Clitheroe
Encyclopedia
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley
in Lancashire
, England
. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland
and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697. The most notable building in the town is Clitheroe Castle
, suggested to be one of the smallest Norman
keep
s in the country.
The town elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons
. The Great Reform Act
reduced this to one. It was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
, and remained a municipal borough
until the Local Government Act 1972
came into force in 1974 when it became a successor parish
within the Ribble Valley
district.
. These lands were held by Roger de Poitou, who passed them to the De Lacy
family from whom they passed in 1311 to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster and subsequently, to the Duchy of Lancaster
. At one point the town of Clitheroe was given to Richard, 1st Duke of Gloucester
. Up until 1835 the Lord of the Honor was also by right Lord of Bowland, the so-called Lord of the Fells
.
The town's earliest existing charter is from 1283, granted by Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln
, confirming rights granted by one of his forebears between 1147 and 1177.
The four main secondary schools in the town are Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
, Ribblesdale High Technology College
, Moorland School
and Bowland High, the school with a specialist status in performing arts. The nearest large school to the town is Stonyhurst College
, a co-educational Jesuit independent school
, next to the village of Hurst Green
. There are several primary schools in the town. These are St James's Church of England
Primary School, Stonyhurst College Junior School, St. Michael and John's Roman Catholic Primary School, Pendle Primary School, Edisford Primary School and Brookside Primary School. Nearby is Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
, the junior department of the above-mentioned Stonyhurst College, at Hurst Green.
, Dugdale Nutrition and Johnson Matthey
.
Hanson Cement has been criticised for using industrial waste
in its kilns, which some local inhabitants claim produces poisonous dioxins
. Hanson Cement claims that its filters remove these and that government inspectors have approved the plant. However, locals continue to campaign for the use of industrial waste as fuel to cease.
Other businesses based in or around the town include; Core Business Management Ltd (Outsourced Business Services), Clitheroe Light Engineering (engineering), Spiroflow (material handling), Shackletons Garden & Lifestyle Centre, Farmhouse Fayre, Townson Bros. (fuel suppliers), Clarity Sign & Design (sign design and installation) and Rufus Carr Ltd (Independent Ford dealer) est.1928.
There are a number of small industrial sites in and around Clitheroe with the most prominent being the newly expanded Link 59 Business Park to the north of the town.
, the jet engine
was developed by the Rover Company. Rover and Rolls-Royce
met engineers from the different companies at Clitheroe's Swan & Royal Hotel
. The residential area 'Whittle Close' in the town is named after Frank Whittle
, being built over the site of the former jet engine test beds.
(53.8708°N 2.3932°W)Clitheroe Castle
is argued to be the smallest Norman
keep in the whole of England
. It stands atop a 35-metre outcrop of limestone
and is one of the oldest buildings in Lancashire
. It is also the only remaining castle in the county which had a royalist
garrison during the English Civil War
.
The castle's most prominent feature is the hole in its side which was made in 1649 as was ordered by the government. It was to be put in "such condition that in might neither be a charge to the Commonwealth
to keep it, nor a danger to have it kept against them".
member of parliament has represented the town for many years, with the exception of Michael Carr, elected in 1991 for the Liberal Democrats
. The current MP is Nigel Evans
. Previous to both these was the high profile David Waddington
.
However, at local government level since 1991 the town of Clitheroe itself has elected at least 8 out of the 10 Liberal Democrat borough councillors to Ribble Valley Borough Council, while Clitheroe Town Council has been Liberal democrat controlled for that period too. Likewise since 1993 the Town has had a Liberal Democrat County Councillor to Lancashire
County Council.
In addition, the borough returned one of the first six ever socialist MPs at the 1906 election, due perhaps to the large number of mill workers living locally at that time.
Jimmy Clitheroe
(1921–73) a comedian well known for his radio shows, was born in the town but raised in Blacko, near Colne
; a cafe in the town is named after him.
