Fence’s story
15 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade II*
Historic England lists them inside Fence’s built-up area.
33% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
FenceLancashire
A village of 1,585 in Lancashire, North West.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Ashlar House and Ashlar Cottage · Photo: Trappedinburnley · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,585
Census 2021 · Pendle council
Median home
£280K
65 sales in 3 years
Median age
50.6
30% are 65+ · Lancashire 20%
Degree level
38%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
9%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Fence a good place to live?
Fence has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Its strongest subject is safety (A): 6.5 violent and sexual offences and 8.8 home and vehicle crimes per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026. Its weakest is walkability (D): 9% of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. The median home sold for £280,000 in the last three years, 6.9 times what households in the Pendle council area earn in a year.
What makes Fence stand out
The 3 things Fence does most differently from other towns.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
9% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
45% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
1 Grade II*, including Ashlar House and Ashlar Cottage; 3.9 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
86%of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Safety
Less crime than 86%
of UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people
Per resident, police.uk, 3 years.
How Fence grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Fence is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
SafetyAOpen →Hazard risk0% of homes at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers or the seaAOpen →WalkabilityDOpen →HealthA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →SchoolsPrimary results beat 50% of towns in England; secondary results beat 28% of towns in EnglandC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
History33% of homes built before 1919A−Open →Outdoors62% live within 400 m of a park; 32% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeBOpen →Civic life3.2 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Fence.
Safety
Fence records less crime per resident than nine in ten UK towns
Violence and sexual offences made up nearly a quarter of the total. Over the year to August 2026, 38 offences were reported in Fence, along with 14 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Anti-social behaviour, shown but not graded, came to 7.4 reports per 1,000, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (17.3) and England’s towns (7.8).
6.5violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearASafety Grade
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 86% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: less crime than most for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual9
Burglary8
Vehicle crime5
Damage & arson4
Public order4
Drugs4
Other theft3
Other crime1
Anti-social14
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
6.5
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
8.8
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
7.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
38
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
SchoolsC+
Fence’s schools fall behind 64% of towns in England on results
Key Stage 2 results at the 19 primary schools within 3 km: 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). Wheatley Lane Methodist Primary School’s results beat 81% of schools in England like it. The town has one school, shown below. Secondary results at the one secondary school within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 41.5, with 41% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
C+School Grade
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatley Lane Methodist Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 207 | A− |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
The car carries 89% of commuters in Fence, more than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 26% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Jobs per working resident: 1.2. 1.4% of 16 to 64s claimed unemployment benefits in 2026, lower than both Lancashire’s towns (2.3%) and England’s towns (2.3%). Income per household averages £50K a year, before tax.
9%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving89%
On foot7%
Bus1%
Bicycle1%
45%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
26%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£50K
mean household income, before tax
1.4%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
D
Walkability: more walkable than 14% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Health
Is Fence a healthy place? 85% of its people say their health is good, above Lancashire’s towns and England’s towns
Life expectancy here is 85.2 for women and 83 for men (2019–23). At the census, 14% of people here had a disability, below both Lancashire’s towns (20%) and England’s towns (17%). Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 3.8% of the town. Seeing a GP means leaving Fence: the nearest practice is 1.2 miles away.
85%good or very good healthA−Health Grade
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 85%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Fence | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 85% | 80% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.8% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 14% | 20% | 17% |
83
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.2
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Because the census answers ignore age, a younger population lifts them; that is why the Health Grade is built on age-adjusted measures like life expectancy and early deaths.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Most households in Fence own their home: 81%, more than in Lancashire’s towns or across England’s towns
10% rent privately, below Lancashire’s towns (21%) and England’s towns (21%) alike. Council and housing-body homes hold 8% of households. Private rents average £670 a month across the Pendle council area.
£280Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Fence£280K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £419,000 | 20 |
| Semi-detached | £294,975 | 18 |
| Terraced | £208,000 | 25 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
10%
rent privately · England 21%
£670
average private rent a month, Pendle council area
£2,544
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
History
Fence keeps more of its old housing than Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns: 33% built before 1919
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
Per 10,000 residents, Fence counts 95 listed buildings, higher than both Lancashire’s towns (15) and England’s towns (39). This Lancashire town has 15 listed buildings on Historic England’s list: 1 Grade II*.
15listed buildingsA−History Grade
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*1
Grade II14
Among them · Grade II*
- Ashlar House and Ashlar Cottage Grade II*
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
33%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
95
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Who lives here
An older town: 30% of people in Fence are 65 or over, more than in Lancashire’s towns or England’s towns
15% of residents are children under 15. Young adults of 15 to 24 are 8.4% of residents, below Lancashire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Residents of Fence have a median age of 50.6. Degrees are held by 38% of adults.
50.6median age
FenceLancashireEngland
Ages · share of residents
30%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications14%
Apprenticeship8%
A levels or similar16%
Degree level38%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women. Across England, 51% of residents are women. Women live longer than men, so towns with many older residents have more women.
| Fence | Lancashire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 15% | 17% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.4% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 19% | 24% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 28% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 30% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 20% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 7.6% | 6.3% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Degree level | 38% | 29% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Lancashire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Pendle Heritage Centre and 6 more in and around Fence
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Fence. Best known first.
MuseumPendle Heritage Centre2.5 km outside town, to the northeast · 100K visitors a year
MuseumWeavers' Triangle5 km outside town, to the south
CastleCastercliff4.4 km outside town, to the eastMuseumMuseumGawthorpe Hall3.2 km outside town, to the southwestMuseumMuseumQueen Street Mill Textile Museum4.3 km outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumBritish in India2.7 km outside town, to the eastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Pendle Heritage Centre: Peter Worrell, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Weavers' Triangle: Betty Longbottom, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Castercliff: Kevin Rushton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fence
14pages on Fence
The big questions
SafetyA6.5 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingC−Median home £280K · rent £670 a monthHousing25 sold in 12 months · busiest street Wheatley Lane RoadSchoolsC+1 state schoolHealthA−Life expectancy 83 (men), 85.2 (women)Work & commuteA−41% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsA0% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Fence’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
BrierfieldBarrowfordNelsonBurnleySabdenPadihamColneFence
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fence | 1,585 | — | — | C− | A | A− |
| Brierfield | 10,723 | 1.4 | D | B | D | C− |
| Barrowford | 5,887 | 1.8 | C+ | B | C+ | A− |
| Nelson | 33,808 | 2 | C− | B+ | D | D |
| Burnley | 78,266 | 2.8 | D | B+ | D− | D |
| Sabden | 1,582 | 3.3 | — | A | B− | A− |
| Padiham | 10,121 | 3.4 | D | A− | D− | D |
| Colne | 18,914 | 4 | D | B+ | D | D |
Sabden has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Fence
How many listed buildings are there in Fence?
That is 3.9 times the typical UK town for its size.
Does Fence flood?
Surface water isn’t included. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s flood risk service.
About Fence
Village in Lancashire, England
Fence is a built-up area of 1,585 people, in the Pendle council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 1,585 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Pendle
- County
- Lancashire
- Region
- North West
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- ONS code
- E63000749
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.