The Rise and Fall of Whittle Springs Brewery
A brief history of the rise and fall of the Spa and Brewery at Whittle Springs.
by J. Jackson.

WHITTLE   SPRINGS

The story of Whittle Springs, for it was at Whittle that the spring was discovered, has its own fascination and begins in the year 1836

The Growth of the Spa

John Heyes meanwhile, was delighted that his spring showed no signs of diminishing, and continued to pump out not less than 50 gallons per minute. He therefore pursued his plans still further. By 1847 he had built two plunge baths. The gentlemans' was 18ft long, 19ft wide and 5ft 6incs deep. The ladies plunge bath was 16ft long and 14ft wide and 3ft 6incs deep. A further building was eventually added to contain a tepid bath, this was 15ft square and had underground heating. In addition John Heyes built a new hotel at which visitors could stay whilst taking the cure. This he called "The Heyes Arms" It was built in the revived Gothic style made fashionable at this time by the designs of Pugin and Barrie for the Palace of Westminster.

Amongst the many attractions to be found at this newest of Spas was a tearoom adjoining the tepid bath and a large public hall where, before long balls were being held during the winter months. Other facilities eventually included angling, quoiting, cricketing, pleasure boats, gymnastics, archery and a bowling green.

A porters lodge was built at the entrance to the "Heyes Arms" where people paid to sample the spa and to enjoy the diversions provided inside the pleasure grounds. A little higher up lower lane a tower, surmounted by a flag pole, was constructed in the boundary wall and visitors to Whittle Springs could climb the steps and enjoy the view Westwards towards the Lancashire sea coast. Sadly this tower is no longer in existence, although part of the base can still be seen.

In 1840's a visitor to the Spa described Whittle "next the Lake district, the most romantic and healthful spot in the country, even in Winter, the place is warm and genial". Over the chasm of time that separates us from this visitor writing in the 1840's the imagination struggles to visualise Whittle in quite such high flown terms.

Beautiful it may have been, but Whittle was not prosperous. The advent of the Spa however, boosted local economy considerable, for it brought much needed local employment Workmen were required for the construction of the hotel and the various bath houses etc., staff were needed to run the place. Visitors not wishing to stay at the hotel, found accommodation with local families. In January 1849, John Heyes and his brother Henry Heyes of Southport, rented a portion of land to Sarah Richardson, a widow from Manchester, to build a house on Lower Lane just above the "Heyes Arms".

This house, originally known as "Horse Trough House", still stands. There is a suggestion that it was used as a girls, school but no record of this can be found. The other theory, that it was used by Mrs. Richardson to accommodate visitors and earn herself a reasonable living, seems a more likely explanation. Several other large houses were built in the area by wealthy people wishing to use the facilities of the Spa on a more regular basis. Roads in Whittle were probably improved to deal with the increasing traffic. As well as on foot and by carriage people arrived by pleasure boat along the canal from Wigan and Blackburn. Visitors from further afield travelled by rail to Chorley where a large notice read "Change here for Whittle Springs." At this point horse drawn omnibuses were laid on to complete the journey from the station to the Spa.

Sadly, John Heyes died in 1849, only four short years after he and his friend, Brigham, first tasted the Spring water, but he had lived long enough to see his dream come true. Nobody now could doubt the overwhelming success of his enterprise. His estate was left to his brother Henry Heyes, under whose proprietorship the Spa continued to prosper.