, Timpson
s, Blockbuster, Greggs
, Boots the Chemist, WH Smith & Caffe Nero
. There are numerous banks and building societies, including Lloyds TSB
, Santander, Barclays, HSBC
, Natwest & Yorkshire Bank
. Clitheroe has a number of supermarkets; Booths
, Tesco
, Sainsbury's & Lidl
. There are numerous cafes, hairdressers, & charity shops. There is also a little shopping arcade known as the Swan Courtyard
, which contains several shops and a cafe. There are also 2 petrol stations, run by BP
& TEXACO
. April 2009 saw the opening of the much delayed Homebase
store. Other prominent stores include; Dawsons Department Store, award-winning D. Byrne & Co. Fine Wine Merchants, Clitheroe Lighting Centre, Cowmans Famous Sausage Shop, Sowerbutts, Cowgill's, Banana News, Kaine and Rawson and jwl Contemporary Jewellery.
Clitheroe has hosted a Spring festival since 1997 and sausage
day has been celebrated on January 5th due to the local love and manufacture of sausages.
Clitheroe also is host to the Clitheroe Food Festival, which is held in August. Many local chefs and restaurants, as well as local shops and supermarkets take part, showcasing the best of local produce.
play in the Northern Premier League Division One North
. They play their home games at the Shawbridge Stadium, which is also the home ground of Blackburn Rovers WFC. Hurst Green is a football team from near Clitheroe. They play in the East Lancashire Division 1, and in 2007 were crowned Champions. There is also a youth football club, Clitheroe Wolves.
Clitheroe Rugby Union Football Club, formed in 1977, play at the Littlemoor Ground on Littlemoor Road in the town and run two rugby teams.
An annual cycle race, the Clitheroe Grand Prix takes place in the town.
Clitheroe is also home to the PESL Futsal Cup
, an annual futsal
tournament, which takes place every August at Edisford.
Clitheroe Skatepark
was opened in 2006. The Park is of all-concrete construction and covers approximately 1,200 square metres. There are three main zones to the park; the street plaza which leads into the central section, and finally a split level, 7 feet (2.1 m) concrete kidney bowl. Each section blends into the next, so a line can take you fully from one end of the park to the other without stopping. Clitheroe Skatepark is owned and run by a team based at The Grand, a charitable organization specializing in schools and youth work.
Clitheroe also has its own Ambulance
, Fire
& Police station
s.
is a traditional Anglican church prominent on Church Brow on a limestone knoll; St James' Church has recently been refurbished and is home to a lively all-age congregation; St Paul's is in the area of town known as Low Moor
. The town also has a large Roman Catholic community. The majority of Roman Catholic children attend St Augustine's RC High School
. The Catholic saint, Margaret Clitherow
, was not from Clitheroe but lived and was martyred in York
. There are also Methodist and URC
churches in the town as well as the Clitheroe Community Church and Salvation Army
citadel. In nearby Sawley
there is a Quaker Meeting House.
There is a sizeable Muslim
community in Clitheroe. After years of campaigning for a Mosque
in the town, permission was finally granted in 2006 for the conversion of a former church at Lowergate into a multi-faith centre which will have a Muslim prayer room and will be open to all faiths to use the rest of the building.
.
& Manchester Victoria from the railway station
that are operated by Northern Rail
. Usually, services are operated by Class 150
trains, but sometimes Class 156
and Class 153 operate the service. The Ribble Valley Rail
group (community rail group) is campaigning for services from Clitheroe
to be extended to Hellifield
.
& Yorkshire
settlements. Transdev is the most prominent operator, mainly operating interurban services to other towns in Lancashire, Greater Manchester & West Yorkshire. Other operators include Holmeswood Coaches, M&M Coaches and Tyrer Bus. See list below for more details:
Services Operated By Transdev
Lancashire United
:
Routes Run by Other Operators:
with a small town in France
.
- Rivesaltes
, France
Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley is a local government district with borough status within the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Clitheroe. Other places include Whalley, Longridge and Ribchester. The area is so called due to the River Ribble which flows in its final stages...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697. The most notable building in the town is Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England is a motte and bailey castle built in a natural carboniferous limestone outcrop, .It has been suggested that Clitheroe Castle may have been first built before 1086 as there is reference to the "castellatu Rogerii pictaviensis" in the Domesday Book....
, suggested to be one of the smallest Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
s in the country.
The town elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons
Unreformed House of Commons
The unreformed House of Commons is the name generally given to the British House of Commons as it existed before the Reform Act 1832.Until the Act of Union of 1707 joining the Kingdoms of Scotland and England , Scotland had its own Parliament, and the term refers to the House of Commons of England...
