View source for Darwen

{{about|the town in Lancashire|the similarly named river which runs through the town|River Darwen}}
{{Other uses}}
{{distinguish|text=any of the possible meanings of [[Darwin (disambiguation)|Darwin]]}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name            = Darwen
| country                  = England
| area_total_km2           = 7.58
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="Census KS01">[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=224 KS01 Usual resident population: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas], [[Office for National Statistics]]</ref>
| population               = 31,570
| population_ref           =<ref name="Census KS01"/> ([[2001 United Kingdom census|2001 census]])
| population_density       = {{convert|4165|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref name="Census KS01"/>
| os_grid_reference        = SD695225
| coordinates              = {{coord|53.698|-2.461|display=inline,title}}
| civil_parish             = Darwen
| unitary_england          = [[Blackburn with Darwen]]
| lieutenancy_england      = [[Lancashire]]
| region                   = North West England
| constituency_westminster = [[Rossendale and Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)|Rossendale and Darwen]]
| population_demonym       = Darrener
| post_town                = DARWEN
| postcode_district        = BB3
| postcode_area            = BB
| dial_code                = 01254
| london_distance          =
| static_image = {{multiple images|perrow=1 2|align=center|total_width=280px|border=infobox
| image1 = Darwen - Market Hall and Parliament Street - geograph.org.uk - 4188623.jpg
| image2 = Jubilee Tower, Darwen.jpg
| image3 = St Peter's Church, Darwen - geograph.org.uk - 4058542.jpg
| image4 = India Mill, Darwen - geograph.org.uk - 3029782.jpg
| image5 = Darwen town centre from Darwen Moor - geograph.org.uk - 2065283.jpg
}}
| static_image_caption = {{ubl|From left to right:|Top: Darwen [[Darwen Town Hall|Town Hall]]|Middle: [[Darwen Tower|Jubilee Tower]] and [[St Peter's Church, Darwen|Parish Church]]|Bottom: [[India Mill]] with surrounding properties and skyline from Darwen Moor}}
| pushpin_map              = United Kingdom Blackburn with Darwen
| pushpin_map_caption      = Shown within Blackburn with Darwen
}}
'''Darwen''' is a [[market town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[Blackburn with Darwen]] borough in [[Lancashire]], England. The residents of the town are known as "Darreners".
The [[A666 road|A666]] road passes through Darwen towards [[Blackburn]] to the north, [[Bolton]] to the south and [[Pendlebury]] where it joins the [[A6 road (England)|A6]], about {{convert|18|mi|km|0}} north-west of [[Manchester]]. The population of Darwen stood at 28,046 in the 2011 census. The town comprises four wards and has its own town council.
The town stands on the [[River Darwen]], which flows from south to north and is seen in parks in the town centre and next to Sainsbury's located in the town centre.
==Toponym==
Darwen's name is [[Celtic Britons|Celtic]] in origin. In [[Sub Roman Britain]] it was within the [[Celtic Britons|Brythonic]] kingdom of [[Rheged]], a successor to the [[Brigantes]] tribal territory.
The [[Brythonic languages|Brythonic language]] name for oak is ''derw'' and this is etymologically linked to ''Derewent'' (1208), an ancient spelling for the [[River Darwen]].<ref name="Mills"/> Despite the area becoming part of the [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[Kingdom of Northumbria]] by the mid-8th century, its Brythonic name was never supplanted by an [[Old English]] place name.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
==History==
[[File:Darwen, St. Peter's - geograph.org.uk - 635073.jpg|thumb|[[St Peter's Church, Darwen|St Peter's church]], the main parish church of Darwen]]
The area around Darwen has been inhabited since the early [[Bronze Age]], and the remains of a [[round barrow]] from approximately 2000 BCE have been partially restored at the Ashleigh Barrow<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3014 |title=Ashleigh Barrow |publisher=The Modern Antiquarian |access-date=15 November 2009}}</ref> in Whitehall. The barrow had ten interments, nine of which were Collared Urn burials. As well as human remains, items found at the barrow included a bronze dagger some 7.5 inches in length, a flint thumb scraper, a sub-plano-convex knife and a clay bead.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Barrowclough|first1=David |date=2010 |title=Dating the Early Bronze Age in Northern England: Comparison with Ireland, Scotland and Wales |journal=Cambridge: Red Dagger Press |url= https://www.academia.edu/7911753}}</ref> Copies of the Collared Urns may be seen at the [[Darwen Library]].
