Darwen

This article is about the town in Lancashire. For the similarly named river which runs through the town see River Darwen. Or see Darwin

Darwen
Market Hall, Darwen
Area	7.58 km2 (2.93 sq mi)
Population	31,570  (2001 Census)
• Density	Template:Pop density km2 to mi2
OS grid reference	SD695225
Civil parish	Darwen
Unitary authority	Blackburn with Darwen
Ceremonial county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DARWEN
Postcode district	BB3
Dialling code	01254
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Rossendale and Darwen

Darwen is a market town and civil parish in Lancashire, England, extending onto the West Pennine Moors. Along with its northerly neighbour, Blackburn, it forms the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen - a unitary authority area. The town is spread along the route of the A666 road, with Blackburn to the north, and Bolton to the south.

History

Most authorities trace the name 'Darwen' to the Brythonic derw "oak", which is supported by the older name Derewent, though it has been claimed that the name Darwen stems from Dwrgwyn, from the Old Welsh (also a Brythonic language) dwr or "water" and gwyn Brythonic for "white" or "clear". Thus the name may mean "clear water".

The area Darwen currently occupies has been inhabited since the early Bronze Age and the remains of a barrow from approximately 2000 BC have been partially restored at the Ashleigh Barrow in Whitehall. Artefacts including a bronze dagger and urns containing human ashes were found and a small number of the less important finds are now on display at Darwen Library Theatre. The Romans once had a force in Lancashire and a Roman road is visible on the Ordnance Survey map of the area. Mediaeval Darwen was tiny; little or nothing survives. One of the earliest remaining buildings is dated 1675.

Like many towns in Lancashire, Darwen was a centre for the production of textiles during the Industrial Revolution. Samuel Crompton, inventor of the spinning mule, lived here for part of his life. Rail links and the Leeds-Liverpool Canal arrived in about the mid-19th century. The most important textile building in Darwen is India Mill which was built by Eccles Shorrock & Company but the company was ruined by the effects of the Lancashire Cotton Famine of the 1860s. Darwen played a considerable part in the Industrial Revolution and it has been suggested that this part of North West England should be designated a World Heritage Site.

Much of the town was built between about 1850 and 1900; place-names, date stones in terraces, and the vernacular architecture of cellars, local stone, locally-made brick, pipework and tiles and leaded glass (the last now mostly gone) reflect this. It was one of the first places in the world to have steam trams. The arrangement of town hall, market, public transport, eating/hotel facilities, and pre-suburban mixed size vernacular housing with local variations with topography, is very characteristic of northern England. The year 1900 perhaps represents the peak of Victorian optimism in the area. At that time, the working classes were much more identifiable as masses than at present. Orwell for example, described the sound of clogs on cobblestones of the large number of female millworkers. The rise of the Labour Party from about 1900 coincided with a decline in the Liberal Party, which followed the Manchester School in economics, increasingly seen as permitting unjustified exploitation. However on balance Darwen voted Conservative until the administrative rearrangements in the early 1970s.

Gandhi at Darwen, 26 September 1931 with Mirabehn (Madeleine Slade).

Andrew Carnegie financed a public library here; the town also had an art and technology college and a grammar school. In common with many northern nonconformist towns there are many chapels of assorted denominations, which flourished until the psychological blows of the First World War. One of Darwen's biggest claims to fame is that it hosted a visit from Mahatma Gandhi in 1931. He had accepted the invitation from Corder Catchpool, owner of the Greenfield Mill, to come and see the effects of India's boycott of cotton goods. The unemployed cotton mill workers greeted the man with great affection even when they were out of work, as they understood it was not India but greedy and irresponsible mill owners who are responsible for their situation.

India Mill is now home to many companies including Brookhouse (producers of aeroplane parts) and Capita Group who runs TV licensing. Since the 1950s, the textile industry has strongly declined in the region, although many of the factories and other industrial buildings from the period survive and are now used for other purposes. India Mill and its famous chimney have been sold in a £12 million deal. Among Darwen's other famous industries are Crown Paints, formerly Walpamur Paints, the earliest British paint manufacturer who actually named one of their paints 'Darwen Satin Finish'. Crown Wallpapers who invented wallpaper as we know it by being the first manufacturer of continuous rolls and also invented and made 'Anaglypta' in the town. ICI Plastics where acrylic glass (Perspex - now called lucite) was invented and is still manufactured. Spitfire canopies and (later) coloured polythene washing-up bowls were first made here. Britain's leading patent-holder of electric kettles is a Darwen resident.

Governance

Darwen was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1878. The population of the town declined from 40,000 in the 1911 census to 30,000 in the 1971 census. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, the town became part of the Lancashire non-metropolitan district of Blackburn, which was renamed Blackburn with Darwen in 1997, shortly before it became a unitary authority.

