From northwards clockwise, it borders the civil parishes of Newton, Bashall Eaves, Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley, Bowland-with-Leagram and Bowland Forest High.

Lower Lees, near Cow Ark, is believed to have been the centre of a medieval cattle farm (vaccary), although the extant buildings are of 1694 and later.

In 2008, however, Charles Towneley Strachey, 4th Baron O'Hagan, claimed the title, after a researcher discovered that the 1938 purchase, while including mineral, sporting and forestry rights, specifically excluded the Lordship itself, which had been retained by an extinct Towneley family trust.

[4][5][6][7] The Roman road known as Watling Street, which runs from Manchester via Ribchester to Carlisle, passes in a NNE direction through the parish.

In 1938, two geographically non-contiguous areas, called Harrop and Countess Flat where transferred to Grindleton and Slaidburn.