The [[Roman Britain|Romans]] once had a force in Lancashire, and a [[Roman roads in Britain|Roman road]] is visible on the [[Ordnance Survey]] map of the area. Medieval Darwen was tiny and little or nothing survives. One of the earliest remaining buildings is a farmhouse at Bury Fold, dated 1675.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1072437&resourceID=5 |title=Bury Fold |publisher=Heritage Gateway |access-date=8 May 2011}}</ref> Whitehall Cottage is thought to be the oldest house in the town, and was mostly built in the 17th and 18th centuries but contains a chimney piece dated 1557.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/documents/historictowns/DarwenComplete_LowRes.pdf |title=Darwen: Historic Town Assessment Report |work=Lancashire Historic Town Survey Programme |publisher=Lancashire County Council |date=May 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612215338/http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/documents/historictowns/DarwenComplete_LowRes.pdf |archive-date=12 June 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1072410&resourceID=5 |title=Gable End Cottage, Whitehall, Whitehall Cottages |publisher=Heritage Gateway |access-date=8 May 2011}}</ref>
Like many towns in Lancashire, Darwen was a centre for [[textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution]]. [[Samuel Crompton]], inventor of the [[spinning mule]], lived there for part of his life.<ref>{{cite book |title=The life and times of Samuel Crompton, inventor of the spinning machine known as the mule |last=French |first=Gilbert James |year=1859 |page=196 |publisher=Simpkin, Marshall |location =London |oclc=218459536}}</ref> Rail links and the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]] arrived in the mid-19th century. The most important textile building in Darwen is India Mill, built by [[Eccles Shorrock]] & Company. The company was ruined, however, by the effects of the [[Lancashire Cotton Famine]] of the 1860s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/darwenandcotton00nichgoog/darwenandcotton00nichgoog_djvu.txt|title=Darwen and the Cotton Famine Thirty Years Ago 1862-1864|first=J. J. |last=Riley|publisher=The Free Press, Rawtenstall|year=1894}}</ref> Cotton manufacture was an important industry, and by 1907, the [[Darwen Weavers', Winders' and Warpers' Association]] had more than 8,000 members in the town.<ref name="marsh">{{cite book|last1=Marsh|first1=Arthur|last2=Ryan|first2=Victoria|last3=Smethurst|first3=John B.|title=Historical Directory of Trade Unions|volume=4|date=1994|publisher=Ashgate|location=Farnham|isbn=9780859679008|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historicaldirect0004mars/page/106 106–107]|url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldirect0004mars/page/106}}</ref>
Much of the town was built between about 1850 and 1900; placenames, date stones in terraces, and the vernacular architecture of cellars, local stone, locally-made brick, pipework and tiles and leaded glass, the last now mostly gone, reflect this. It was one of the first places in the world to have steam trams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lancashirepast.com/2015/08/02/steam-tram-turning-triangle-and-twin-waiting-rooms-darwen/|title=Steam Tram Turning Triangle and Twin Waiting Rooms, Darwen|date=2 August 2015 |publisher=Lancashire Past|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
[[File:Gandhi at Darwen.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mahatma Gandhi]] in Darwen, 26 September 1931 with [[Mirabehn]] (Madeleine Slade).]]
[[Andrew Carnegie]] financed a [[Darwen Library|public library]] here; the town also had an art and technology college and a grammar school.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/bygones/13763935.way-darwen-grammar-school/|title=Darwen Grammar School|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=16 September 2015|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
In 1931, Darwen was visited by [[Mahatma Gandhi]], he had accepted the invitation from Corder Catchpool, Quaker manager of the Spring Vale Garden Village Ltd, to see the effects of India's boycott of cotton goods.<ref>Hughes, William R: ''Indomitable Friend, the Life of Corder Catchpool 1883-1952''; p.60</ref>
India Mill is now home to many companies, including Brookhouse (producers of [[aeroplane]] parts) and [[Capita Group]], which runs [[Television licensing in the United Kingdom|TV licensing]]. Since the 1950s, the textile industry has strongly declined in the region, although many industrial buildings from the period survive, now used for other purposes. India Mill and its chimney have been sold in a £12 million deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/871105.12m-deal-guarantees-new-jobs-india-mill/|title=£12m deal guarantees new jobs for India Mill|work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=9 August 2006|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
Among Darwen's other notable industries are [[Crown Paints]], formerly Walpamur Paints,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://patrickbaty.co.uk/?p=10645 |title=Walpamur &#124; Patrick Baty – Historical paint consultant |website=Patrickbaty.co.uk |date=2011-11-15 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> the earliest British paint manufacturer, which named one of its paints 'Darwen Satin Finish'. [[Crown Wallpaper]] manufactured wallpaper, [[Lincrusta]] and [[Anaglypta]] in the town. [[Imperial Chemical Industries|ICI Acrylics]] (now called Lucite International) was where [[acrylic glass]] (Perspex for windows and signage, and Sani-ware or Lucite used for the manufacture of baths and shower trays) was invented; it is still manufactured in two separate plants within the town. [[Supermarine Spitfire|Spitfire]] canopies and (later) coloured polythene washing-up bowls were first made here.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5848008.darwens-secret-weapon/|title=We're Darwen's secret weapon|date=13 April 2004|work=Lancashire Telegraph|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref> A [https://darwenheritagecentre.org.uk Heritage Centre] opened in 2016<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-13 |title=Heritage centre set to open its doors in Darwen for the first time |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/14553528.heritage-centre-set-open-doors-darwen-first-time/ |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>
==Governance==
The [[municipal borough]] of Darwen existed for ninety-six years, from 1878. The borough was merged with Blackburn in 1974 under the [[Local Government Act 1972]]. The town became part of the Lancashire non-metropolitan district of Blackburn, which was renamed [[Blackburn with Darwen]] in 1997, shortly before it became a [[unitary authority]].
