Transit of Venus

Destinations in England

St Michael's Church, Much Hoole, Lancashire
Carr House, Bretherton, Lancashire
Manchester Town Hall, Lancashire
Lower Broughton, Manchester
Liverpool Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool
St Michael's Church, Toxteth, Liverpool
Westminster Abbey, London

St Michael's Church, Much Hoole, Lancashire

Images: Chuck Bueter

On the A59 road, the 'Hoole' church whose duties are thought to have interrupted Horrocks' observing. There is a large sun-dial on the side in memory of Horrocks and a memorial stained glass window depicting Horrocks observing. With the church locked, if you want to see inside you will have to contact the vicar/rector in advance.

http://www.hoolecechurch.org.uk/main.htm
The Hoole C.E. Church website features Jeremiah Horrocks, St. Michael Church, and the events commemorating and celebrating the transit, with Sir Patrick Moore serving as the Honorary Patron.

From the Blackburn Diocese (http://www.blackburn.anglican.org/):

HOOLE St Michael (LEY-07)
Church Address: Liverpool Old Road, Much Hoole, PR4 4GA
OS Map Ref: SD463 223
Sunday Services: 9.00 am, 10.45 am, 3.00 pm
Priest-in-Charge
Rev SP HUGHES (Steven) , (Appointed: 12 February 2002) , The Rectory, 69 Liverpool Old Road, Much Hoole, Preston, PR4 4GA Telephone 01772 612 267
Reader(s)
Mr S Pickles (Stanley) , Glenthorne, Hall Carr Lane, Longton, Preston, PR4 5JN Telephone 01772 615 708
Secretary
Mrs B Gilkes , 322 Liverpool Road, Walmer Bridge, Preston, PR4 5GD
Treasurer
Mr J Penrose , Banks Farm, Station Road, Little Hoole, Preston, PR4 5L
Wardens
Mr W Carr , 8 June's Walk, Walmer Bridge, Preston, PR4 5GJ
Mr D Turner , Thorn Cottage, Town Lane, Much Hoole, Preston, PR4 4GJ
School(s)
Much Hoole St Michael C of E Aided School (Primary), 01772 613 219 (& fax)
Head Teacher: Mr D Upton
Patron: Mrs D. Downes
Other Information:
Wheelchair Access, Toilet, Date(s): 1628 Restored 1720 Rebuilt 1858, Extended 1998, Grade II* listed, CC Ref: 3/134L

Carr House, Bretherton, Lancashire approx 1 km south of Much Hoole at the junction of the B5247 and the A59 (Liverpool to Preston) roads. It is from the first floor window above the front door of this sixteenth century house that Horrocks is thought to have made his observation. There is a plaque commemorating the event near the front gate. The house looks unchanged over the centuries. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public and iis perhaps occupied by a business.

The plaque says    "JEREMIAH
                            HORROCKS
                            OBSERVED THE
                            TRANSIT OF VENUS
                            FROM CARR HOUSE
                            24TH NOVEMBER 1639

                            Erected by Chorley Civic Society"

Manchester Town Hall, Lancashire. Here, in the Great Hall, is a large mural painting of William Crabtree's observation - by Ford Madox Brown.

Lower Broughton, Manchester. Crabtree's observing site is commemorated with a blue plaque.

Liverpool Museum, William Brown Street, Liverpool. Here - in the astronomy and space gallery - is the small painting of Horrocks observing by Eyre Crowe. There is also a small display relating to Jeremiah Horrox and a planetarium.

St Michael's Church, Toxteth, Liverpool is where Horrocks is thought to be buried in an unmarked grave. Inside the church there is a memorial tablet to Horrocks. [Note: This item has to be confirmed.].

Westminster Abbey, London. Here there is a memorial tablet to Horrocks (erected c.1874 after a petition by the Royal Astronomical Society. It is near the tomb of Newton, but is only small. You will find it at chest height, on the wall just inside the main entrance and to the left (though this door is also used as an exit only).

The plaque says:

"In Memory of
Jeremiah Horrocks
Curate of Hoole in Lancashire
Who died on the 3rd of January 1641 in or near his 22nd year
Having in so short a life
Detected the long inequality in the mean motion of Jupiter and Saturn
Discovered the orbit of the Moon to be an ellipse
Determined the motion of the lunar apse
Suggested the physical cause of its revolution
and predicted from his own observations the Transit of Venus
which was seen by himself and his friend William Crabtree
On Sunday the 24th of November (O.S.) 1639"

Above the plaque is the Latin inscription "Aliis temporibus ad majora
avocatus quae ob haec parerga negligi non decuit": A direct quote from
Horrocks' book 'Venus in Sole Visa', where he referred to being called away
from his observation of the transit by "business of the highest importance
which, for these ornamental pursuits, I could not with propriety neglect".

Also at Westminster Abbey is this memorial to circumnavigators including James Cook, who captained the bark Endeavour to Tahiti to time the 1769 transit of Venus.

http://www.transit-of-venus.org.uk/conference/history.html
Extensive history of Jeremiah Horrocks and his observation of the 1639 transit; includes excellent background information, local knowledge, images, and references. Information by Paul Marston.

Thanks to David Sellers, Tony Boughen, and Rev. Steven Hughes for their assistance.