Rawtenstall
Encyclopedia
Rawtenstall is a town at the centre of the Rossendale Valley
, in Lancashire
, England
. It is the seat for the Borough
of Rossendale
, in which it is located. The town lies 18 miles north of Manchester
, 22 miles east of the county town of Preston and 45 miles south east of Lancaster
. Locally bordering towns include Loveclough
, Haslingden
and Crawshawbooth
.
routen (‘to roar or bellow’), from the Old Norse
rauta and the Old English stall ‘pool in a river’ (Ekwall 1922, 92). The second, more recent one, relates to Rawtenstall’s identification as a cattle farm in 1324 and combines the Old English ruh ‘rough’ and tun-stall ‘the site of a farm’ (Mills 1991, 269), or possibly, ‘buildings occupied when cattle were pastured on high ground’ (Mills 1976, 125).
The earliest settlement at Rawtenstall was probably in the early medieval period, during the time when it formed part of the Forest of Rossendale in the Honour of Clitheroe, and consisted of simple dwellings for forest servants and animals. More substantial buildings may have followed in the 15th and 16th centuries with corn and flour mills.
The town entered a major period of growth during the Industrial Revolution
, as new mills were constructed to process cotton
. The climate and weather were conducive to the industry, as was the town's nearby location to the rapidly developing industrial and mercantile centre at Manchester
, dubbed 'Cottonopolis
'. Only a few of these mills survive today, and none are still operational. During this period, David Whitehead and his brother became important entrepreneurs in the town. They built a number of mills, including one of the earliest mills in the valley, at Lower Mill, and the still existing Ilex Mill. They also built substantial houses for themselves at Holly Mount, as well as large numbers of terraced houses for their workers. The population of Rawtenstall quadrupled in the first half of the 19th century and would double again in the second half. Other industries active in this period included quarrying and small scale coalmining, as well as an expanding commercial sector.
Rawtenstall was incorporated as a municipal borough
in 1891. As with many small mid-Lancashire towns, it saw a population decline in the 20th century, going from 30,000 inhabitants in the 1911 census to 21,500 in the 1971 census. Under the Local Government Act 1972
, the town became part of the Rossendale
district with other settlements. With the decline of the traditional manufacturing industries, shoemaking
became one of the last survivors. The firm of H. W. Tricketts, in nearby Waterfoot, had been a major producer and exporter of footwear across the British Empire
, but eventually the last shoemaking firms closed as production moved overseas.
Rawtenstall is part of the Rossendale and Darwen constituency
, after the constituency of Rossendale
was abolished in 1983. The constituency sends one Member of Parliament
to the House of Commons
. As of June 2009, both Lancashire County Council
and the local council, Rossendale Borough Council
, are controlled by the Conservative Party
.
, Haslingden
and Ramsbottom
. The area is bounded to the north by Loveclough
and Whitewell Bottom, to the east by Waterfoot
and Cowpe and to the south by Townsend Fold and Horncliffe. The River Irwell
passes through the town on the first part of its route between Bacup
and Manchester
. Over recent years the area has become increasingly popular with visitors, attracted by historic buildings, dramatic landscape
s and fine walking
country.
The town is served locally by Rossendale Transport
, with a large bus station close to the centre, as well as frequent express services X43 and X44
to Burnley
, Nelson
and Manchester
run by Transdev Burnley & Pendle
. The town has had bus routes since the early 1930s. Lancashire
and Rossendale
are planning to replace the station with a modern bus interchange. In 2007 a proposal to demolish the station and build a Lidl
store on the site was considered. The new Lidl store was completed in 2009.
Rawtenstall railway station
also serves the town, but since the closure of the main line to Manchester, it now operates mainly as a tourist route, as part of the East Lancashire Railway
, of which Rawtenstall station forms the northern terminus. The M66 motorway
from Manchester is linked to Rawtenstall via the A56 bypass
, allowing for a driving time between Manchester and Rawtenstall of around half an hour.
and All Saints Catholic Language College
. Though located in Waterfoot
, rather than Rawtenstall, the traditional grammar school, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
takes part of its name from the town.
