Ormskirk: A History by Mona Duggan (Hardback) Book

The history of settlement in the Ormskirk area may be traced back to the hunter-gatherers whose archaeological remains have been discovered locally, but it is the foundation of Burscough Priory in 1189 that provides the first documentary evidence of the township\u2019s existence. Since that time, surviving historical records reveal a great deal about life in the region through the ages. The earls of Derby and the Stanley family made their home, Lathom House, within the parish, and as lords of the manor of Ormskirk their fortunes were to affect local people. It was the de Lathom family who gave the manor and church to the Austin friars at Burscough, and the earls\u2019 connections with the royal family during the early Tudor period brought prosperity to the town. Unfortunately, their support for the Royalists during the Civil War was responsible for outbreaks of famine and plague in the district. In more modern times the family has continued to give support to local people whenever ne.