The population of the town declined from 40,000 in the 1911 census to 30,000 in the 1971 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10109437&c_id=10001043&add=N |title=Darwen MB: Total Population |publisher=Visionofbritain.org.uk |access-date=15 November 2009}}</ref>
Locally, Darwen has been represented by Labour, Conservative and [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] councillors in the main council wards for the town. In the [[2008 Blackburn with Darwen Council election|2008 local elections]], the [[For Darwen Party]] picked up the majority of the wards in the town to put pressure on [[Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council]] for Darwen to have its own council again. In April 2009 [[Darwen Town Council]] was formed.<ref name="founded">{{cite web |title=Darwen Town Council formed |date=2 April 2009 |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/4256380.darwen-town-council-formed/ |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]]| first=Catherine |last=Pye |access-date=9 May 2024}}</ref>
There are five council wards within Darwen out of the 23 in the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen. These are:
* [[Earcroft]]
* [[Marsh House, Darwen|Marsh House]]
* Sudell
* Sunnyhurst
* Whitehall<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.2967 |title=Darwen town council election results 2009 |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |year=2009 |access-date=24 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401092109/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.2967 |archive-date=1 April 2012 }}</ref>
Darwen had its [[Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)|own parliamentary constituency]] until 1983 when it became part of the present [[Rossendale and Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)|Rossendale and Darwen]] constituency. This seat is currently held by Member of Parliament [[Andy MacNae]].
===Coat of arms===
The [[coat of arms]] for Darwen should not be confused with the coat of arms used by the unitary authority of [[Blackburn with Darwen]], which is the coat of arms for Blackburn.
[[File:Darwen Coat of Arms.jpg|thumb|Darwen coat of arms as depicted in a recovered stained glass window at Royal Blackburn Hospital]]
[[File:Darwen Crest.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Coat of arms]] of Darwen as depicted on the main gates of Bold Venture Park]]
Darwen was granted its coat of arms on 7 August 1878.<ref name="test">{{cite web|url=http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Darwen |title=Heraldry of the world – Darwen |website=Ngw.nl |access-date=2018-03-15}}</ref> At the foot of the coat of arms is the town motto in Latin ''Absque Labore Nihil'', which translates as "Nothing without labour". The arms depicts three cotton bolls and the [[River Darwen]] which runs through the town. The cotton represents the [[Cotton mill|cotton industry]] in which the town grew and prospered during the [[Industrial Revolution]] and the three bolls to represent the three main areas of Darwen – Over Darwen, [[Lower Darwen]] and [[Hoddlesden]]. At the helm of the coat of arms is a barred [[Helmet (heraldry)|helmet]] representing nobility, and above it the [[torse]] in the town colours of blue and gold. At the crest a man stands shouldering a [[pickaxe]], which refers to the town's motto and also represents the mining industry that was present to the east of the town at that time.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Blackburn with Darwen}}
After the passing of the [[Education Act 1870]], many schools were established to serve the ever-growing population. Many were later demolished.
[[Darwen Aldridge Community Academy]] opened in September 2008 at the premises of the former Darwen Moorland High School on the outskirts of the town, which had closed in July 2008 to reopen as the [[Academy (English school)|academy]] after the summer holidays. All pupils from Darwen Moorland transferred to the academy. Pupils have subsequently moved down to the new site, into a state-of-the-art £49m academy, with sixth form and modern facilities.<ref name=taf>{{cite web|title=Darwen Aldridge Community Academy|url=http://www.aldridgefoundation.com/darwen_academy|publisher=The Aldridge Foundation |access-date=25 February 2013|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402233708/http://www.aldridgefoundation.com/darwen_academy|archive-date=2 April 2013}}</ref>
[[Darwen Vale High School]] was temporarily moved to the old Moorland site whilst a new build was completed on the original site. The original school façade was incorporated into the new build, and Darwen Vale transferred back to the original site in 2012. However, the move had caused major issues with the management at the school, which led to the head leaving and a new head taking over in 2013. Later in 2013, [[Ofsted]] ruled that the school was failing and the government ordered the school's conversion to academy status, sponsored by the [[Aldridge Foundation]], despite teaching staff and parents protesting governmental imposition on the school's management.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10866383.1_000_sign_petition_about_Darwen_Vale_s_future/|title=1,000 sign petition about Darwen Vale's future|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=10 December 2013|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=3 December 2013|title=Darwen school faces forced academy status|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10850888.Darwen_school_faces_forced_academy_status/|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=5 December 2014|title=Darwen Vale High School Converts to Academy|url=http://www.darwenvale.com/darwen-vale-high-school-converts-to-academy/|access-date=15 March 2018|work=darwenvale.com|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304080951/http://www.darwenvale.com/darwen-vale-high-school-converts-to-academy/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In September 2013 [[Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio]] opened and in 2014 the school moved to its permanent home in the renovated former Model Lodging House on Police Street.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11472170.Darwen_studio_school_moves_into_new_home/#comments-anchor|title=Darwen studio school moves into new home|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=13 September 2014|access-date=15 March 2018}}</ref>
In January 2022 Crosshill School completed a £2million move from Blackburn Central High School to the vacant Sunnyhurst Centre on Salisbury Road, with the move adding extra places at the school, Crosshill is part of the Champion Education Trust.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Bill |date=2023-03-29 |title=Thriving special educational needs school in Darwen set to expand |url=https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/thriving-special-educational-needs-school-26575479 |access-date=2024-05-01 |website=Lancs Live}}</ref>
==Geography==
{{Geographic location
| title     = '''Neighbouring towns, villages and places.'''
