Fleetwood
Sir Peter Hesketh, born in 1801, who inherited the Rossall Estate in 1824, founded Fleetwood. In the early part of the nineteenth century Sir Peter Hesketh, masterminded a plan to build a seaport and holiday resort on the land he owned. Sir Peter Hesketh was so impressed with the work of the architect Decimus Burton that he desired Decimus to design his proposed town of Fleetwood. Decimus Burton had worked with his father on the building of St Leonard's-on-Sea. When designing the layout of Fleetwood Decimus Burton used the Mount as the focal point.
He bought a house on Dock Street where he resided until 1844, while overseeing the planning and building work of the first years of the new town. By 1838 Peter Hesketh had been knighted and granted, by royal licence, the right to assume the name of Fleetwood. Fleetwood developed into a seaport of some importance and became a busy centre of the fishing industry, but its popularity, as a holiday resort was never realised, until the late 1900's.
Sir Peter Hesketh and Lady Fleetwood opened the Fleetwood market in 1840. The Fleetwood Estate Company bought the market in 1875 when it consisted of a paved area surrounded by high sandstone wall. In 1890 the Local Authority acquired the rights of the Fleetwood market. By 1933 a Longridge stone market hall had been built containing ninety-four stalls with hiring charges varying from 1s 6d to 5s 6d. Today the entire area is covered.
Some of the famous Fleetwood landmarks are the Mount, the Lighthouses, Marine Gardens, the Pier and St Peter's church. The Mount, originally Tup Hill, was a traditional meeting place before Fleetwood was built. The original Chinese pavilion on the Mount, also known as Prophet or Temple View, which adorned the summit was designed by Decimus Burton and replaced by the present structure in 1902. In 1919 Mr Isaac Spencer presented the Clock to the town in memory of the men who died in the First World War. The pavilion is now occupied as a craft centre downstairs to which the public is admitted and the movement of the clock can be examined. The annual ceremony known as the Blessing of the Waters is conducted from the pavilion balcony.
In 1840 the Pharos and Lower Lighthouse, designed by Decimus Burton were switched on. The Pharos Lighthouse stands 90ft (27m) above high water levels and is visible for 13 miles (21km). Pharos Lighthouse was sandblasted in the twentieth century to reveal the original sandstone. The Lower Lighthouse stands 30ft (9km) above high water level and its light is visible for 9 miles (14km). It is placed in line with the Pharos Lighthouse as an aid to navigate the vessels entering the port.
The discussions of building the pier seem to have started in 1890's, but the company "The Fleetwood Victoria Pier Company" was not formed until 1906 when the pier was erected. The archi-tect was Mr. T. Lumb of Blackpool and he designed it with a promenade deck and jetty some 600ft (182m) in length with an ornate pavilion of oriental appearance at the land end. It was opened to the public in 1911. In 1952 the Fleetwood pier went up in flames, this was the biggest fire in Fleetwood's history and the flames could be seen for 20 miles (6m). The repairs were not completed until 1958.
Once the tides were so high they came up to the Mount but tide changes have allowed land to be reclaimed. Between the Mount and the pier are some of the foreshore amities, which Fleetwood offers its visitors during the summer months. The Marine Hall, gardens, Bowling Green, boating lake and golf course all date back to the 1920s and 30s. There used to be Tennis courts in the Marine Gardens, between the Mount and the Promenade.
The Church of England community in Fleetwood began worshipping in a small building at the top of Lord Street. Sir Peter Hesketh, who not only gave the land but also contributed to the cost of the building itself, laid the foundation stone of the Parish Church in 1839. The architect was Decimus Burton, who designed the building in the Gothic style. St Peter's Church was consecrated in 1841. Sir Peter's Aunt, Anna-Maria of Tulketh Hall donated £500, stipulating that there had to be a tower and spire. The spire was removed in 1904, as it had become unsafe. A third of the sittings were declared free and the patronage was 'to belong to Sir Peter Hesketh Fleetwood and his heirs for ever'.
