This page is a personal view of the places around Poulton-le-fylde in the Borough of Wyre.

Carleton is a small area to the north west of Poulton. It looks as though it began life as a few houses and farms near a crossroads where a cluster of shops developed to meet a local need. To-day, following rapid and extensive residential development over areas like Bradley's and Rington Farms, it is a desirable commuter and retirement area where you can easily become disorientated in amongst sweeping Closes, Ways, and Avenues of bungalows laid out in the Pete Seeger style. It has a pub restaurant (the Castle Gardens) and bowling club, several shops and car showrooms, and is on the way to establishing an identity of its own. If this description sounds a bit harsh, it may have something to do with the fact that a fair number of happy teenage years were spent on some of the farms that have now been built over.

Hardhorn is an area to the south of Poulton and although there are older bits that line Hardhorn Road, from the 1960's until quite recently, it has absorbed most of the new residential development that took place in the area. Like Carleton, it is mostly dormitory bungalow land, and the sort of place you see already shiny cars being washed in driveways on Sunday mornings, and where a regular throughput of the upwardly mobile rubs along happily for the most part with the retired downsizing ex-professionals looking for a quiet life.

High Cross is an area that gets its name from one of the few hills in the Fylde and was (presumably) once famous for having a wayside cross. The most notable feature of this area now is the "High Cross" Pub/restaurant, and a small cluster of convenience shops opposite. On the fringe of the High Cross district is Baines School, which has a strong history of academic achievement, whilst Fylde Farm School nearby (or whatever it is current euphemistic name is) had a purpose of reforming and a reputation for escapees. These days maybe, most of its residents/inmates are so comfortable that they don't want to leave.

The name may derive from an open space once called "Lower Green". (Perhaps the foreunner of the present park). The park has attractive planted beds, a bowling green and a childrens play area. The houses here are generally older, mostly smallish terraces, so they are especially popular with the young and old who want the amenities of Poulton without the high mortgages and property taxes. There is also a pub known locally as "The Queens", that has not yet been given the plastic copper and artificial beams makeover that is now so common in British pubs. Too late! they messed this one up as well. It used to be a real pub, but I doubt Stella in the wild lurex frocks is still alive and playing Friday night "singalong" (a forerunner of Karaoke) on the piano, but maybe as they say, all good things come to an end.

The Breck is a district around a road that runs north from the town centre. It begins with shopping and the Railway Station before changing into what was once three storey residential property, now mostly used as either flats or offices. Then there are delightful smaller older houses and what used to be the Teacher Training College (Now Wyre Borough Council main offices) and "The Royal Oak" pub (which does have Karaoke nights). From here it's all downhill as the bungalows begin until you reach Skipool, which was once the maritime link for the district and another reason why Poulton was so important in the past.