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Talbot Arms

Name: The Talbot Arms

Address: 20, Botany Brow, Chorley

The Talbot Arms 1950's

The Talbot Arms was a prominent landmark on the way out of Chorley on the road to Blackburn, situated at the top of Botany Brow near the junction with Eaves Lane and close to the Hygienic Laundry; both buildings have long since been demolished and the site of the Talbot is now occupied by a new residential development aptly named "Talbot Close".

The Talbot was a Dutton's pub, which was a family run brewery based on Bow Street in Blackburn. 




The Talbot family lived at Bagganley Hall at Healey and succeeded their relatives the Parkers who had been Royal park rangers of Healey; the hall itself was demolished in the mid 1900's prior to the building of the M61 Motorway.  They were not alone in having a pub built locally to bear their arms, as Chorley had a number of other family-owned pubs and hotels such as the Parker's Arms, Brooke's Arms, Gillibrand Arms and Towneley Arms.


Bagganley Hall before its demolition for the motorway

For the best part of half a century the Talbot was run by the Rigby family, listed landlords being William Rigby (1865-76), his son Robert Rigby (1881-1901), William Goulding (1911), Jonathan Brooks (1921) and Richard Blackburn (1936). 

Records show that on 20th July 1841 when Robert Rigby was baptised at St. Laurence's church, Chorley his father William Rigby was not working as a landlord and was listed as a joiner so when he entered the trade is not known.

1851 Census William Rigby - Botany Bay


1861 Census William Rigby - Public House
Census returns above for 1851 and 1861 show the Rigby family were living at the top of Botany Brow/end of Eaves Lane and William was listed as a farmer and iron founder...on the 1861 their house is also listed as a public house, which seems to confirm that the Talbot Arms dates back even further into the 1850's.   

1871 Census


Marriage: 15 Jul 1874 St Peter, Chorley, Lancashire, England
William Rigby - (X), 27 Moulder Bachelor of Chorley
Margaret Tabbiner - (X), 23 Spinster of Chorley
Groom's Father: William Rigby, Publican
Bride's Father: John Tabbiner, Fireman
Witness: David Hindle; Ann Vose, (X)
Married by Banns by: G. S. Jellicoe
Register: Marriages 1852 - 1893, Page 127, Entry 253
Source: LDS Film 1517687

1881 Census

Marriage: 13 Aug 1885 St Peter, Chorley, Lancashire, England
William Tuson - 24 Shoe-maker Bachelor of Botany Brow, Chorley
Mary Ann Rigby - 21 Weaver in Cotton Mill Spinster of Talbot Arms' Botany Brow, Chorley
Groom's Father: Richard Tuson, (Decd), Farmer
Bride's Father: Robert Rigby, Publican
Witness: Henry Tuson; Margery Tuson
Married by Banns by: Thomas Lund, Vicar
Register: Marriages 1852 - 1893, Page 206, Entry 412
Source: LDS Film 1517687


Marriage: 2 Nov 1889 St Peter, Chorley, Lancashire, England
William Brindle - 28 Joiner Bachelor of Talbot Arms, Botany Brow, Chorley
Isabella Jackson - (X), 26 Winder in Cotton Mill Spinster of 1 Mason Street, Chorley
Groom's Father: Robert Rigby, Publican
Bride's Father: Thomas Jackson, (Deceased), Card-master in Cotton Mill
Witness: William Jackson; Elizabeth Rigby
Married by Banns by: Thomas Lund, (Vicar)
Register: Marriages 1852 - 1893, Page 226, Entry 452
Source: LDS Film 1517687

1891 Census

c.1900 the Talbot far left with the old weaver's cottages
at the top of Harpers Lane @ Eaves Lane now long gone.

1901 Census

Lancashire Evening Post 11 July 1901

Lancashire Evening Post 06 August 1906

1911 Census

Lancashire Evening Post 28 July 1930

Lancashire Evening Post 02 January 1945

c.2005 boarded up and derelict

c.2009 under demolition

2015 Talbot Close

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