. The Great Reform Act
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
reduced this to one. It was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
, and remained a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
until the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
came into force in 1974 when it became a successor parish
Successor parish
Successor parishes are civil parishes with a parish council created by the Local Government Act 1972 in England. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of urban districts and municipal boroughs that were abolished in 1974. Most successor parish councils exercised the right to...
within the Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley
Ribble Valley is a local government district with borough status within the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Clitheroe. Other places include Whalley, Longridge and Ribchester. The area is so called due to the River Ribble which flows in its final stages...
district.
History
The name Clitheroe is thought to come from the Anglo-Saxon for "Rocky Hill", and was also spelled Clyderhow and Cletherwoode. The town was the administrative centre for the lands of the Honor of ClitheroeHonor of Clitheroe
The Honour of Clitheroe is an ancient grouping of manors and royal forests centred on Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire, England; an honour traditionally being the grant of a large landholding complex, not all of whose parts are contiguous...
. These lands were held by Roger de Poitou, who passed them to the De Lacy
De Lacy
de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
family from whom they passed in 1311 to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster and subsequently, to the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
. At one point the town of Clitheroe was given to Richard, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
. Up until 1835 the Lord of the Honor was also by right Lord of Bowland, the so-called Lord of the Fells
Lord of the Fells
Lord of the Fells is a subsidiary title of the Lords of Bowland. The title is thought to have become customary during the high medieval period as a description of the Lords' rugged upland demesne. Bowland Fells, more widely known as the Forest of Bowland, is an area of barren gritstone fells,...
.
The town's earliest existing charter is from 1283, granted by Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln
Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln
Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln was a confidant of Edward I of England.In 1272 on reaching the age of majority he became Earl of Lincoln...
, confirming rights granted by one of his forebears between 1147 and 1177.
Schools
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School
See Royal Grammar School for the other schools with the name RGS.Clitheroe Royal Grammar School is a co-educational secondary school in Clitheroe, Lancashire that used to be an all boys school...
, Ribblesdale High Technology College
Technology College
Technology College is a term used in the United Kingdom for a secondary specialist school that focuses on design and technology, mathematics and science. These were the first type of specialist schools, beginning in 1994. In 2008 there were 598 Technology Colleges in England, of which 12 also...
, Moorland School
Moorland School
Moorland School is an independent day and boarding school situated in the Ribble Valley, Clitheroe in North West England. The original building is a listed building, situated in of countryside.- Curriculum :...
and Bowland High, the school with a specialist status in performing arts. The nearest large school to the town is Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
, a co-educational Jesuit independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
, next to the village of Hurst Green
Hurst Green, Lancashire
Hurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College...
. There are several primary schools in the town. These are St James's Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Primary School, Stonyhurst College Junior School, St. Michael and John's Roman Catholic Primary School, Pendle Primary School, Edisford Primary School and Brookside Primary School. Nearby is Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall is the preparatory school to Stonyhurst College. It is an independent co-educational Catholic school founded by the Society of Jesus . It is primarily a day school but has some boarders...
, the junior department of the above-mentioned Stonyhurst College, at Hurst Green.
Industry
Clitheroe enjoys one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the UK. This is largely due to the presence of several companies that each employ hundreds. Most significant are Ultraframe, Hanson Cement, TarmacTarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
, Dugdale Nutrition and Johnson Matthey
Johnson Matthey
Johnson Matthey plc is multinational chemicals and precious metals company headquartered in London, United Kingdom.It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
.
Hanson Cement has been criticised for using industrial waste
Industrial waste
Industrial waste is a type of waste produced by industrial activity, such as that of factories, mills and mines. It has existed since the outset of the industrial revolution....
in its kilns, which some local inhabitants claim produces poisonous dioxins
Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds
Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds are by-products of various industrial processes, and are commonly regarded as highly toxic compounds that are environmental pollutants and persistent organic pollutants . They include:...
. Hanson Cement claims that its filters remove these and that government inspectors have approved the plant. However, locals continue to campaign for the use of industrial waste as fuel to cease.
