Oswaldtwistle
| Oswaldtwistle | |
|---|---|
| Population | 12,530 |
| OS grid reference | SD740275 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ACCRINGTON |
| Postcode district | BB5 |
| Dialling code | 01254 |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
Oswaldtwistle is a town on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Lancashire, 3 miles east-south-east of Blackburn.
The name is derived from 'Oswald' and 'Twistle'. The word 'twistle' is an old English word meaning 'brooks meet'. It is thought that a famous Oswald from history passed through the area, giving the area it's full title of Oswald's Twistle, which in time came to be Oswaldtwistle. It is widely believed that the Oswald in question was Saint Oswald, King of Northumbria.
Sir Robert Peel, first baronet, who, as a factory-owner, effected wide developments in the cotton industry, was born at Peelfold, within the township, in 1750. Another historical figure associated with the textile industry was James Hargreaves, inventor of the spinning jenny. He resided in what is now the post office on Stanhill Lane.
Oswaldtwistle was hit by the power loom riots of 1826. The mechanisation of the textile industry (Spinning Jenny and the power loom) resulted in redundancies, low wages and starvation. A mob of angry cotton workers descended on the White Ash factory in Oswaldtwistle, about a mile away from Hargreaves' workshop, on April 26th and destroyed looms and other equipment. The riots went on for four days, extending to all cotton towns in central Lancashire.
Twinned Towns
Places of interest
Oswaldtwistle Mills, a textile mill converted into a craft fair and with an exhibition about life in the Mill a hundred years ago. It is also home of the world's largest pear drop.
Famous Son's and Daughters
- Oswaldtwistle's very own drama queen Garinda from AccyWeb
External links
- AccyWeb, Hyndburn's local community forum
- Leeds Liverpool Canal in Oswaldtwistle
- Life and Times of Oswaldtwistle
- Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Oswaldtwistle
- Melbourne Street Church, Oswaldtwistle
- The Hope Centre
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