Discover Blackburn, Lancashire

Blackburn, Lancashire: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackburn_Lancashire_Townscape.jpg
Author: Beejaypii


Blackburn is a major town in Lancashire, England. It is 43 km (27 mi) to the northwest of downtown Manchester, on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, and to the north of the West Pennine Moors. The town has a population of 110,000 people (2012 estimate). It is the administrative center for the unitary authority area of Blackburn with Darwen.

The history of Blackburn goes back to at least the Anglo-Saxon period. It was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Blacheborne. Archaeological excavation reveals that the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and Roman presence is also noted. Christianity arrived in Blackburn at the end of the 6th century.

Blackburn is renowned through the medieval period as a center for producing textile. In the early stage, wool was woven into cloth as a form of cottage industry. A style of cloth in blue and white became known as Blackburn checks. The production of textile was industrialized in the 18th century, and by the 19th, Blackburn was developing into the weaving capital of the world.

Daisyfield Cornmill, Blackburn: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daisyfield_cornmill,_Blackburn_-_geograph.org.uk_-_963066.jpg
Author: Chris Allen
Warning signs that Blackburn was becoming overdependent on the cotton industry was sounded as early as 1890. Nonetheless the 20th century saw a decline of the industry, pulling the town along with it. This was particularly acute during the First World War, when the local cotton industry suffered from cheaper cotton from India. The downward slide was briefly checked during the post World War II years, from 1948 to 1950, after which the industry continued to decline and mills faced closures.

Today the character of Blackburn has been altered by a wave of Asian immigrants, the first influx arriving in 1948. It has a modern town center. The main shopping mall is The Mall Blackburn, formerly known as Blackburn Shopping Centre.

The Postal Order, formerly a post office but today a pub: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Postal_Order,_Blackburn_-_geograph.org.uk_-_630923.jpg
Author: Alexander P Kapp

Visiting Blackburn

From Manchester, take the M60 motorway to Junction 15, then continue a short distance on the M61 motorway till Exit 2. Head north on the A666 road till you arrive in Blackburn.

Places of Interest in Blackburn

Blackburn Town Hall: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackburn_Town_Hall_(old).jpg
Author: Alexander P Kapp


Blackburn Technical School: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackburn_Technical_School_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1443956.jpg
Author: robert wade


Blackburn Cathedral, interior: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interior,_The_Cathedral_Church_of_St_Mary_the_Virgin,_Blackburn_-_geograph.org.uk_-_452380.jpg
Author: Alexander P Kapp

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.