Near the towns of Chorley and Leyland sits an unassuming and picture-perfect village. With views that wouldn't look out of place on a postcard or advert for Visit Lancashire, Croston seems to have it all.
With boutique shops, cafes and two pubs in the village, it's no wonder people travel for miles around to visit. Not only that, but the picturesque views and rich history speak for themselves. St Michael and All Angels Church, dates back to William the Conqueror and is beautifully set on the end of Church Street next to a 17th century bridge over the River Yarrow.
The north end of Church Street is the former site of the village pump, which was removed in the late 20th century. Its base featured an ancient preaching cross - and it's believed that this is what gave the village its name.
According to Visit Lancashire, Croston means 'Town of the Cross' which was given to commemorate the 7th century Wayside cross used by Celtic missionaries who brought Christianity to the north of England. It is thought the original cross disappeared during Cromwell's time, but a new one was placed in 1950.
In the grounds of the church there's the old village school, which is now a village hall used by members of the community. A popular annual highlight is the Music in the Woods festival, where local groups come together to provide entertainment and music whilst villagers enjoy a picnic. Behind these woods is a large grassed area which is looked after by volunteers and turned into a nature conservation site, full of wildlife and native plants.
As often with places like these, it's the people that come together to give the village its charm. Located on Town Road, two women operate a shop share, providing artisan gifts and art as well as clothes and accessories to the people of the village.
Catherine Titherington-Teale owns Feather and Twigs inside the shop and Hayley Wright owns The Secret Closet. On the Feather and Twigs side of the business, Catherine sells art created by local artists, including paintings of animals and recognisable features of Croston village.
"Rather than selling things you can get anywhere, we focus on small quantities of things," Catherine explained. "That works really well in the village, as people will use the shop for cards and unique gifts for their family and friends.
In The Secret Closet, Hayley offers a number of brands. "So there's nobody nearby who has got similar brands," she says. "They're all sustainable, so anyone that purchases from here, there will be a tree planted in Madagascar."
Catherine has always worked in technology consultancy, but wanted to invest in the local community. She purchased the shop after taking redundancy from her previous job and not wanting the local shop to disappear off the high street.
Another business owner passionate about the village is Jon Lilley, landlord of The Wheatsheaf pub on Town Road. Jon has been at the helm of the establishment for the past 13-and-a-half years, and is well and truly cemented in Croston life.
"It's like a lovely, picturesque village during the day and to be honest with you, it comes to life a bit more during the nighttime," Jon said. "It's lovely, especially when the sun is shining and a lot of people from the village come out.
"Also, there's a B-road and you get a lot of passing trade from people going to Southport, with people going to the airshows and stuff like that." Jon also heaped praise on village volunteers, including those who put a lot of hours into the Best Kept Village and Village in Bloom competitions.
Jon says when he first moved to Croston, there were seven pubs in the village, including his own, which dates back to the 18th Century. However, it's looking a bit different today.
Not only is there the Wheatsheaf pub, but next door is Out Lane Social Bar and Grill and behind that, the Lord Nelson. "Everyone has their own identity," Jon added.
"Here, we have an Everton supporters' club and we've got more than 60 members on that and had some Everton legends come down."
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