Darwen is part of the Rossendale and Darwen parliamentary constituency, created in 1983.

Geography

The River Darwen passes through the town, subsequently joining the River Ribble, one of the longest rivers in North West England.

The Guinness Book of Records mentions that Darwen had one of the largest flash floods in the United Kingdom.

Landmarks

Darwen 'Jubilee' Tower

Overlooking the town from the moors to the west is Jubilee Tower, more commonly known as 'Darwen Tower'. Built in celebration of both Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1898 and of the successful campaign the same year by the people of Darwen for free public access to Darwen Moors, it stands at an altitude of 1225 feet and is 86 feet tall. The public can climb the spiral staircase to the top of the tower where, on a clear day you can see Blackpool Tower, the Isle of Man, North Wales and the Furness Peninsula in the distance.

Transport

Darwen is found in a large valley strung along the A666 along the valley floor. Darwen is connected to the motorway system at Junction 4 of the M65 motorway, and so takes a lot of passing traffic. As Darwen is situated within a valley there is only one major route in and out of the town, therefore much of the traffic passes through the town centre itself along the A666, this therefore creates heavy traffic at peak times, this caused high levels of air pollution creating an issue which the local council who have recently attempted to address the situation by adding a new road layout to the town centre with public transport and junction improvements to reduce traffic.

Darwen is on the Ribble Valley Line, operated by Northern Rail, for trains and its stop is Darwen railway station where you can catch one train an hour between Clitheroe and Manchester (via Bolton). Darwen's bus terminal (Darwen Circus) has recently been improved and buses up to every 12 minutes head to Blackburn/Accrington on weekdays and another route every 30 minutes (weekdays) hourly (Sundays) also heads to Bolton and Clitheroe but the Bolton service terminates at 7:00pm. Both services are operated by Transdev Lancashire United.

In 2008 the "Pennine Reach" scheme, to improve public transport between Darwen, Blackburn and Hyndburn, has been proposed by Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen councils, including plans for the addition of bus lanes to the A666. However it has been controversial, with some residents placing "Say no to Bus Lane" Signs in their windows and the neighbouring district of Hyndburn pulling out of the scheme, and as of July 2008 plans are being revised during the consultation process.

The Future and Regeneration of the town

Over the last 10 years Darwen has seen a massive growth in commercial and industrial areas. Since the opening of the motorway M65 in 1997 many businesses have been attracted to the area with industrial estates growing to the North of the town at Junction 4 of the motorway. The Motorway Services opened up a lot of easy accessible land for businesses, allowing large industrial units to be built.

During the last 5 years Darwen saw one of its biggest businesses in the town close down. Crown Wallcoverings closed meaning that 100s of jobs were lost. The large Crown building, scarred the landscape with its large redbrick 10 story building and numerous chimneys. However, in 2006 the large empty building and 200 ft chimney was demolished. In 2008 building work started on the site to build 79 two-bedroom apartments and 56 three-bedroom family homes.

December 2006 saw Darwen's Leisure Centre close, so that a new £12.7m Leisure Centre can be built. The leisure centre closed due to its rundown facilities and a crack in the pool. Therefore the new "state-of-the-art" Leisure centre was planned on its original site. However, the Leisure centre was left empty and untouched for over a year whilst original plans were scrapped as they did not include a sports hall which was included amongst other sports facilities in the old Leisure Centre. The plan was to have a split site, where the sports hall facilities would be found at Darwen Vale High school. The residents of Darwen wanted all facilities on one site. Therefore plans were altered and now given permission. In February 2008 demolition work began demolishing all buildings. The centre's original porchway, however, was only dismantled and will be rebuilt next to the White Lion pub, to act as a freestanding archway into the centre, as it was a magnificent Roman Baths style facade. The new Leisure Centre is now beginning to be being built, which would feature a 25 metre 8 lane swimming pool, Children's pool, Activity rooms, a gym, a large health suite, a cafe and a 63 space car park. Its planned opening is late 2009

Behind the Leisure Centre is the new Health Centre, relocated in September 2005 from its original smaller site, which is being redeveloped into houses and apartments.

In 2006/2007 the Darwen Town Centre Masterplan was announced which included traffic improvements, public transport improvements and new street furniture. As the A666 enters the centre, it originally split into a one way system. However, at peak times traffic was extreme, and pollution was a worry. The Masterplan scrapped the one way system and the original A666 one way system towards Bolton closed to traffic except buses. Pavements were widened and new street furniture and bus stops were placed in. Cobbled roads were introduced here and the original bus station in front of the Market was made smaller to make a larger area for events and pedestrians. The A666 was redirected along the previous one way system to Blackburn to make a two way road. However at one point a small one way system occurs as the road was not wide enough to hold a two way traffic. The A666 now passes both ways in front of the Leisure Centre Site. Other plans for the Masterplan was to demolish the 3-day market and build a new one 200 yds. away so that an open day market and events area could be used. However, no more information has been announced on this.