| Northwest = [[Feniscowles]]
| North     = [[Blackburn]]
| Northeast = [[Accrington]]
| West      = [[Leyland, Lancashire|Leyland]]
| Centre    = Darwen
| East      = [[Haslingden]]
| Southwest = [[Chorley]]
| South     = [[Bolton]]
| Southeast = [[Edgworth]]
}}
[[File:BlackburnDarwenSpace.jpg|thumb|NASA Landsat 7 image of Blackburn (North) and Darwen (South)]]
===Location===
Darwen is located amid the [[West Pennine Moors]] south of [[Blackburn]], it stands within a valley with the [[River Darwen]] flowing at its base. The river passes through the town from south to north, subsequently joining the [[River Ribble]], which flows into the [[Irish Sea]] between [[Lytham St Annes]] and [[Southport]]. The [[A666 road]] follows the valley through the town centre as part of its route from the [[Ribble Valley]], north of Blackburn, to [[Bolton]] and the boundary between [[Pendlebury]] and [[Irlams o' th' Height]] in [[City of Salford|Salford]]. The town's weather conditions made it perfect for cotton weaving and as a result it became one of the largest [[mill town]]s in Lancashire.
The [[Guinness Book of Records]] records that Darwen had one of the largest [[flash flood]]s in the United Kingdom, in 1848; 12 people died.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/9794733.Darwen_flood_tragedy_recalled_in_new_sculpture_trail_around_reservoir/|title=Darwen flood tragedy recalled in new sculpture trail around reservoir|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=3 July 2012|access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishdams.org/assets/documents/Small%20Raised%20Reservoirs%20Rev1.pdf|title=Small Raised Reservoirs – the need for regulation|website=Britishdams.org|access-date=2016-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515173706/http://www.britishdams.org/assets/documents/Small%20Raised%20Reservoirs%20Rev1.pdf|archive-date=15 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Landmarks==
===Darwen Jubilee Tower===
{{main|Jubilee Tower}}
[[File:Jubilee Tower 6331.jpg|right|thumb|175px|Darwen Jubilee Tower]]
In 1897 the town council met to deliberate how best to celebrate [[Queen Victoria]]'s [[Diamond Jubilee]]. The idea of building the [[Jubilee Tower]], in conjunction with public access to the moors, was put forward. A competition to design the tower was won by Ralph Ellison from the borough engineer's department and on 22 June 1897 work began. On 24 September 1898 the opening ceremony was held, attended by over 3,000 people. Present at the ceremony were Councillor Alexander Carus, Mayor Charles Huntington, the [[High Sheriff of Lancashire]] and [[Lord of the Manor]] Rev. W.A. Duckworth.
The tower, which is open to the public, overlooks the town from the [[Moorland|moors]] and stands at an altitude of 1,227&nbsp;ft (374m) and has a height of 85&nbsp;ft (26m). A spiral staircase leads to the top from where, on a clear day, [[Blackpool Tower]], the [[Isle of Man]], [[North Wales]] and the [[Furness Peninsula]] can be seen. In November 2010 the dome of the tower was blown off by strong winds. The dome was restored in January 2012.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-16551591 | publisher=BBC News | title=Darwen Tower dome lifted into place by helicopter | date=13 January 2012}}</ref>
===Darwen Library===
[[File:Darwen Library.jpg|thumb|left|Darwen Library as seen from Railway Road]]
Originally situated in the Peel Street, the library was transferred to the new technical school building in 1895.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book |first=Graham |last=Groom |title= Arsque Labore Nihil. Historical and Contemporary Jottings on Darwen 1889-1993 |publisher=Little Darren Books |location=Darwen |year=1993 |oclc=	29389745}}</ref>
Today, Darwen Library stands at the corner of Knott Street and School Street to the north of the Circus. It was commissioned by [[Andrew Carnegie]], a Scottish migrant to the USA who made his fortune as a producer of iron and steel. He donated £8,000 in response to a speculative appeal for funds by the Library Committee. The opening took place on 27 May 1908 and was attended by Mayor Councillor G.P. Holde, Councillor Ralph Yates and Carnegie himself. The library has served the town ever since, with the original lecture hall being transformed into the Library Theatre in June 1971.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> On 27&nbsp;April 2017 the library and theatre were designated as a Grade&nbsp;II [[Listed building#England and Wales|listed building]].<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num= 1440564|desc= Darwen Library and Theatre, and attached railings|access-date= 28 April 2017|mode=cs2}}</ref>
===Darwen Town Hall===
[[File:Darwen Town Hall.jpg|thumb|[[Darwen Town Hall]]]]
[[Darwen Town Hall]] was opened on 11 July 1882 and the clock tower was added in 1899 when Dr. James Ballantyne became mayor.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In the 1920s part of the market ground was made into the town's bus station which still remains today. Although local government proceedings were transferred to Blackburn in the 1970s, the council chambers remained in the building, and were used by the [[magistrates' court (England and Wales)|magistrates' court]] from 1983 until 1992.<ref name="towntrail"/> The town hall currently houses offices of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and the local [[Neighbourhood Policing Team]],<ref name="worries"/> and is a venue for meetings of the Darwen Town Council established in 2009.<ref name="towncouncil"/> Five shop units opened in 2011.<ref name="townhallshops"/>
===Parks===
Darwen has four parks. Three of the parks in Darwen are on the west of the main road through the town, with paths leading to countryside and to Jubilee Tower. The fourth, and newest park, is Ashton Park, which is on the east side of Bolton Road, just behind the Spinners Arms public house.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
====Bold Venture Park====
[[File:Bold Venture Park.jpg|thumb|Bold Venture Park from the main entrance. The picture also shows the Darwen War Memorial]]