Rawtenstall also has a public library
, built in 1906 with Carnegie
funding.
's local newspaper, the Rossendale Free Press
was originally based here, before being bought out by M.E.N Media in 2009 and subsequently moving to Manchester. Rawtenstall also has one of the largest indoor markets in Rossendale (a sign declaring it to be "probably the friendliest market in the world"), which suffered a serious arson attack in March 2011.
It was home to the North of England's largest dry ski
-slope, before it was closed due to funding cuts. Ski Rossendale was located five minutes from Rawtenstall town centre in the Oakenhead area, directly above Whitaker Park and Rossendale Museum. Over its 40 year existence it had seen world record attempts and was used by Olympic athletes and novice skiers. It re-opened once again in November 2011 with new funding, with a large ceremonial fireworks display on its opening day, Bonfire Night.
It is also home to the traditional herbalist
and temperance bar
Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health, who claim to be the oldest brewers of sarsaparilla
and dandelion and burdock
in the country. Fitzpatrick's gained television acclaim in April 2005 when managers Gareth "G" Hawden and Chris Law won The Famous Sarsaparilla taste-off on ITV
. It is the last bar of its kind in the country of England
.
Rawtenstall Cricket Club
, who compete in the Lancashire League, have their home ground, Worswick Memorial Ground within the town.
Police facilities in Rawtenstall were one of five sites used for the training of new recruits to the Lancashire Constabulary
. In late 2011, due to funding cuts, Rawtenstall police station, along with various other stations in the area, closed down. Rawtenstall is also the location of the area's county
and magistrates' court
s.
Whitaker Park is located on the outskirts of the town centre, and consists of the former house of the mill owner George Hardman, set in extensive landscaped grounds. Donated to the township in the early 20th century for the purposes of civic recreation, the house now contains the Rossendale Museum, whilst the gardens and surrounding land are laid out as a public park. The museum contains exhibits of local history, or displays of the house as it was originally. Part of it is used to house an extensive exhibition of taxidermy
, whilst other areas are used to display art. The park itself has tennis court
s, a bowling green
, basketball
court, a playground
and an aviary
, as well as formal gardens and fountains.
, was born in Rawtenstall in 1964.
The Irwell Sculpture Trail
also runs through the town, where four of the sculptures are located; the Whispering Wall, the Gateway, the Willow Tree and the Bocholt Tree. The last, by sculptor Bernard Tindall, celebrates Rossendale's twinning links with the town of Bocholt, Germany
. The Shoe Trail also hits the outskirts of the town, and goes through nearly places such as Whittaker park.
Rawtenstall has become locally infamous for its deserted and boarded-up shopping centre, in the middle of the town. Since 2003, various deals have been said to take place regarding reconstruction or refurbishment , but so far, no work has commenced. The latest 'deal', in February 2011, between Rossendale Council and the owners of the Rawtenstall centre, Ashcap, is said to "improve Rawtenstall town centre" if it is finalised. The last surviving shop in the Valley Centre, Rawtenstall Post Office
moved to nearby Kay Street in early February to try and spur on the development.
In 1993 the first professional beauty salon in Rawtenstall opened in Ormerod Street and still trades today as Polished Beauty Clinic.
The historian
and antiquarian
George Ormerod
lived in Rawtenstall for a brief period in 1808.
Rossendale Valley
The Rossendale Valley is part of the Forest of Rossendale, an upland area of North West England, in Lancashire. The area is within the Borough of Rossendale...
, 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 the seat for the Borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
, in which it is located. The town lies 18 miles north of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, 22 miles east of the county town of Preston and 45 miles south east of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
. Locally bordering towns include Loveclough
Loveclough
Loveclough is a small hamlet at the centre of the Rossendale Valley, in Lancashire, England. It is located next to Crawshawbooth, a larger town with a school and shops, and Rawtenstall, a larger town that is connected via motorway to cities such as Manchester...
