The railway station at Pleasington, as the name suggests, is situated in a very pleasant and rural suburb of Blackburn. The village lies within a wide sweep of the River Darwen and was established during Anglo Saxon times.The village is mentioned in the Doomsday Book as ’Plesigtune’ meaning Plessas people. Plessa was probably an Anglo Saxon landowner.

Pleasington’s Roman Catholic Priory, a grade one listed building with a magnificent rose window is well worth a visit and is one of the hidden gems of the area. Designed by a Manchester based architect John Palmer the foundation stone was laid on 6^th June 1813 and the priory opened on 24^th August 1819 at a cost of £20,000.

The locals at this time earned a living quarrying, farming and hand loom weaving. Some of the old cottages located around The Railway Hotel were probably used by hand loom weavers. As well as the Railway Hotel there is another public house in the village, The Butler’s Arms which is about a ten minute walk from the station.