Discover Blackpool

Blackpool, Lancashire, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackpool_promenade_-_DSC07199.JPG
Author: Green Lane


Blackpool is a seaside resort town in Lancashire, England. It faces the Irish Sea between the estuaries of the River Ribble and the River Wyre, about 43 km (27 mi) north of Liverpool. With a population of 140,000 people (2012 estimate), it is the third most populous settlement in North West England and the fourth most densely populated borough in England and Wales, outside of Greater London.

North Promenade, Blackpool: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_Promenade,_Blackpool_-_DSC06507.JPG
Author: Green Lane


Human habitation in the Blackpool area goes back thousands of years. The discovery of a 12,000-year-old animal skeleton with embedded arrowheads provide evidence that humans were in the area that long ago. At the time of the Norman Conquest the Blackpool area comprised a cluster of Anglo-Saxon villages.

The town of Blackpool came about during medieval times. Originally written as Black Poole, it got its name from the discolored water discharged from the drainage channel into the Irish Sea. The first time Blackpoole was found in written document was in 1602, in entries of the Bispham Parish Church.

The dawn of Blackpool's role as a seaside resort began in the mid 18th century, when sea-bathing came into fashion, particularly among the upper crust of society. This led to a private road being built to Blackpool. Stagecoach services were introduced linking it with Manchester. The person instrumental in establishing Blackpool as a resort was Henry Banks, who bought land in the area and founded the first holiday cottages.

North Pier, Blackpool, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackpool_North_Pier_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1522049.jpg
Author: Ian Petticrew


Blackpool experienced a boom when the railway line was built to connect it to Preston. Far-sighted entrepreneurs, seeing the influx of visitors coming to the town, began to built visitor infrastructure such as hotels and restaurants. The North Pier was completed in 1863, the Central Pier in 1868 and South Pier in 1893. It is the only town in the country with three piers.

Blackpool was the biggest travel destination in Britain in 1920, receiving three times the number of visitors as its nearest competitors, most of which coming from the towns in Lancashire and West Yorkshire. It escaped heavy bombing during the Second World War because Adolf Hitler allegedly planned to have it remain as a tourist destination after his planned invasion of Britain. Nonetheless the Germans did bomb the North railway station killing eight.

Blackpool received its highest number of visitors in the post War years, peaking at 17 million. Since then it began a gradual decline. Factors contributing to this include the decline of the regional textile industry and the rise of package holidays abroad.

Blackpool Town Hall: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blackpool_Town_Hall_-_DSC07226.JPG
Author: Green Lane

Visiting Blackpool

From Manchester, take the M61 motorway which merges with the M6 motorway at Junction 30. Exit the M6 at Junction 32, then continue west on the M55 motorway. At the end of the motorway continue on the A5230 road until you reach the coastal A584 road. Turn right and head north on the A584 to reach Blackpool.

Places of Interest in Blackpool

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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.