, Haslingden
Haslingden
Haslingden is a small town in Rossendale, Lancashire, England. It is north of Manchester. The name means 'valley of the hazels', though the town is in fact set on a high and windy hill. In the early 20th century Haslingden had the status of a municipal borough, but following local government...
and Crawshawbooth
Crawshawbooth
Crawshawbooth is a small village on the edge of the Pennine Hills in England just north of the market town of Rawtenstall, Lancashire, and just south of Loveclough. It is part of the valley of Rossendale, an ancient royal hunting ground...
.
History
The name Rawtenstall has been given two possible interpretations. The older is a combination of the Middle EnglishMiddle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
routen (‘to roar or bellow’), from the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
rauta and the Old English stall ‘pool in a river’ (Ekwall 1922, 92). The second, more recent one, relates to Rawtenstall’s identification as a cattle farm in 1324 and combines the Old English ruh ‘rough’ and tun-stall ‘the site of a farm’ (Mills 1991, 269), or possibly, ‘buildings occupied when cattle were pastured on high ground’ (Mills 1976, 125).
The earliest settlement at Rawtenstall was probably in the early medieval period, during the time when it formed part of the Forest of Rossendale in the Honour of Clitheroe, and consisted of simple dwellings for forest servants and animals. More substantial buildings may have followed in the 15th and 16th centuries with corn and flour mills.
The town entered a major period of growth during the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, as new mills were constructed to process cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. The climate and weather were conducive to the industry, as was the town's nearby location to the rapidly developing industrial and mercantile centre at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, dubbed 'Cottonopolis
Cottonopolis
Cottonopolis denotes a metropolis of cotton and cotton mills. It was inspired by Manchester, in England, and its status as the international centre of the cotton and textile processing industries during the 19th century...
'. Only a few of these mills survive today, and none are still operational. During this period, David Whitehead and his brother became important entrepreneurs in the town. They built a number of mills, including one of the earliest mills in the valley, at Lower Mill, and the still existing Ilex Mill. They also built substantial houses for themselves at Holly Mount, as well as large numbers of terraced houses for their workers. The population of Rawtenstall quadrupled in the first half of the 19th century and would double again in the second half. Other industries active in this period included quarrying and small scale coalmining, as well as an expanding commercial sector.
Rawtenstall was incorporated as 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...
in 1891. As with many small mid-Lancashire towns, it saw a population decline in the 20th century, going from 30,000 inhabitants in the 1911 census to 21,500 in the 1971 census. Under 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....
, the town became part of the Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
district with other settlements. With the decline of the traditional manufacturing industries, shoemaking
Shoemaking
Shoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
became one of the last survivors. The firm of H. W. Tricketts, in nearby Waterfoot, had been a major producer and exporter of footwear across the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, but eventually the last shoemaking firms closed as production moved overseas.
Governance
Rossendale and Darwen
Rossendale and Darwen is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, after the constituency of Rossendale
Rossendale (UK Parliament constituency)
Rossendale was a parliamentary constituency in the Lancashire, England. Created in 1885, it elected one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system...
was abolished in 1983. The constituency sends one Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. As of June 2009, both Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
and the local council, Rossendale Borough Council
Rossendale Borough Council
Rossendale Borough Council is the local authority for the Rossendale district of Lancashire, in north west England.It was formed on 1 April 1974 as a result of the 1972 Local Government Act and consists of:...
, are controlled by the Conservative Party
Conservative 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...
.
Geography
Its neighbouring communities in the valley are BacupBacup
Bacup is a town within the Rossendale borough of Lancashire, England. It is located amongst the South Pennines, along Lancashire's eastern boundary with West Yorkshire. The town sits within a rural setting in the Forest of Rossendale, amongst the steep-sided upper-Irwell Valley, through which the...
, Haslingden
Haslingden
Haslingden is a small town in Rossendale, Lancashire, England. It is north of Manchester. The name means 'valley of the hazels', though the town is in fact set on a high and windy hill. In the early 20th century Haslingden had the status of a municipal borough, but following local government...
and Ramsbottom
Ramsbottom
Ramsbottom is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. It is situated on the course of the River Irwell, in the West Pennine Moors. Historically within Lancashire, it is located north-northwest of Bury, and north-northwest of Manchester...
