The River Ribble

from source to sea Part 8 - Settle

Market Place

Settle is the first town which the Ribble flows past. The town grew rapidly in the 13th century. It received its market charter in 1249. Its prosperity depended largely on farming until the coming of industries towards the end of the 18th century.

There are a number of interesting buildings in the town, including the Olde Naked Man Cafe, part of which can be seen in the photograph. The date stone, held in place by a carved figure, reads '1663.'

The Shambles

On the other side of the Market Place is the Shambles, a unique 4 storey building. There are two levels of shops under the colonnade, with a two storey row of cottages on top. The building probably dates back to the mid-eighteenth century, but was altered in Victorian times.

The Folly

This magnificent tudor style, Grade 1 listed building was constructed in 1675. When I took the photograph, it was home to an antique showroom - but is now the new home of the Museum of North Craven Life. At the time of writing there were sparse displays showing the history of the building - along with some of the museum's collection. However it was early days and the building alone is interesting to explore. For more information see the Folly's own web site.

A side street

This is one of the side streets, leading from the main route through the town, which leads down to the river. Note Low High Hill in the background, which shows how narrow the river valley still is at this point. Further down this street, before the river, is the railway.

Industrial estate

Along the eastern bank of the river lies this industrial estate, which is a mixture of modern industrial units, alongside older small factories, and the derelict remains of a Victorian mill.

Go to:
River Ribble Part 7
River Ribble Part 9
River Ribble index page. Graham and Lin Dean's home page.