Bold Venture Park stands to the west of the town, at the foot of the moors and the path which leads to the Jubilee Tower. The land in which the park lies was bought by Darwen Corporation from Rev. W.A. Duckworth. It was designed by R. W. Smith-Saville, the borough engineer, and opened in 1889.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/bold-venture-park|title=Bold Venture Park|website=Parks & Gardens|date=1999|access-date=21 July 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Sunnyhurst.jpg|thumb|Sunnyhurst Wood]]
====Sunnyhurst Wood====
Sunnyhurst Wood was originally owned by the Brock-Hollinshead family and used for hunting stag. The area was later sold to Eccles Shorrock. To commemorate the [[Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra|coronation of Edward VII]] the land was turned into a public park on 2 July 1903.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Darwen celebrates as town gets a third park|first=Neil|last=Athey|page=22|date=2 July 2019|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph}}</ref>
====Whitehall Park====
Whitehall Park is a {{convert|16|acre|adj=on}} park in the south of the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blackburn.gov.uk/parks-and-playgrounds/whitehall-park|title=Whitehall Park|publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council|access-date=21 July 2019|archive-date=21 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721111649/https://blackburn.gov.uk/parks-and-playgrounds/whitehall-park|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was opened in 1879 on land acquired from John Adamson.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/whitehall-park-darwen|title=Whitehall Park|website=Parks & Gardens|date=1999|access-date=21 July 2019}}</ref>
==Transport==
Darwen sits in a large valley strung along the [[A666 road]] along the valley floor. It is connected to the motorway system at Junction 4 of the [[M65 motorway|M65]] at Earcroft, on the town's northern boundary, and considerable traffic passes through the town centre along the A666, causing high levels of air pollution. The local council has recently attempted to address the situation by adding a new road layout to the town centre, with public transport and junction improvements to reduce traffic.
Darwen stands along the [[Ribble Valley Line|Ribble Valley railway line]], operated by [[Northern (train operating company)|Northern]]. [[Darwen railway station]] has up to two trains per hour between [[Blackburn]] and [[Rochdale]] (via [[Bolton]] and [[Manchester]]); one train per hour continues beyond Blackburn to [[Clitheroe]].
Darwen's bus terminal (Darwen Circus) hosts buses up to every 12 minutes to Blackburn/Accrington on weekdays. There is also a service, every 20 minutes on weekdays and hourly on Sundays, to Bolton and Clitheroe, but the Bolton service terminates at 7:00pm. Both services are operated by [[Blackburn Bus Company]].
In 2008 the "Pennine Reach" scheme, to improve public transport between Darwen, Blackburn and Hyndburn, was proposed by [[Lancashire County Council|Lancashire]] and [[Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council|Blackburn with Darwen]] councils, including plans for the addition of [[bus lane]]s to the A666. However, it has been controversial, with some residents placing "Say no to Bus Lane, we don't want it" signs in their windows, and the neighbouring district of [[Hyndburn]] pulled out of the scheme.<ref>{{cite news | title=Major blow for bus lane | first=David | last=Watkinson | work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] | date=18 July 2008 | page=5 | location = Blackburn}}</ref> The scheme was put on hold in 2010 as local authorities reviewed their spending after their budgets were cut, before being abandoned later in the year due to lack of government funding, and the councils are now looking at other ways to improve public transport.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/lancashire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8741000/8741740.stm |title=Lancashire councils budgeting for spending cuts |publisher=BBC News |date=16 June 2010 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/8746986.East_Lancs_bus_scheme_could_be_back_on/ |title=Parts of East Lancashire bus lane scheme to be revived |first=Chris |last=Hopper |work=Lancashire Telegraph |location=Blackburn |date=19 December 2010 |access-date=24 March 2011}}</ref>
[[File:06 Darwen, UK.jpg|thumb|Aerial view with M65 motorway visible in top of the image, above Darwen]]
In 2004 Crown Wallcoverings, previously one of the biggest businesses in the town, closed with the loss of more than 200 jobs.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/3152548.stm |title=Wallpaper factory to close|publisher=BBC |date=30 September 2003|access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref> The Crown building was a large redbrick ten-storey building with numerous chimneys. In 2006 the empty building and the 200&nbsp;foot (60 m) chimney was demolished.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/811005.towns-farewell-landmark-mill/|title=Town's farewell to landmark mill|date=28 June 2006|work=Lancashire Telegraph|access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref>
==Culture and community==
The Darwen News published a Maudley Medley on 9 March 1878:
<blockquote>
'Tween two hillsides, both bleak and barren,<br />
Lies lovely little "Dirty Darren"<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
</blockquote>
The locals refer to themselves as ''Darreners''. They are generally resistant to any attempts at submerging the identity of the town within Blackburn.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/archive/2004/05/27/Lancashire+Archive/5838873.Hands_off_our_name__say_Darreners/ |title="''Hands off our name''", say Darreners |work= Lancashire Telegraph |location=Blackburn |date=27 May 2004 |access-date=4 June 2011}}</ref> A [[motorway service area]] at junction 4 of the [[M65 motorway]] lies within the town, and was originally named "Blackburn Services". Following local protests it was renamed "Blackburn with Darwen Services".<ref>{{cite news|date=3 September 2003|title=MP steps up M65 name campaign|work=Lancashire Telegraph|location=Blackburn|url=http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/archive/2003/09/03/Lancashire+Archive/5884245.MP_steps_up_M65_name_campaign/|access-date=4 June 2011}}</ref>
The town is the home of the Darwen Library Theatre (an extension to the library), and the TV show ''[[Hetty Wainthropp Investigates]]''.
