (Small Village Class) Award.