Samlesbury

The village's name is derived from the Old English sceamol, meaning ledge and burh meaning fortification, hence literally "ledge fortification". It may also be that the name at least partly derives from the Roman name for the River Ribble and its eponymous Celtic deity, Belisama. In the Late Middle Ages a fortified house stood near the river, the home of the Denyas family. It was destroyed by the Scots during The Great Raid of 1322. An heiress, Alicia Denyas, married Gilbert de Southworth, the builder of Samlesbury Hall. The parish was part of Preston Rural District throughout its existence from 1894 to 1974. In 1974 the parish became part of South Ribble.