Tourist guide to Mitton

The two rivers are the Ribble and its major tributary the Hodder which meet nearby.

Mitton is really two hamlets split by the River Ribble.

The river was once the county boundary and while Little Mitton was once on the Lancashire side of the river, Great Mitton was on the Yorkshire side.

Now both settlements are well and truly in Lancashire as has been the case since the boundary changes of 1974.

The fact that this was once border country only adds to the atmosphere of this fascinating area.

Before the bridge was built there was a row boat ferry on the site of the Aspinall Arms pub which took travellers across.

The best way to appreciate both Mittons is to begin a stroll starting from Little Mitton Hall, which dates back to the 15th, century and which is now a restaurant.

The splendid woodwork and part of the Minstrels' Gallery have been restored but they were almost lost during the 19th century when the once magnificent hall was reduced to a humble farmhouse.

It was rescued in Victorian times by Ralph Aspinall, whose family is remembered in the name of the Aspinall Arms on the opposite side of the road.

From the other side of the bridge a steep climb leads to Great Mitton, set on a limestone hill overlooking the Ribble.

Great Mitton Hall dates to the period between 1374 and 1393 but there have obviously been a number of alterations since then.

Now privately owned, the hall was built to house a group of priests in training and under the control of the Dean.

This accounts for the fact that the recently restored All Hallows Church is one of the finest in northern England.

The oldest surviving portion of the church dates to around 1270, the chancel having been added early in the 14th century.

The impressive tower is mentioned in a document dated 1438 whilst the whole of the interior is an architectural gem.

The reason for this is that it was the parish church of the Shireburne family who lived at nearby Stonyhurst.

Construction was carried out in Roman Catholic tradition when pomp ceremony, processions and colour were a feature of religion.

All this came to an end in the 1530s when Henry VIII fell out with the Pope over his proposed divorce and the Church of England developed.

The church of All Hallows is a majestic throw back to those days of Roman Catholic pomp.

The chancel screen tells the story of the Annunciation which was brought to All Hallows in 1593, almost certainly from Sawley Abbey.

The churchyard reveals a sundial dating to 1683 and what remains of a 14th century cross from its elevated position there are sweeping views down to the Ribble, the bridge and Little Mitton.

Prior to 1974 this must have been the most impressive view from Yorkshire into East Lancashire.

Look for the wonderful Shireburne memorials in the Shereburne chapel of the church of All Hallows.

In the 15th century nobody was too bothered about spelling and this accounts for some "serious" historians getting hot under the collar when local writers get things wrong, or should we say "half-right."

A hole in the outside wall of the church is known as the "hagioscope" or the "Leper's Squint."

This allowed the sick to peep into the church and take part in the service without infecting the healthy.

There is proof of an even earlier religious focus before Mitton church was built.

Close to the junction of the B6243 road at Witton Green is the base of what was once a huge, possibly pre-Conquest, preaching cross.

The Three Fishes, which takes its name from the coat of arms of Whalley Abbey, has recently been completely refurbished and has become a highly-acclaimed "gastro-pub" but it is likely that a building has stood on the same site serving travellers from the 15th century onwards.