The history of Hoghton can be traced back to the Saxons, the word meaning literally 'the township at the foot of a hill'. The name first appeared in a deed dated 1160, when it was spelled Hoctonam.

Hoghton village has no centre as such, but the Boar's Head pub could claim the central position, lying midway between Quaker Brook Lane and Dover Lane. A road which has linked Preston and Blackburn from ancient times passes through the length of the village and travellers in past centuries would have passed through an environment almost identical to that which we see today, a lovely pastoral area, varied with woodland and stream.

Hoghton Tower, a 16th century fortified mansion, stands 560 ft above sea level, and being visible for miles around, is the dominating feature of the village. Much has been written of the ostentatious entertainment which Sir Richard de Hoghton gave to King James I in 1617, when it was reported that the King knighted a particularly delicious loin of beef. Sir-Loin it has been ever since. Following three days of lavishly entertaining the King and his retinue, Sir Richard found himself in a debtors' prison. The motto of the de Hoghton family 'Malgré le tort' 'In spite of the wrong', seeming particularly appropriate for the occasion.

Facing the impressive half mile drive to the Tower is the Hoghton war memorial, which remembers the villagers who gave their lives in the 20th century. The original drive to the Tower ran alongside the 17th century Royal Oak pub, the present drive only being opened in 1901.

In the 18th century the population mainly consisted of yeoman farmers and their labourers, together with tiny communities of handloom weavers in Hoghton Bottoms, Riley Green and other small hamlets. A rocky gorge leads down to Hoghton Bottoms and this area is a reminder of how closely weaving and agriculture were combined. The river Darwen powered two mills by water-wheel and yarn was produced for the weavers working from their pretty cottages in Chapel Lane. The mills originally operated as cotton spinning mills, then were later used as weaving sheds, only closing down in 1971. Weaving was not the earliest industry in Hoghton, Alum Scar, Alum Wood and Alum House being reminders that the de Hoghton family had an alum mine, on licence from the King. The Tower quarry and the Duxon Hill quarry provided stone for buildings and local houses and roads; both quarries are now closed.

The East Lancashire Railway runs through Hoghton and the three arches of a fine viaduct, erected in 1826, tower 116 ft above the rocky bed of the river Darwen. Hoghton railway station was closed in 1960. Modern commuters travel by road to their city jobs, motorway links making quick and easy connections from a rural area to the town centres.
Another village pub is to be found on Station Road, aptly named The Sirloin and dating from the 17th century. Small housing developments have taken place around Station Road, Gib Lane and Quaker Brook Lane, pleasantly varied modern houses and bungalows. In Chapel Lane a small number of contemporary houses contrast with stone cottages. These cottages are known as 'The Barracks' following some Roundhead troops being billeted there in 1651.

In the hey-day of canal traffic, a boatyard was opened on the Leeds-Liverpool canal, giving employment to the local men in the building and repairing of barges. The last launching was in 1958 and it is nowadays a marina for pleasure cruising.

The Anglican parish church, known as Holy Trinity, was founded in 1823 by the Parliamentary Commissioners and then given a completely new structure in 1887, by the generosity of the de Hoghton family. Prior to the church being built, the chapel or the Grand Hall in the Tower were used for services for the villagers, many of them travelling considerable distances by traps, gigs or on horseback. Some of the de Hoghton ancestors are buried in a modest plot in a corner of the churchyard. Close by is a headstone bearing the name 'Gatty', a gentleman who perfected the khaki dye for use in warfare uniforms.

The de Hoghtons financed a school for Hoghton children in 1883, which was built across the road from the church. The children paid 1 ½ d per week for the privilege of attending school, as well as paying for their books, slates and pencils. Boarders were also accommodated for a while at the school. The old school house is now a private dwelling and the children attend new schools in Coupe Green and Gregson Lane, both short distances from Hoghton.

The oldest Wesleyan chapel in the North-West is to be found in Chapel Lane. It was built in 1794 from local stone from the Tower quarry, and houses the pulpit taken from Clayton St Chapel in Blackburn, from which John Wesley preached during one of his visits to Blackburn.

Hoghton is fortunate to have a post office/shop and a petrol station/shop to serve the immediate needs of the villagers. The village hall, built in 1976, is the meeting place for most of the activities in the village today and is well used by villagers, as well as outside organisations. Hoghton boasts a sports field and pavilion and enjoys facilities for cricket, football, bowling and tennis, the keen and enthusiastic teams being well supported.

Hoghton Tower has recently been chosen as a top tourist attraction, winning an award for being an outstanding example of the very best in attracting visitors in Britain today, and the villagers are justly proud of their heritage.