Thornton, Lancashire

Thornton is first mentioned in 1086 in the Domesday Book, in which it was referred to as Torentum (a name preserved by Torentum Court on Lawsons Road). At the time, it covered a large area including what are now Cleveleys and Fleetwood, and had a very low population density. It is thought that a settlement had existed at the site since the Iron Age, and a Roman road passes close to the village. The area remained lightly populated until 1799, when the marshland around the village was drained and agricultural production began on a large scale. Marsh Mill, a large well-preserved windmill, built in 1794, is a prominent landmark. It was commissioned by Bold Hesketh, uncle of Peter Hesketh (later…