Darwen has a few footnotes in entertainment history: its theatre (now demolished) had appearances by [[Charlie Chaplin]], and it featured in the film, ''[[There Was a Crooked Man (1960 film)|There Was a Crooked Man]]'', which starred [[Norman Wisdom]] and [[Alfred Marks]].
[[The Beatles]] played in Darwen on Friday 25 January 1963, at the Co-operative Hall. They headlined "The Greatest Teenage Dance" which was commissioned by the Darwen Baptist Youth Club. Support acts included the Electones, the Mike Taylor Combo and the Mustangs with Ricky Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beatlesbible.com/1963/01/25/live-co-operative-hall-darwen/ |title=25 January 1963: Live: Co-operative Hall, Darwen |publisher=The Beatles Bible |date=1963-01-25 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>
===Religion===
The Parish Church of Darwen is [[St Peter's Church, Darwen|St Peter's]], a large and active Anglican church consecrated in 1829. Further Anglican Churches in Darwen include [[St Cuthbert's Church, Darwen|St Cuthbert's]] (consecrated in 1878) serving the north of the town, and [[St Barnabas' Church, Darwen|St Barnabas']] (built 1884) serving the south.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stpeterschurchdarwen.org/ |title=St Peter's Church Darwen |website=Stpeterschurchdarwen.org |date=2012-05-16 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stcuthbertwithststephen.org/st-cuthberts | title=St. Cuthbert's }}</ref>
Darwen Methodist Church meets on two sites in the town, at Bright Street and Spring Vale.<ref>https://www.darwenmethodists.co.uk/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}</ref>
The Medina Mosque and Islamic Centre, Darwen's first [[mosque]], is located on Victoria Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mosquedirectory.co.uk/mosques/England/Lancashire/darwen/darwen-central/madina-mosque-and-islamic-centre-darwen-lancashire/815 |title=Madina Mosque and Islamic Centre (Darwen, Lancashire) – Comprehensive Complete Directory Search Listings of Muslim Mosques in the United Kingdom |website=Mosquedirectory.co.uk |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>
Faizaan e Jamal e Mustafa, Darwen's second [[mosque]], is located on Railway Road. It was opened in 2018.
===Music===
Darwen has its own music school, Darwen School of Music (formerly Elite School of Music), situated on Blackburn Road. The school has a majority focus on popular music.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/18037094.darwen-music-school-links-marc-bolan-sierra-leone/|title=Darwen School of Music links with Marc Bolan and Sierra Leone|date=15 November 2019|work=Lancashire Telegraph|access-date=25 December 2020}}</ref>
Darwen Live (formerly Darwen Music Live) is a free two-day music festival held each year over the second bank holiday in May. The main stage is built outside the town hall, and other smaller music stages are usually based around the town in pubs and bars. The festival has attracted artists such as [[Buzzcocks]], [[China Crisis]], [[Toyah (band)|Toyah]] and [[Paul Young]], as well as being a showcase for local bands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.37946 |title=Darwen Live 2008 |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |date=25 May 2008 |access-date=15 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607024246/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.37946 |archive-date=7 June 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/16069722.Darwen_Live_announces_music_festival_headliners/ | title=Darwen live festival headliners announced | newspaper=The Lancashire Telegraph | date=7 March 2018 | access-date=26 May 2018}}</ref>
Darwen has one of the oldest [[brass band]]s in the country. Now named Blackburn and Darwen Band, its roots can be traced back to 1840.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibew.org.uk/cach-blac1.htm|title=Blackburn and Darwen Band|website=The Internet Bandsman's Everything Within|access-date=31 December 2014|archive-date=22 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922101706/http://www.ibew.org.uk/cach-blac1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blackburnanddarwen.moonfruit.com/about-us/4553169468|title=About us|website=Blackburn & Darwen Band|access-date=31 December 2014}}</ref> Another brass band, Darwen Brass, was formed in 2007 and under MD Steve Hartley has enjoyed many notable competition successes, including 4th section wins throughout the North West.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://brassbandresults.co.uk/bands/darwen-brass/ |title=Darwen Brass |publisher =Brass Band Results |year=2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.darwenbrass.co.uk/#!about-us/cjg9|access-date=31 December 2014|website=Darwen Brass}}</ref> In 2012 Darwen Brass qualified for the [[National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain|National Brass Band Championships]], finishing 5th.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://brassbandresults.co.uk/bands/darwen-brass/ |title=Darwen Brass |publisher=Brass Band Results |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> The band was promoted to the 3rd section from the start of 2013.
