Winners 2021
The Lancashire Best Kept Village Competition held its 62nd Annual Awards Ceremony at the Eaves Hall in West Bradford on Monday 11th October at which 120 guests including 9 Mayors representing many Lancashire towns and villages were present. Vice-Chair Kelly Wood thanked the judges and villages for all the hard work through a difficult year, especially after the disappointment of having to cancel the competition in 2020. Whilst the numbers of entrants was understandably down, it was great to be involved and to see the care and work put in by villages across Lancashire - we can all be very proud of the difference and local improvement that villages looking their best and being part of this competition makes. Kelly hoped that moving forward we could build up the number of entrants to the competition.
An overview of the competition and its history is given at the Presentation event, with an explanation of the judging stages and process over the summer months from June until the end of August. As usual the final stage judging is done by an invited external judge - this year we were pleased to have the services of The Hon. Ralph Christopher Assheton, who in 2020 was High Sherriff of Lancashire, and he joined us at the Presentation to present the awards. All the results are a closely guarded secret until revealed during the Awards Ceremony.
The 9 villages who through to Final Judging this year were:
Grindleton | Halsall | Pilling | Barton | Blacko | Little Eccleston | Whitechapel | Barley | Wiswell.
The winner of the 2021 Champion Village Class was Blacko. They received a commemorative plaque, along with a trophy, a framed certificate and an oil painting of the Recreation Ground in Blacko commissioned by Lancashire Life Magazine. The artist chosen by Lancashire Life was the winner of their Artist of the Year Competition, Ken Roberts who lives in Lytham.
Other major Whole Village Class awards went to Halsall (Large Village), Barton (Medium Village), Whitechapel (Small Village) and Barley (Hamlets).
There were 15 'Outstanding Features' Awards for features nominated by the villages themselves. This year most entries (27) were for War Memorials & Public Monuments won by Blacko War Memorial (runner-up Freckleton Cenotaph), showing that Lancashire still remembers and honours the men and women who never returned to their villages after war. A popular category was Public Houses (26 entries) won by Moor Hall in Town Green. Featuring highly in nominated categories: Places of Worship & Grounds (23 entries) won by St. James’ in Whitechapel, and Schools (24 entries) won by Ashbridge School in Hutton.
Competition Winners (2021) [class entrants]
- Champion Village - Blacko (Runner-up - Grindleton; Highly Commended - Higham, Elswick, Sabden). [13]
- Large Village - Halsall (Runner-up - Pilling). [12]
- Medium Village - Barton (Runner-up - Heapey). [4]
- Small Village - Whitechapel (Runner-up - Little Eccleston; Highly Commended - Haskanye). [7]
- Hamlet - Barley (Runner-up - Wiswell; Highly Commended - Roughlee, Inglewhite). [10]
Outstanding Features (2021)
- Place of Worship and Grounds [23]
Winner: Whitechapel - St. James' Church
Runner-up: Barton - St. Lawrence Church
Highly Commended: Sabden - St. Nicholas Church - Schools [24]
Winner: Hutton - Ashbridge School
Runner-up: Halsall - St. Cuthbert's
Highly Commended: Mawdesley - St. Peter & St. Paul - Public Houses [26]
Winner: Town Green - Moor Hall
Runner-up: Little Eccleston - Cartford Inn
Highly Commended: Lower Adlington - The Retreat, Barley - The Pendle Inn, Bretherton - Blue Anchor, Halsall - The Saracen's Head - Hotel / Guest House [2]
Winners: West Bradford - Eaves Hall
Highly Commended: Barton - Barton Lodge - Public Building [23]
Winner: Grindleton - Pavilion
Runner-up: Higham - Village Hall Roughlee - Village Centre
Highly Commended: Mawdesley - Village Hall, Croston - Heritage Centre - Public Playing Field [19]
Winner: Town Green - William Arnold Silcock Field
Runner-up: Whitechapel - M.U.G.A. (Multi-use Games Area)
Highly Commended: Elswick - Village Hall site, Hambleton - Bob Williamson Park - Children's Play Area [18]
Winner: Grindleton - Playground Blacko - Recreation Ground; Freckleton - Memorial Park
Runner-up: Croston - Recreation Ground, Hambleton - Bob Williamson Park
Highly Commended: Haskayne - Jubilee - Industrial / Commercial Premises [7]
Winners: Bilsborrow - Barton Grange Garden Centre, Sabden - Specialised Automotive Services
Highly Commended: Walmer Bridge - William Loughran, Freckleton - Threlfall's Transport - Shops [21]
Winner: Barton - Kopper Kettle
Runner-up: Blacko - The Hairdresser's
Highly Commended: Mawdesley - Post Office - Sheltered Accommodation [11]
Winner: Grindleton - Almshoues
Runner-up: Blacko - Hillview, Mawdesley - Stocks Hall - Community Notice Board [15]
Winner: Little Eccleston - inside Bus Shelter
Runners-up: Blacko - Gisburn Rd/Hollin Fold, Mawdesley - Spar
Highly Commended: Grindleton - Village Hall, Higham - Hall Rd/Kiln Hill - War Memorial [27]
Winner: Blacko - War Memorial
Runner-up: Freckleton - Cenotaph
Highly Commended: Whitechapel, Sabden, Wiswell, Higham - Bowling Green [12]
Winner: Bretherton
Runners-up: Sabden - Sabden Crown Green Bowling Club
Highly Commended: Mawdesley, Hambleton - Cricket Grounds [7]
Winner: Mawdesley
Runner-up: Edgworth
Highly Commended: New Longton - Accessible Public Garden [16]
Winners: Elswick - Village Hall
Runner-up: Shirdley - Hill Village Green
Highly Commended: New Longton
Download Lancashire Best Kept Village Full Results 2021.
Previous Years' Results
The 2020 Competition was cancelled due to Covid and Lockdowns.
Results 2019 (PDF Download).
Results 2018 (PDF Download).
Results 2017.
News: Latest
The Committee is pleased to announce this year's competition is now underway with villages entering 'Best Kept Village', 'Outstanding Features' and new 'Urban Communities' categories. Judges training sessions to took place 10th April and 11th May at Elswick Vllage Hall..
Round 2 villages and Finalists (bold) announced.
◆ Champion - Blacko, Bretherton, Chipping, Grindleton, Sabden
◆ Large - Adlington Higher, Hambleton, Longton
◆ Medium - Goosnargh & Whittingham, Newburgh, Waddington
◆ Small - Belmont, Brindle, Roughlee, West Bradford
◆ Hamlet - Little Eccleston, Inglewhite
Second Round judging results released on 15th August; with Final Judging 20th and 21st August.
The 2024 results to be announced at Presentation Event at Eaves Hall West Bradford 14th October when awards for 'Best Kept Villages' and 'Outstanding Features' given out.
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
- Competition Entry Form 2024 [Word]
- Competition Entry Rules 2024 [PDF]
- Urban Community Entry Form 2024 [Word]
- Whole Village Urban Community Mark Sheets 2024 [PDF]
- Outstanding Features Entry Form/Mark Sheets 2024 [PDF]
- Outstanding Features Marking Criteria (2023) [PDF]
- LBKVC Constitution [PDF]
- Results (2023) | Press Briefing (Awards Ceremony 2023)
- Results (2022) | Press Briefing (Awards Ceremony 2022)
- Results (2021) | Press Briefing (Awards Ceremony 2021)
- Results (2019) | Press Briefing (Awards Ceremony 2019)
- Results (2018) | Press Briefing (2018)
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).