. The area is bounded to the north by Loveclough
Loveclough
Loveclough is a small hamlet at the centre of the Rossendale Valley, in Lancashire, England. It is located next to Crawshawbooth, a larger town with a school and shops, and Rawtenstall, a larger town that is connected via motorway to cities such as Manchester...
and Whitewell Bottom, to the east by Waterfoot
Waterfoot, Rossendale
Waterfoot is a small Rossendale mill-town at between Rawtenstall and Bacup in Lancashire where the B6238 from Burnley meets the A681. It is where the River Whitwell meets the River Irwell.- History :...
and Cowpe and to the south by Townsend Fold and Horncliffe. The River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
passes through the town on the first part of its route between Bacup
Bacup
Bacup is a town within the Rossendale borough of Lancashire, England. It is located amongst the South Pennines, along Lancashire's eastern boundary with West Yorkshire. The town sits within a rural setting in the Forest of Rossendale, amongst the steep-sided upper-Irwell Valley, through which the...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Over recent years the area has become increasingly popular with visitors, attracted by historic buildings, dramatic landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
s and fine walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
country.
Transport
Rossendale Transport
Rossendale Transport is a bus operator running within the Borough of Rossendale and into surrounding areas, including Rochdale, Bury, Manchester, Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn and Todmorden...
, with a large bus station close to the centre, as well as frequent express services X43 and X44
The Witch Way
The Witch Way is the current name for the long-standing bus route X43, which runs between Manchester and Nelson, England. The service is currently operated by Transdev Burnley & Pendle.The route has operated continuously since 1948...
to Burnley
Burnley
Burnley 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....
, Nelson
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson 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....
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
run by Transdev Burnley & Pendle
Burnley & Pendle
Transdev 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...
. The town has had bus routes since the early 1930s. Lancashire
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
and Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
are planning to replace the station with a modern bus interchange. In 2007 a proposal to demolish the station and build a 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...
store on the site was considered. The new Lidl store was completed in 2009.
Rawtenstall railway station
Rawtenstall railway station
Rawtenstall railway station serves the town of Rawtenstall in Lancashire, England, and is the northern terminus of the East Lancashire Railway. It was formerly on the national railway network and also had a connection to Bacup as well as Bury and Manchester....
also serves the town, but since the closure of the main line to Manchester, it now operates mainly as a tourist route, as part of the East Lancashire Railway
East Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
, of which Rawtenstall station forms the northern terminus. The M66 motorway
M66 motorway
The M66 is a motorway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England. It is long and provides part of the route between the M62 and M60 motorways and the M65, with the rest being provided by the A56.-Route:...
from Manchester is linked to Rawtenstall via the A56 bypass
A56 road
The A56 is a road in England which extends between the city of Chester in Cheshire and the village of Broughton in North Yorkshire. The road contains a mixture of single and dual carriageway sections, and traverses environments as diverse as the dense urban sprawl of inner city Manchester and the...
, allowing for a driving time between Manchester and Rawtenstall of around half an hour.
Education
The town has a number of primary and secondary (high) schools, including Alder Grange Community and Technology SchoolAlder Grange Community and Technology School
Alder Grange Community and Technology School is a school in the east Lancashire town of Rawtenstall, England. It has specialist school status as a Technology College, held since 1993, and a second specialism in Applied Learning. In 2007 it was designated a High Performing Specialist School...
and All Saints Catholic Language College
All Saints Catholic Language College
All Saints Catholic Language College is a mixed, catholic 11-16 secondary school in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, England...
. Though located in Waterfoot
Waterfoot, Rossendale
Waterfoot is a small Rossendale mill-town at between Rawtenstall and Bacup in Lancashire where the B6238 from Burnley meets the A681. It is where the River Whitwell meets the River Irwell.- History :...