===Media===
Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC North West]] and [[ITV Granada]]. Television signals are received from the [[Winter Hill transmitting station|Winter Hill]] and the local relay transmitters.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Winter_Hill |title=Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter |date=May 2004 |publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Darwen |title=Freeview Light on the Darwen (Blackburn with Darwen, England) transmitter|publisher=UK Free TV |access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref>
Local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Lancashire]], [[Heart North West]], [[Smooth North West]], [[Capital Manchester and Lancashire]], [[Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire]], and [[106.5 Central Radio|Central Radio North West]], a community based station.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.central.radio/about-us/|title=About Us – Central Radio |access-date=26 September 2023}}</ref>
The [[Lancashire Telegraph]] is the local newspaper that covers the town.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-nw/lancashire-telegraph/|title=Lancashire Telegraph|date=30 May 2014|website=British Papers|accessdate=5 November 2023}}</ref>
===Sport===
The town was the home of [[Darwen F.C. (1870)|Darwen Football Club]], formed in 1870 and the world's first football club to have paid professional players.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darwenonline.com/2009/01/darwen-fc-and-first-professional.html |title=Darwen FC and the first professional footballer |publisher=Darwen Online Blog |date=5 January 2009 |access-date=15 November 2009}}</ref> The team reached the semi-final of the [[FA Cup]] in 1880-81 and played in [[the Football League]] at the [[Barley Bank]] ground between 1891 and 1899. The club was wound up at the end of the 2008–09 season and replaced almost immediately by [[A.F.C. Darwen]]. The new club plays in the First Division North of the [[North West Counties Football League]] and is based at the Anchor Ground.
The town has a strong cricketing tradition and [[Darwen Cricket Club]] was originally founded in the late 1800s as Darwen Etrurians CC playing at Barley Bank. The current club was constituted in 1911 and since 1920 has been based at Birch Hall Cricket Ground. The club was a founder member of the Northern League in 1951 winning that competition five times before successfully applying to play in the [[Lancashire League (cricket)|Lancashire League]] from the 2017 season. This change heralded a golden era for the club and within 5 seasons, it had won every club competition in the county. Twice holders of the Worsley Cup (2017 and 2019), T20 champions in 2021 and LCF Knockout Cup winners in 2018 with the set completed when crowned 2022 Lancashire League champions after defeating Greenmount by 13 runs on 4 September 2022. Past Professionals include David Wiese, George Linde (SA) Keith Semple (WI) and Scott Hookey (AUS). Following a successful debut season, Punit Bisht (IND) has been retained as the club's paid man for 2024 and 2025.
To the north-west of the town lies Darwen Golf Club. The characteristics of the course have changed little since the club was established in 1893. Due to its geographical location within the moors, the course is regarded as a tough test of golfing ability.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.darwengolfclub.com |title=Darwen Golf Club – Lancashire, England |website=Darwengolfclub.com |date=2016-07-23 |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref>
Until the sports centre was demolished, Darwen was home to the North West Open Karate tournament, which hosted many national and world champions. Tower Shukokai Karate Club<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.towershukokai.co.uk |title=Tower Shukokai Karate Club |website=Towershukokai.co.uk |access-date=2016-07-27}}</ref> was resident at the sports centre from 1988 and remains active. Tower's instructors, Andy Allwood, 5th Dan and Martyn Skipper 4th Dan, both won this tournament in their respective weight categories (Allwood, heavyweight, in the 1990s and Skipper, lightweight, in 2006 after the tournament had moved to Bury). In 2013 Martyn Skipper won the WUKF European Veterans' title when the European Championships were held in [[Sheffield]].
==Notable people==
* [[Neil Arthur]], lead vocalist of 1980s group [[Blancmange (band)|Blancmange]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6010403.my-mates-got-me-a-flash-new-merc/ |title=My mate's got me a flash new Merc |work=Lancashire Evening Telegraph |location=Blackburn |date=10 September 2001 |access-date=15 June 2019}}</ref>
* [[Alan Bolton (cricketer)|Alan Bolton]], Lancashire county cricketer (1939–2003)
* [[Brian Booth (cricketer, born 1935)|Brian Booth]], Lancashire and Leicestershire county cricketer (1935–2020)
* [[Dick Burton (golfer)|Dick Burton]], golf's [[The Open Championship|Open champion]], 1939 (who went on to hold the [[Claret Jug]] for seven years after the Championship was suspended because of the Second World War)
* [[Ed Chapman (artist)|Ed Chapman]] (artist) born at Bull Hill, in Darwen, went to St. Cuthbert's Primary School 1975–81.