The most controversial project in operation was the New £49m Darwen Academy which is being built in the Redearth Triangle. The plans of "Darwen Aldridge Community Academy" were first shown over 3 years ago and since then the Residents of Redearth Triangle were fighting a legal battle to stay in their homes. The battle went on for almost a year and ended up at High Courts. However, residents lost the battle and ended up moving to other accommodation. Demolition began late 2007 and the site is now ready for building work to begin. The Darwen Academy is opening September 2008 at the previous school Darwen Moorland High School which closed July 2008 to reopen as the Academy after the Summer holidays. All students from Darwen Moorland are moving onto the Academy. Once the New Academy Building is built Students will move down to the new site, into a state-of-the-art £49m Academy, with sixth form and modern facilities. The building is set to open 2010.

Politics

Darwen is currently served by Labour Member of Parliament Janet Anderson who also represents Rossendale.

Locally, Darwen has been represented by Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors in the main council wards for the town. However, in the 2008 local elections, the "For Darwen" Party picked up the majority of the wards in the town to put pressure on neighbouring Blackburn, for Darwen to have its own independent council. In June 2009 Darwen Town Council was formed.

Culture and community

The town is the home of the Darwen Library Theatre (an extension to the library), and the TV show Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. It also has a large non-indigenous community including many Italians.

Darwen has a few footnotes in entertainment history: its theatre (now demolished) had appearances by Charlie Chaplin, and it featured in a film by Norman Wisdom. George Formby's wife was from Darwen.

In Lancashire dialect, the name Darwen is pronounced Darren, and the locals refer to themselves as Darreners. They are generally resistant to any attempts at submerging the identity of the town within Blackburn. Junction 4 of the M65 motorway lies within the town and the services here were originally named "Blackburn Services". Following local protests they have been renamed "Blackburn with Darwen Services".

News service

Darwen has its own online news service Darwen Reporter

Music

Darwen Live (formerly Darwen Music Live) is a free two day music festival held each year over the second bank holiday in May. The main stage is located outside the town hall, and other smaller music stages are usually based around the town in pubs and bars. The festival has attracted artists such as The Buzzcocks and China Crisis, as well as being a showcase for local bands.

Darwen has a new brass band, appropriately named 'Darwen Brass' who recently won first place at the annual NWCBBA contest in Fleeetwood.

The town's local radio station is 107 The Bee which is based in Dalton Court just off the motorway services. 107 The Bee broadcasts to Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley.

Sports

The town was the home of Darwen Football Club, formed in 1870 and the first English football club to have paid professional players. The team reached the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1880-81 and played in the Football League between 1891 and 1899. The club was wound up at the end of the 2008-09 season and was replaced almost immediately by AFC Darwen. The new club plays in the Premier Division of the West Lancashire League and is based at the Anchor Ground. Darwen also has a cricket club, Darwen Cricket Club, which is currently based at Birch Hall Cricket Ground.

Darwen has many keen amateur golfers who play at Darwen Golf Club which was established in 1894.

Until the Sports Centre was demolished, Darwen was home to the North West Open Karate tournament, which hosted many national and world champions. [Tower Shukokai Karate Club][1] was resident at the sports centre from 1988 and remains active in the town. Tower's instructors, Andy Allwood, 5th Dan, and Martyn Skipper 4th Dan, both won this tournament in their respective weight categories (Allwood, heavyweight, in the 90's and Skipper, lightweight, in 2006 after the tournament had relocated to Bury).

Notable people

• Margaret Chapman (née Duxbury), an illustrator and painter
• Richard Burton golf's Open champion, 1939 (who went on to hold the Claret Jug for seven years after the Championship was suspended because of World War II)
• Bryn Haworth, British rock/gospel musician and singer-songwriter
• Edward Harwood, composer (1707–1787)
• John Harwood, Mayor of Accrington 1912–1915; raised the Accrington Pals (11 Battalion East Lancashire Regiment)
• The Potter family who among other things made paper in Darwen, were related to Beatrix Potter
• Neil Arthur, lead vocalist of 1980s group Blancmange
• Sam Wadsworth, England international footballer 1922–26. Captain of the England team. Member of the Huddersfield Town team which won a hat-trick of Football League Championships 1923–4, 1924–5, 1925–6.
• ‎James Watson, award-winning author

Photo gallery

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  Darwen countryside
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  Darwen countryside