, rather than Rawtenstall, the traditional grammar school, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is a selective co-educational foundation school in Waterfoot, Rossendale, Lancashire, England. The school is named after the two main towns either side of Waterfoot, Bacup and Rawtenstall.-History:...
takes part of its name from the town.
Rawtenstall also has a public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
, built in 1906 with Carnegie
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
funding.
Culture and community
The Rossendale ValleyRossendale Valley
The Rossendale Valley is part of the Forest of Rossendale, an upland area of North West England, in Lancashire. The area is within the Borough of Rossendale...
's local newspaper, the Rossendale Free Press
Rossendale Free Press
The Rossendale Free Press is a weekly newspaper published in Rossendale, Lancashire, England and distributed in Rossendale's four main towns of Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden, and Ramsbottom. It is owned by Greater Manchester Weekly Newspapers, which publishes 19 other newspapers, and its current...
was originally based here, before being bought out by M.E.N Media in 2009 and subsequently moving to Manchester. Rawtenstall also has one of the largest indoor markets in Rossendale (a sign declaring it to be "probably the friendliest market in the world"), which suffered a serious arson attack in March 2011.
It was home to the North of England's largest dry ski
Ski
A ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
-slope, before it was closed due to funding cuts. Ski Rossendale was located five minutes from Rawtenstall town centre in the Oakenhead area, directly above Whitaker Park and Rossendale Museum. Over its 40 year existence it had seen world record attempts and was used by Olympic athletes and novice skiers. It re-opened once again in November 2011 with new funding, with a large ceremonial fireworks display on its opening day, Bonfire Night.
It is also home to the traditional herbalist
Herbalist
An herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
and temperance bar
Temperance Bar
A temperance bar is one of a number of bars, primarily in Lancashire, England during the 19th century, that did not serve alcoholic beverages.In the late 19th century, a number of such bars were established in conjunction with the Temperance Society...
Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health, who claim to be the oldest brewers of sarsaparilla
Sarsaparilla
is a perennial trailing vine with prickly stems that is native to Central America. Common names include Sarsaparilla , Honduran Sarsaparilla, and Jamaican Sarsaparilla...
and dandelion and burdock
Dandelion and burdock
Dandelion and burdock is a traditional British soft drink, drunk in the British Isles since about 1265. Traditionally it is made from fermented dandelion and burdock roots, and is naturally fizzy.- History :...
in the country. Fitzpatrick's gained television acclaim in April 2005 when managers Gareth "G" Hawden and Chris Law won The Famous Sarsaparilla taste-off on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. It is the last bar of its kind in the country 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...
.
Rawtenstall Cricket Club
Rawtenstall Cricket Club
Rawtenstall Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at the Worswick Memorial Ground in Rawtenstall. For the 2011 season its captain is Vinny Hanson, and its professional is Sri Lankan Malinga Bandara. The club has won the league on seven occasions and won...
, who compete in the Lancashire League, have their home ground, Worswick Memorial Ground within the town.
Police facilities in Rawtenstall were one of five sites used for the training of new recruits to the Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Constabulary
Lancashire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the ceremonial county of Lancashire in the North West England. The force's headquarters are at Hutton, near the city of Preston...
. In late 2011, due to funding cuts, Rawtenstall police station, along with various other stations in the area, closed down. Rawtenstall is also the location of the area's county
County Court
A county court is a court based in or with a jurisdiction covering one or more counties, which are administrative divisions within a country, not to be confused with the medieval system of county courts held by the High Sheriff of each county.-England and Wales:County Court matters can be lodged...
and magistrates' court
Magistrates' Court
A magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
s.
Whitaker Park is located on the outskirts of the town centre, and consists of the former house of the mill owner George Hardman, set in extensive landscaped grounds. Donated to the township in the early 20th century for the purposes of civic recreation, the house now contains the Rossendale Museum, whilst the gardens and surrounding land are laid out as a public park. The museum contains exhibits of local history, or displays of the house as it was originally. Part of it is used to house an extensive exhibition of taxidermy
Taxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
, whilst other areas are used to display art. The park itself has tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, a bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
court, a playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
and an aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
, as well as formal gardens and fountains.