* [[Margaret Chapman]] (née Duxbury), illustrator and painter (1940–2000)
* [[Samuel Crompton]], inventor of the [[Spinning Mule]] built and lived at [[Listed buildings in Darwen|Low Hill House]], Bury Fold Lane in Darwen.
* [[Alex Davies (cricketer)|Alex Davies]], cricketer (born 1994)
* [[Travis D. Frain]] (born 1998), counter-extremism campaigner
* [[Charles Fletcher-Cooke]], MP for Darwen from 1951 – 1983, was responsible for the Suicide Act (1961), which decriminalised the act of suicide in the UK.
* [[Edward Harwood (of Darwen)|Edward Harwood]], composer (1707–1787)
* [[Bryn Haworth]], British singer-songwriter and acclaimed slide guitarist and mandolin player was brought up in Darwen (born 1948)
* [[Alan Kendall]] Lead guitarist with the Bee Gees between 1971-1980 and 1987-2001(born 1944)
* [[Timothy Marsden]] (1865–1932), footballer
* [[Mark Patterson (footballer, born 1965)|Mark Patterson]], Premiership football player for Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers. Born 1965
* [[Harold Readett]] (1910–1990), football player in the 1930s.
*[[Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel]]  (1870-1963), MP for Darwen, during which time he was leader of the Liberal Party and Home Secretary in the National Government.
* [[Fergus Suter]], footballer. Joined [[Darwen F.C. (1870)]] in 1878 from [[Partick F.C. (1875)|Partick]] and is widely regarded as the world's first professional footballer (1857–1916)
* [[Kimmie Taylor]] (born 1989), English fighter with the [[YPJ|Kurdish Women's Protection Units]]
* [[Richard Thornber]] (1866–1911), footballer
* [[Sam Wadsworth]], England international footballer 1922–26, was captain of the England team and a member of the [[Huddersfield Town F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] team which won a hat-trick of [[Football League Championship]]s in 1923–24, 1924–25 and 1925–26.
* [[James Watson (author)|James Watson]], award-winning author (born 1936)
* [[Doreen Massey, Baroness Massey of Darwen]], Peer in the House of Lords, educator, public servant, born 1938.
==Twin towns==
Darwen is [[sister city|twinned]] with [[Lamin, Western Division, Gambia|Lamin]], Gambia.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10213505.print/ |title=Darwen set to get twin town in Africa |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]]|location=Blackburn|first=Dan |last=Clough |date=7 February 2013 |access-date=23 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10733334.twinning-ceremony-darwen-gambia-will-celebration/|title=Twinning ceremony between Darwen and Gambia will be a celebration |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]]|location=Blackburn|first=Dan |last=Clough |date=11 October 2013 |access-date=14 May 2024}}</ref>
==Photo gallery==
<gallery>
File:Darwen-Countryside.jpg#file|Darwen countryside
File:Darwen-Countryside-2.jpg#file|Darwen countryside
File:Tower View from Weasel Lane.jpg#file|Tower view from Weasel Lane
</gallery>
==See also==
* [[Listed buildings in Darwen]]
* [[Darwen Cemetery]]
==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="Mills">{{Cite book|title=A dictionary of English place-names|first=A.D.|last=Mills|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1991|isbn=0-19-869156-4}}</ref><ref name="towncouncil">{{cite web |url=http://www.darwentowncouncil.org.uk/meetings.html |title=Council Meetings |publisher=Darwen Town Council |access-date=8 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723114623/http://www.darwentowncouncil.org.uk/meetings.html |archive-date=23 July 2011 }}</ref>
<ref name="townhallshops">{{Cite news|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/darwen/9169048.Darwen_town_hall_shopping_up_and_running/|title=Darwen town hall shopping up and running|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=29 July 2011|access-date=8 November 2011}}</ref>
<ref name="towntrail">{{cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/HeritageTrail/darwenTownTrail.html |title=Darwen – Town Centre Trail |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=8 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810170118/http://www.cottontown.org/HeritageTrail/darwenTownTrail.html |archive-date=10 August 2011 }}</ref>
<ref name="worries">{{Cite news|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/darwen/9163461.Worries_raised_over_Darwen_Town_Hall/|title=Worries raised over Darwen Town Hall|newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph|date=27 July 2011|access-date=8 November 2011}}</ref>
}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Darwen}}
{{NIE Poster|year=1905|Darwen}}
* [http://www.darwendays.co.uk/ Photographs showing the history and heritage of Darwen]
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/manchesterarchiveplus/9656436420/in/set-72157635295470919/ "India Mill, Darwen" Frank Wightman (1980) Manchester Archives+]
{{Lancashire}}
{{Blackburn with Darwen geography}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Darwen| ]]
[[Category:Market towns in Lancashire]]
[[Category:West Pennine Moors]]
[[Category:Geography of Blackburn with Darwen]]
[[Category:Towns in Lancashire]]