Other businesses based in or around the town include; Core Business Management Ltd (Outsourced Business Services), Clitheroe Light Engineering (engineering), Spiroflow (material handling), Shackletons Garden & Lifestyle Centre, Farmhouse Fayre, Townson Bros. (fuel suppliers), Clarity Sign & Design (sign design and installation) and Rufus Carr Ltd (Independent Ford dealer) est.1928.
There are a number of small industrial sites in and around Clitheroe with the most prominent being the newly expanded Link 59 Business Park to the north of the town.
Jet engine development
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
was developed by the Rover Company. Rover and Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
met engineers from the different companies at Clitheroe's Swan & Royal Hotel
Swan Court Shopping Arcade
Swan Court Shopping Arcade or Swan Courtyard is an open air shopping centre in the town of Clitheroe in Lancashire, England.- Centre information :...
. The residential area 'Whittle Close' in the town is named after Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
, being built over the site of the former jet engine test beds.
The castle
Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England is a motte and bailey castle built in a natural carboniferous limestone outcrop, .It has been suggested that Clitheroe Castle may have been first built before 1086 as there is reference to the "castellatu Rogerii pictaviensis" in the Domesday Book....
is argued to be the smallest Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
keep in the whole of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It stands atop a 35-metre outcrop of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and is one of the oldest buildings in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It is also the only remaining castle in the county which had a royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
garrison during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
The castle's most prominent feature is the hole in its side which was made in 1649 as was ordered by the government. It was to be put in "such condition that in might neither be a charge to the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
to keep it, nor a danger to have it kept against them".
Society
A ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
member of parliament has represented the town for many years, with the exception of Michael Carr, elected in 1991 for the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. The current MP is Nigel Evans
Nigel Evans
Nigel Martin Evans is a British politician. Since 1992 he has been Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley constituency. Since 2010 he has been First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means, a deputy speaker.-Career:...
. Previous to both these was the high profile David Waddington
David Waddington, Baron Waddington
David Charles Waddington, Baron Waddington, GCVO, DL, QC, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1968 to 1990, and was then made a life peer...
.
However, at local government level since 1991 the town of Clitheroe itself has elected at least 8 out of the 10 Liberal Democrat borough councillors to Ribble Valley Borough Council, while Clitheroe Town Council has been Liberal democrat controlled for that period too. Likewise since 1993 the Town has had a Liberal Democrat County Councillor to Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
County Council.
In addition, the borough returned one of the first six ever socialist MPs at the 1906 election, due perhaps to the large number of mill workers living locally at that time.
Jimmy Clitheroe
Jimmy Clitheroe
James Robinson Clitheroe was a British comic entertainer. He never grew any taller than 4 feet 3 inches, and could easily pass for an 11-year-old boy, the character he played in The Clitheroe Kid....
(1921–73) a comedian well known for his radio shows, was born in the town but raised in Blacko, near Colne
Colne
Colne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65, 6 miles north-east of Burnley, with Nelson immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire...
; a cafe in the town is named after him.
Retail
Clitheroe has many small independent shops, as well as some smaller branches of chain stores, such as Clinton CardsClinton Cards
Clinton Cards is a chain of stores in the UK founded in 1968 by Don Lewin. Mostly selling greeting cards, as the name suggests, the chain claims to be "the largest specialist retailer of greetings cards, plush merchandise and related products in the UK with over 700 shops." They used to be...
, Timpson
Timpson
Timpson as a surname may refer to:* Annis May Timpson, academic specialising in Canadian Studies* Edward Timpson , British politician* John Timpson , British journalist and broadcaster...
s, Blockbuster, Greggs
Greggs
Greggs plc is the largest specialist retail bakery chain in the United Kingdom. It was established in the 1930s as a single shop but has approximately 1,500 outlets....
, Boots the Chemist, WH Smith & Caffe Nero
Caffè Nero
Caffè Nero or Caffè Nero Group Ltd is an Italian-style coffee shop chain primarily based in the UK. It was founded in 1997 in London as the Caffe Nero Group by Gerry Ford...
. There are numerous banks and building societies, including Lloyds TSB
Lloyds TSB
Lloyds TSB Bank Plc is a retail bank in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1995 by the merger of Lloyds Bank, established in Birmingham, England in 1765 and traditionally considered one of the Big Four clearing banks, with the TSB Group which traces its origins to 1810...
