Whittle-le-Woods - Cross Keys Inn

Name: The Cross Keys Inn

Address: Chorley Old Road, Whittle-le-Woods

The Cross Keys Inn c.1913

The Cross Keys Inn was first listed as a licensed premises on the 1841 census when Bernard Eccles was behind the bar.  Since that time the listed landlords were Ralph Brindle (1851-61), Robert Rigby (1871), Evan Coppuck (1881), John Walmsley (1891), George Almond (1901), James Jackson (1911), William Wareing (1921) and Harry Turner (1931-37).

It is located on Chorley Old Road (previously known as Chorley Road) at its junction with Carwood Lane and more recently has been converted to a private dwelling. It still retains its identity as the Cross Keys through the name plate above the door and the stained glass window on the first floor landing at the rear of the property.

1841 Census

c.2010

1851 Census

Rear of the Cross Keys c.2016

1861 Census

1871 Census

Chorley Standard and District Advertiser 06 February 1875

Matthew Brown Brewery's Cross Keys 1950s (Facebook 2021 posted by Boyd Harris)

1881 Census

Preston Chronicle 09 December 1882

1891 Census

This ‘Then and Now’ view is the former Cross Keys Inn at the junction of Chorley Old Rd. and Carwood Lane, Whittle-le-Woods. I’ve written about the Inn previously but haven't shown this ‘then’ photo. It is the oldest I’ve been able to find. Above the door the sign says John Walmsley is licensed to sell Ale & Porter to be consumed on the premises. The excellent Chorley’s lost Inns and Taverns website by Richard Langford shows that John Walmsley was the landlord from 1891 to 1911. What I find the most interesting is that after the photo was taken the inn was substantially modified with the ground floor being raised and a new floor added. The terrace of cottages up Carwood Lane still remain but only as their front wall. Before the Lancaster Canal came to Whittle-le-Woods in 1803 the right turn up Carwood Lane was the main route to Blackburn via Huggarts Brew and Brindle. After my last post about the Cross Keys we’ve found out that the last customer before closing as licensed premises was Whittle’s own ex-Cllr Eric Bell. 

(with thanks as ever to Boyd Harris - Facebook 26th May 2020)

Preston Chronicle 22 February 1890

1901 Census

Lancashire Evening Post 26 August 1931

1911 Census

1921 Census

Lancashire Evening Post 20 September 1937

Lancashire Evening Post 02 August 1945