| Goosnargh | |
  Goosnargh shown within Lancashire | |
| Population | 1,204 (Parish) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Goosnargh |
| District | Preston |
| Shire county | Lancashire |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Lancashire | |
Goosnargh is a village and civil parish on the north side of Preston, Lancashire, England. The village lies between Broughton and Longridge, and is adjacent to Whittingham. The name appears to derive from Gosan or Gusan (an Old Irish personal name) and erg (Norse for "hill pasture"), the name appearing in the Domesday Book as "Gusansarghe" [1]. The nearby Chingle Hall is purported to be the most haunted place in Lancashire, and Whittingham Hospital (now closed) was once a mental hospital. Although Whittingham Hospital is closed there is a category B secure unit located in the old Whittingham Hospital grounds called the Guild Lodge. Goosnargh is home to three pubs that are popular amongst local residents and passers by, The Grapes located on Church Lane, The Bushells located on Church Lane and The Stags Head on Whittingham Lane. There is also a Post Office, newsagents, off licence, fish and chip shop, gift shop and estate agents in the village. The village holds an annual festival on the first Saturday after the Spring Bank Holiday Monday during which there is a procession through the village. The procession includes decorated floats, fancy dress, maypole dancing and marching bands. The village gave its name to Goosnargh Cakes, a type of caraway seed shortcake biscuit. Goosnargh parish includes the small villages of Inglewhite and Whitechapel, and Beacon Fell Country Park.
Trivia
The word appears in the works of Douglas Adams. In So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish, it is a Betelgeusian word used by Ford Prefect "when he knew he should say something but didn't know what it should be". Alternatively, in The Meaning of Liff, his comic dictionary based on British place names, it is defined as "Something left over from preparing or eating a meal, which you store in the fridge despite the fact that you know full well you will never ever use it".