, Santander, Barclays, HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
, Natwest & Yorkshire Bank
Yorkshire Bank
Yorkshire Bank is a commercial bank in England and Wales, a division of Clydesdale Bank, which in turn is a subsidiary of National Australia Bank. It mostly operates in the North of England, especially in Yorkshire. In 2006 underlying profit rose 16.7 per cent to £454 million compared with a...
. Clitheroe has a number of supermarkets; Booths
Booths
Booths is a chain of supermarkets in Northern England. Most of its branches are located in Lancashire, but there are also branches in Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. Booths is targeted at the middle class market and competes on quality as opposed to just...
, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Sainsbury's & Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
. There are numerous cafes, hairdressers, & charity shops. There is also a little shopping arcade known as the Swan Courtyard
Swan Court Shopping Arcade
Swan Court Shopping Arcade or Swan Courtyard is an open air shopping centre in the town of Clitheroe in Lancashire, England.- Centre information :...
, which contains several shops and a cafe. There are also 2 petrol stations, run by BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
& TEXACO
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
. April 2009 saw the opening of the much delayed Homebase
Homebase
Homebase is a British home improvement store and garden centre, with 350 stores across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is well known by its green and orange colour scheme. Together with its sister company Argos , it forms part of Home Retail Group. Homebase recorded sales figures...
store. Other prominent stores include; Dawsons Department Store, award-winning D. Byrne & Co. Fine Wine Merchants, Clitheroe Lighting Centre, Cowmans Famous Sausage Shop, Sowerbutts, Cowgill's, Banana News, Kaine and Rawson and jwl Contemporary Jewellery.
Clitheroe Festivals
The first Ribble Valley Jazz Festival for over 40 years - held from 30 April to May 3, 2010 - organised by the thriving Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Club, based in Clitheroe.Clitheroe has hosted a Spring festival since 1997 and sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
day has been celebrated on January 5th due to the local love and manufacture of sausages.
Clitheroe also is host to the Clitheroe Food Festival, which is held in August. Many local chefs and restaurants, as well as local shops and supermarkets take part, showcasing the best of local produce.
Sport
Clitheroe F.C.Clitheroe F.C.
Clitheroe F.C. are an English football club based in Clitheroe, Lancashire, playing in the Northern Premier League Division One North. They were established in 1877 as Clitheroe Central...
play in the Northern Premier League Division One North
Northern Premier League Division One North
Division One North is one of the two second-tier divisions of the Northern Premier League. It is at tier 4 of the National League System, tier 8 of the English football league system...
. They play their home games at the Shawbridge Stadium, which is also the home ground of Blackburn Rovers WFC. Hurst Green is a football team from near Clitheroe. They play in the East Lancashire Division 1, and in 2007 were crowned Champions. There is also a youth football club, Clitheroe Wolves.
Clitheroe Rugby Union Football Club, formed in 1977, play at the Littlemoor Ground on Littlemoor Road in the town and run two rugby teams.
An annual cycle race, the Clitheroe Grand Prix takes place in the town.
Clitheroe is also home to the PESL Futsal Cup
PESL Futsal Cup
The PESL Futsal Cup is an annual event taking place every August in Clitheroe, in the heart of the Ribble Valley. The competition is one of only a few futsal tournaments which take place in the north of England.-History:...
, an annual futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
tournament, which takes place every August at Edisford.
Clitheroe Skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
was opened in 2006. The Park is of all-concrete construction and covers approximately 1,200 square metres. There are three main zones to the park; the street plaza which leads into the central section, and finally a split level, 7 feet (2.1 m) concrete kidney bowl. Each section blends into the next, so a line can take you fully from one end of the park to the other without stopping. Clitheroe Skatepark is owned and run by a team based at The Grand, a charitable organization specializing in schools and youth work.
Health
Clitheroe has a health centre, accommodating the Pendleside Medical Practice and the Castle Medical Group. There is a community hospital. The areas is served by the East Lancashire NHS Primary Care Trust.Clitheroe also has its own Ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, Fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
& Police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
s.
