Lancashire Best Kept Village Competition

Participating Villages

Lancashire VillageThere are 'Best Kept Village Competitions' across the country, the Lancashire competition has been going for over 60 years. Villages enter for a variety of reasons bringing people together with a common aim: such as to promote pride in the village, to deter vandalism, graffiti and anti-social behaviour, to help different organisations to work together for the common good, to encourage young people to take part in different activities and connect with the village (planting, weeding, litter picking…) and generally to make their village a better place to live.

After the hiatus of 2020, due to Government Covid-19 pandemic measures, the competition returned in 2021. In 2022 there were 47 entrants. The 2023 competition has now concluded; it began back at the start of the year with rules and organisation being reviewed; soon our volunteer judges attending training sessions, entries solicited and processed and the three-stages of judging got under way. This year a 'Tidy Town' category was piloted.

Competition Villages 2023

There were 47 entrants this year.
Key: R2 Villages making Second Round judging / F Finalist / F* Winner.

Adlington - Higher (Large)
Barley (Champion)
Barton (Champion)
Belmont (Champion)
Bilsborrow (Medium)
Blacko (Champion) F
Bretherton (Champion) R2
Brindle (Small) R2
Broughton (Large)
Chapeltown (Small)
Chipping (Champion)
Elswick (Champion) F*
Freckleton (Champion)
Goosnargh (Small)
Great Plumpton (Hamlet)
Grimsargh (Large)
Grindleton (Small) F*
Haighton (Hamlet) F
Halsall (Champion)
Hambleton (Large) F
Haskayne (Small)
Heapey (Medium)
Higham (Champion)
Holt Green Newchurch (Small)
Inglewhite (Hamlet)
Lathom (Medium)
Little Eccleston (Hamlet) F*
Longton (Large)
Lower Adlington (Champion)
Mawdesley (Champion)
New Longton (Large) R2
Newburgh (Large)
Parbold (Large)
Pilling (Large)
Preesall & Knott End (Champion)
Roughlee (Small) F
Sabden (Large) F*
Sabden Fold (Hamlet) R2
Samlesbury (Medium) F
Shirdley Hill (Small)
Stalmine (Medium)
Town Green (Medium) F*
Waddington (Medium)
Walmer Bridge (Large) R2
Weeton (Medium)
West Bradford (Champion) R2
Whitechapel (Champion)

'Final Judging'

Villages making the final for judging by The Hon. Mr Justice Peter Openshaw on 22nd and 23rd August. Winners were announced 16th October at the Presentation Event at Eaves Hall, West Bradford.

Champion Class
Blacko and Elswick - WINNER

Large Village Class
Hambleton and Sabden - WINNER

Medium Village Class
Samlesbury and Town Green - WINNER

Small Village Class
Grindleton - WINNER - and Roughlee

Hamlet Class
Haighton and Little Eccleston - WINNER

Villages that made it into Second Round Judging

Champion Class: Blacko | Bretherton | Elswick | West Bradford
Large Village Class: Hambleton | New Longton | Sabden | Walmer Bridge
Medium Village Class: Samlesbury | Town Green
Small Village Class: Roughlee | Grindleton | Brindle
Hamlet Class: Haighton | Little Eccleston | Sabden Fold

Competition Stages

The first round of judging is over period of six weeks from early June to mid July. Villages through to Second Round were notified by the Secretary 27th July.

Second round judging between 5th and 14th August, with two in each class put forward for Final Judging (Best in Class) over 22nd and 23rd August. Finalists notified a week in advance.

The Presentation Event where 'Champion Villages' and 'Outstanding Features' awards are announced took place at Eaves Hall, West Bradford, Monday 16th October 2023.

Full Results are circulated and published online immediately after the Presentation Event - 2023 Results (Full Results 2023 [PDF]).

For reference here are the participating villages from 2022 and the 2022 Results.

2021 Results | 2019 Results. There was no competition in 2020.

 

News: Latest

Having begun in the spring with Judges training sessions and the call for entries, the 2024 competition has now concluded; our Presentation Event took place at Eaves Hall West Bradford 14th October and The Committee is pleased to announce the results for 'Best Kept Village', 'Outstanding Features' and new 'Urban Communities' categories. Results.

Best Kept Village Winners (2024):
Final judged by Edwin Booth, Chairman of Booths Supermarkets.
◆ Champion - Grindleton
◆ Large - Longton
◆ Medium - Waddington
◆ Small - Brindle
◆ Hamlet - Little Eccleston

Urban Community (2024):
◆ Ingol

Outstanding Features (2024):
There were 247 nominated 'Outstanding Features' from Lancashire villages across the 16 categories.

Full Results (PDF).

We would like to thank all the villages taking part this year and look forward to visiting as part of the judging process. As ever we much appreciate all who take part and support this event, especially our Judges, Committee and sponsors.

In 2019 the 'Constitution of the Competition' was updated and streamlined, simplifying all paperwork used by villages and judges; the Certificate of Merit part of the competition was overhauled, replaced by a secondary competition called 'Outstanding Features' - villages entering the main competition able to nominate up to 10 Outstanding Features of their village, and certificates awarded to the best in each class. Ahead of the 2023 competition there was further review of the Constitution, entry and judging criteria and a pilot in place to add a 'Tidy Towns' section - this has evolved to become 'Urban Communities'.

Downloads

Other Information

'10 Lancashire villages that you should visit' Lancashire Life (article)

'10 Most Picturesque Villages in Lancashire' Hotels.com (Go Guide). Visit period drama sets, unique hamlets and areas of outstanding beauty…

Did you know there are regional best kept village competitions across the United Kingdom?

Our thanks to our 2024 sponsors: Barton Grange Group, Eaves Hall Hotel at West Radford, Lancashire Association of Local Councils (LALC).