Sabden

Coordinates: 53°49′59″N 2°20′10″W / 53.833°N 2.336°W / 53.833; -2.336

Sabden is a medium to large village and civil parish in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. Sabden is located south of Pendle Hill, in a valley about 3 miles north-west of Padiham. The parish is 2,451 acres. It lies in the Forest of Pendle section of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Toponomy

Sabden is believed to have been derived from Old English sceppe denu, meaning spruce valley. The name occurs as early as 1296 as Sapedene, however this likely refers to Sabden Hall, located in the hamlet now known as Sabden Fold in Goldshaw Booth.

History

In 1387 Sapenden Haye (Sabden Hey) was demised by John of Gaunt to Thomas de Radcliffe. A bridge is mentioned near here in 1425.

Both Yates' 1786 and Greenwood's 1818 maps of Lancashire mark two settlements at this site: Hey-houfes and Sabden Bridge It was known as Sabden Hey and Heyhouses when it developed into a hamlet

The Starkie family of Huntroyde Hall near Padiham were landowners in Heyhouses from at least 1787 and in 1801, Le Gendre Piers Starkie purchased the remaining portion to add to the Huntroyde estate. The family were the patrons of St. Nicholas’ church (built in 1841).