Religion
There are three Anglican churches: the Parish Church of St Mary MagadaleneSt Mary Magdalene's Church, Clitheroe
St Mary Magdalene's Church, Clitheroe, is located in Church Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England. It is the Anglican parish church of the town, and is in the deanery of Whalley, the archdeaconry of Blackburn, and the diocese of Blackburn...
is a traditional Anglican church prominent on Church Brow on a limestone knoll; St James' Church has recently been refurbished and is home to a lively all-age congregation; St Paul's is in the area of town known as Low Moor
Low Moor, Lancashire
Low Moor is a district of the town of Clitheroe, located in Lancashire, England.It has a local club called the Low Moor Reading Room and Club with two snooker tables, one pool table, one dartboard, a few slot machines and much more. Some of the residents of Clitheroe and Low Moor come here to...
. The town also has a large Roman Catholic community. The majority of Roman Catholic children attend St Augustine's RC High School
St Augustine's RC High School
St Augustine's RC High School is a mixed 11-16 oversubscribed comprehensive school in Billington, Lancashire, England. St Augustine's has a large catchment area of 10 primary schools.-History:The school opened in 1963 originally intaking 450 pupils...
. The Catholic saint, Margaret Clitherow
Margaret Clitherow
Saint Margaret Clitherow is an English saint and martyr of the Roman Catholic Church. She is sometimes called "the Pearl of York".-Life:...
, was not from Clitheroe but lived and was martyred in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. There are also Methodist and URC
URC
URC may stand for:* Uniform Resource Characteristics, a computing term* Uniform Rules for Collections, ICC rule that governs the collection of payment, the current version is URC 522...
churches in the town as well as the Clitheroe Community Church and Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
citadel. In nearby Sawley
Sawley, Lancashire
Sawley is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is situated north-east of Clitheroe, on the River Ribble. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire....
there is a Quaker Meeting House.
There is a sizeable Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community in Clitheroe. After years of campaigning for a Mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in the town, permission was finally granted in 2006 for the conversion of a former church at Lowergate into a multi-faith centre which will have a Muslim prayer room and will be open to all faiths to use the rest of the building.
Transport
Clitheroe is well connected in terms of public transport links via Clitheroe InterchangeClitheroe Interchange
Clitheroe Interchange is the main transport interchange in the market town of Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley district in Lancashire, England. It consists of several bus stops, Clitheroe railway station and a coach parking space. It is operated and maintained by Lancashire County Council...
.
Train services in and out of Clitheroe
There are hourly trains to BlackburnBlackburn railway station
Blackburn railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Blackburn in Lancashire, England. It is east of Preston and is managed and served by Northern Rail.-Description:The station is served by two lines...
& Manchester Victoria from the railway station
Clitheroe railway station
Clitheroe railway station serves the town of Clitheroe in Lancashire, England. The station is the northern terminus of the Ribble Valley Line operated by Northern Rail and is north of Blackburn. The station forms part of the multi-award winning Clitheroe Interchange.- History :The original station...
that are operated by Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
. Usually, services are operated by Class 150
British Rail Class 150
The British Rail Class 150 "Sprinter" diesel multiple units were built by BREL from 1984-87. A total of 137 units were built in three main subclasses, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.- Background :...
trains, but sometimes Class 156
British Rail Class 156
The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
and Class 153 operate the service. The Ribble Valley Rail
Ribble Valley Rail
Ribble Valley Rail is the name the group of volunteers that care for the Hellifield, Clitheroe and Blackburn section of the Ribble Valley Line. They were formed in 1986, hoping they would have services running all the way to Hellifield, but so far have services running only to Clitheroe...
group (community rail group) is campaigning for services from Clitheroe
Clitheroe railway station
Clitheroe railway station serves the town of Clitheroe in Lancashire, England. The station is the northern terminus of the Ribble Valley Line operated by Northern Rail and is north of Blackburn. The station forms part of the multi-award winning Clitheroe Interchange.- History :The original station...
to be extended to Hellifield
Hellifield railway station
Hellifield railway station serves the village of Hellifield in North Yorkshire, England.The station is north west of Leeds on the Leeds to Morecambe Line towards Carlisle and Morecambe. The Ribble Valley Line from Blackburn also meets the Leeds to Morecambe Line at Hellifield which is managed by...