Other
Rawtenstall was featured in the television programme Who Do You Think You Are? which was aired on BBC2 at 9PM on 2 February 2006. The subject, actress Jane HorrocksJane Horrocks
Barbara Jane Horrocks is an English voice, stage, screen and television actress, voice artist, musician, and singer. She is best known for her role as "Bubble" in the TV series Absolutely Fabulous as well as her distinctive voice....
, was born in Rawtenstall in 1964.
The Irwell Sculpture Trail
Irwell Sculpture Trail
The Irwell Sculpture Trail is the largest public art scheme in England, commissioning regional, national and international artists. The Trail includes 28 art pieces and follows a well established footpath stretching from Salford Quays through Bury into Rossendale and up to the Pennines above...
also runs through the town, where four of the sculptures are located; the Whispering Wall, the Gateway, the Willow Tree and the Bocholt Tree. The last, by sculptor Bernard Tindall, celebrates Rossendale's twinning links with the town of Bocholt, Germany
Bocholt, Germany
Bocholt is a city in the north-west of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, part of the district Borken. It is situated 4 km south of the border with the Netherlands.-Geography:...
. The Shoe Trail also hits the outskirts of the town, and goes through nearly places such as Whittaker park.
Rawtenstall has become locally infamous for its deserted and boarded-up shopping centre, in the middle of the town. Since 2003, various deals have been said to take place regarding reconstruction or refurbishment , but so far, no work has commenced. The latest 'deal', in February 2011, between Rossendale Council and the owners of the Rawtenstall centre, Ashcap, is said to "improve Rawtenstall town centre" if it is finalised. The last surviving shop in the Valley Centre, Rawtenstall Post Office
Post Office Ltd.
Post Office Ltd is a retail post office company in the United Kingdom that provides a wide range of products including postage stamps and banking to the public through its nationwide network of post office branches.-Structure:Post Office Ltd...
moved to nearby Kay Street in early February to try and spur on the development.
In 1993 the first professional beauty salon in Rawtenstall opened in Ormerod Street and still trades today as Polished Beauty Clinic.
Notable people
- Elizabeth BainbridgeElizabeth BainbridgeElizabeth Bainbridge is a retired opera singer from West Sussex, England. Her career in singing spans several decades, the majority of her successes being achieved whilst being a member of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London...
- opera singer - Ernest TomlinsonErnest TomlinsonErnest Tomlinson is an English composer, particularly noted for his Light music compositions. He is sometimes credited as Alan Perry.-Life:...
- composer - Jane HorrocksJane HorrocksBarbara Jane Horrocks is an English voice, stage, screen and television actress, voice artist, musician, and singer. She is best known for her role as "Bubble" in the TV series Absolutely Fabulous as well as her distinctive voice....
- actress - Jennie McAlpineJennie McAlpineJennie Elizabeth McAlpine is a British television actress and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Fiz Stape in the well known British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
- actress - Lee CartwrightLee CartwrightLee Cartwright is a footballer playing for Hyde United in the Conference North who made his mark as a midfielder with Preston North End.-Early years:...
- footballer - Winston PlaceWinston PlaceWinston Place was an English cricketer who played in 3 Tests in 1948. An opening batsman for Lancashire, he shared a prolific partnership with Cyril Washbrook and was part of the county championship winning side of 1950...
- England Test match cricketer
The historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
George Ormerod
George Ormerod
George Ormerod was an English antiquary and historian. Amongst his writings was a major account of the history of Cheshire, a county in northwestern England.-Biography:...
lived in Rawtenstall for a brief period in 1808.
External links
- East Lancashire Railway
- Rossendale Free Press
- Rossendale Borough Council
- Ski Rossendale
- Rossendale Rugby Union Club
- Rossendale United FC official site
- Rossendale Transport
- Transdev Burnley & Pendle
- Mr Fitzpatrick's of Rawtenstall - the UKs last Temperance Bar. Traditional Cordials and Soft Drinks of rawtenstall
- Rossendale Local Business Search