Living In Darwen By The Yorkshire Moors

Darwen is a small market town in Lancashire, located on the River Darwen, which is submerged through much of the town centre and is locally known as 'Darren'. It is very close to the large town of Blackburn and only about a 15 minute journey by road to the town centre. It is situated in the West Pennine Moors which offer stunning scenery and plenty of opportunities to explore this quintessentially north-western English landscape. Darwen is served by the A666 road which provides access to the motorway system at Junction 4 of the M65. There is also a railway station positioned on the Ribble Valley line, offering services to Clitheroe, Bolton and onward to Manchester and a fairly busy bus station with connections available to Blackburn, Bolton and Accrington. In addition, Darwen is a mere 45 minute drive to Manchester, which offers access to an extensive rail network, national coaches and an international airport. Archaeological evidence has shown that Darwen dates back to the Bronze Age, if not earlier and there was also a Roman presence in the town. However, it did not really begin to flourish until the 16th and 17th Centuries and only really expanded, like many towns in this region, when the Industrial Revolution arrived. It became a key centre for textile manufacturing and there were several major mills in the town, as well as the Leeds-Liverpool canal. Between 1850 and 1900, much of the town that is still present today was constructed and wealthy benefactors established a public library, a grammar school and a college. Although the textile industry went into rapid decline, many of the buildings remain and are now used to house other businesses, so the town has not massively suffered from the end of the Industrial Revolution. One of Darwen's biggest claims to fame from history is when, in 1931, it played host to a visit from Gandhi, who came to see the effects of the Indian cotton boycott on the textile industry in Lancashire. Darwen and the surrounding area have plenty to see and do for visitors and residents alike. The Jubilee Tower is a major landmark of the town, dating back from 1898 and reaching a height of 26 metres; it offers excellent views from the moors over the town and beyond and on a clear day the Blackpool Tower, North Wales and even the Isle of Man are visible. Other main features of the town include the market hall with its impressive clock tower, the library which dates back to 1895 and two public parks – Bold Venture Park, where the Darwen war memorial can be found and Sunnyhurst Woods, which were once used by the local lords to hunt deer and are now open for the public to enjoy. Darwen also has its own football club, cricket club and golf club, while nearby Blackburn Rovers FC are a mainstay of top-flight British football. Overall, Darwen is a charming Lancashire town which retains all of its own individual charm as well as offering all the amenities of its proximity to Blackburn and the natural beauty of the Pennine moors.

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