.
Bus services in and around Clitheroe
There are also frequent bus services to the surrounding LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
& Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
settlements. Transdev is the most prominent operator, mainly operating interurban services to other towns in Lancashire, Greater Manchester & West Yorkshire. Other operators include Holmeswood Coaches, M&M Coaches and Tyrer Bus. See list below for more details:
Services Operated By Transdev
Transdev
Transdev was a major international public transport group based in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France and operating in several countries. Originally created as Société centrale pour l'équipement du territoire in 1955 and developing transportation activities since 1973, Transdev was a subsidiary...
Lancashire United
Lancashire United
Transdev Lancashire United is an English bus operator, running mainly in and around the boroughs of Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley. The company was founded in April 2001 following the buyout of Stagecoach Ribble by Blazefield Holdings and has since overcome other operators...
:
- Route 225 .... Clitheroe - WhalleyWhalleyWhalley is a large village in the Ribble Valley on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire, England. It is overlooked by Whalley Nab, a large picturesque wooded hill over the river from the village....
- Blackburn - DarwenDarwenDarwen is a market town and civil parish located within Lancashire, England. Along with its northerly neighbour, Blackburn, it forms the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen — a unitary authority area...
- BoltonBoltonBolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the... - Ribble Valley Express 280 .... SkiptonSkiptonSkipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
- BarnoldswickBarnoldswickBarnoldswick is a town and civil parish within the West Craven area of the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is built in the shadow of Weets Hill, and Stock Beck, a...
- Clitheroe - Whalley - MellorMellor, LancashireMellor is a village situated in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is reasonably large in size for a village, with two churches, one Church of England Parish Church and one Methodist, as well as a primary school, three public houses and a hotel...
- Preston - Ribble Valley Express X80 .... Skipton - West MartonWest MartonWest Marton is a village in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately west of the market town of Skipton and is on the A59 road.Together with East Marton it forms the civil parish of Martons Both....
- Clitheroe - Whalley - Mellor - Preston - Route 231 .... Clitheroe - Whalley - Great Harwood - AccringtonAccringtonAccrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
(Saturday Only)
Routes Run by Other Operators:
- The Mainline 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28 & 29 .... Clitheroe - Whalley - PadihamPadihamPadiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
- BurnleyBurnleyBurnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
- NelsonNelson, LancashireNelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
- ColneColneColne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65, 6 miles north-east of Burnley, with Nelson immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire...
(Transdev Burnley & PendleBurnley & PendleTransdev Burnley & Pendle is a bus operator running within the boroughs of Burnley and Pendle, and into the surrounding areas including Accrington, Keighley and the high profile express service to Manchester...
) - Route 231 .... Clitheroe - Whalley - Great Harwood - AccringtonAccringtonAccrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
(Mon - Fri) (M&M Coaches) - Route 241 .... Clitheroe - Whalley - Great HarwoodGreat HarwoodGreat Harwood is a small town in the Hyndburn district of Lancashire, England, north-east of Blackburn.-History:Great Harwood is a town with a industrial heritage. The Mercer Hall Leisure Centre in Queen Street and the town clock pay tribute to John Mercer , the 'father' of Great Harwood, who...
- Rishton - Clayton-le-MoorsClayton-le-MoorsClayton-le-Moors is a township in Hyndburn in Lancashire, England. The town is locally referred to as 'Clayton'. To the west lies Rishton, to the north Great Harwood, and two miles to the south, Accrington. Clayton-le-Moors is situated on the A680 road alongside the M65 motorway.-Description:It is...
- AccringtonAccringtonAccrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
- Oswaldtwistle - Royal Blackburn Hospital (Not Sunday)(Holmeswood Coaches) - Bowland Transit B10/B11 .... Clitheroe - SlaidburnSlaidburnSlaidburn is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. With a population in 2001 of just under 300, it covers just over 5000 acres of the Forest of Bowland...
circulars (Tyrer Bus) - Bowland Transit B12 .... Clitheroe - ChippingChipping, LancashireChipping is a village and civil parish of the borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England, within the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 1,046....
