The hamlet of Barley Green is immediately southwest of the village. The village is close to Pendle Hill, and is a popular starting point for walkers of this hill.[3] The circular Pendle Waylong-distance trail passes through here.
There is a children's playground by the stream. There is also a substantial 1920s public house, The Pendle Inn, and a restaurant, The Barley Mow.
It has won the small village category in 1996 and the hamlet category of the Lancashire Best Kept Village competition in 2008 and 2009.[4][5]
After a cow farm was established around 1266, Barley earned its livelihood from agriculture. This continued up until the 18th century. During the 18th century, textiles began to be manufactured as an extra source of income. The brooks around Barley offered an effective source of waterpower which led to the building of several cotton factories. Two small cotton mills were built at Narrowgates and Barley Green. At its height, Barley Green Mill had 200 looms, until floods destroyed the building in 1880. The cotton twist mill at Narrowgates, which was built by William Hartley to spin cotton warp thread, and the adjacent weavers cottages survive and are now private houses.[1]