- GarstangGarstangGarstang is a town and civil parish within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is ten miles north-northwest of the city of Preston and eleven miles south of Lancaster, and had a total resident population of 4,074 in 2001.... - Pendle Witch Hopper 71/72, P70/P71
- Route 71 Nelson - Barroford - Newchurch - Barley - Downham - Chatburn - West Bradford - Waddington - Clitheroe (Sunday only. Continues back to Nelson as Service 72)
- Route 72 Clitheroe - Pendleton - Sabden - Burnley - Nelson (Transdev Burnley & PendleBurnley & PendleTransdev Burnley & Pendle is a bus operator running within the boroughs of Burnley and Pendle, and into the surrounding areas including Accrington, Keighley and the high profile express service to Manchester...
) - Routes P70/P71 .... Nelson - BlackoBlackoBlacko is a village and civil parish within the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 595.The village is on the old turnpike road to Gisburn...
- Barley - Downham - Chatburn - Clitheroe (Mon-Sat) (Tyrer Bus) - Route 5 .... LongridgeLongridgeLongridge is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is situated north-east of the city of Preston, at the western end of Longridge Fell, a long ridge above the River Ribble. Its nearest neighbours are Grimsargh and the Roman town of Ribchester , ...
- RibchesterRibchesterRibchester is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Ribble, northwest of Blackburn and east of Preston.The village has a long history with evidence of Bronze Age beginnings...
- Clitheroe (Holmeswood Coaches) - Route C1 .... Low MoorLow Moor, LancashireLow Moor is a district of the town of Clitheroe, located in Lancashire, England.It has a local club called the Low Moor Reading Room and Club with two snooker tables, one pool table, one dartboard, a few slot machines and much more. Some of the residents of Clitheroe and Low Moor come here to...
- Clitheroe - Peel Park (Tyrer Bus/ Holmeswood Coaches) - Route C2 .... Clitheroe - Low Moor - ChatburnChatburnChatburn is a village located in the Ribble Valley, East Lancashire, England. It is situated in a hollow between two ridges north-east of Clitheroe, just off the A59 road. It lies near Pendle Hill, which is to the east of the village. The River Ribble flows to the west of the town...
- Sawley - Grindelton (Holmeswood Coaches) - Route C4 .... Clitheroe - Peel Park (Mon - Sat Circular) (Holmeswood Coaches)
- Route C5/C15 .... Clitheroe - West Bradford & Waddington Circulars(Holmeswood Coaches)
- Route C25 .... Clitheroe - Whalley - BrockhallBrockhall, LancashireBrockhall is a village in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire and home to the training facilities for Blackburn Rovers F.C. The village is in the civil parish of Billington and Langho...
- Copster Green - Blackburn (Mon - Sat) (Holmeswood Coaches)
Notable people from Clitheroe include:
- Michael BispingMichael BispingMichael Gavin Joseph Bisping is an English mixed martial artist born in Cyprus but living in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He currently fights as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, former Cage Rage light...
, professional UFC fighter. - Simon Horton, rallycross driver.
- John Lund, Eight-time BriSCA F1 Stock Cars World Champion.
- Jeffrey Whittam - Author
Twin Town
Clitheroe is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with a small town in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
- Rivesaltes
Rivesaltes
Rivesaltes is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-People:Rivesaltes was the birthplace of Joseph Joffre , general who became prominent in the battles of World War I.-The Rivesaltes memorial museum:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Further reading
- Thomas Dunham WhitakerThomas Dunham WhitakerThomas Dunham Whitaker was an English clergyman and topographer.-Life:Born at Rainham on 8 June 1759, he was son of William Whitaker , curate of Rainham, Norfolk, by his wife Lucy, daughter of Robert Dunham, and widow of Ambrose Allen...
, An history of the original parish of Whalley, and honor of Clitheroe, 1818 Full text at archive.org - Farrer and Brownbill, The Victoria history of the county of Lancaster Vol 1, 1906 Full text at archive.org
External links
- Clitheroe Town Council
- Clitheroe in the future
- Old Clitheroe
- Clitheroe at GENUKIGENUKIGENUKI is a genealogy web portal, run as a charitable trust. Its aim is "to serve as a "virtual reference library" of genealogical information that is of particular relevance to the UK & Ireland"...
: historical and genealogical information - Clitheroe Advertiser & Times