Nelson, Lancashire
Encyclopedia
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 (6.4 km) north of Burnley
on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
.
It developed as a mill town
during the Industrial Revolution
, but has today lost much of its industry and is characterised by pockets of severe deprivation and some of the lowest house prices in the country.
in 1796, followed by the East Lancashire Railway
in 1849, that spurred its development as an industrial town, with an economy based mainly upon cotton
weaving
.
There was already a Marsden on the railway network in the neighbouring county of Yorkshire (West Riding
), so the new railway station was called the Nelson Inn, Great Marsden, after the adjacent public house
, the Lord Nelson Inn named after Admiral Lord Nelson, from which the town also in time derived its name.
Walverden Mill in Leeds
Road was built in 1850, and was soon followed by others. The town became associated in the 20th century with the production of confectionery
as well, including Jelly Babies and Victory V
and was where the package holiday
company Airtours (formerly Pendle Travel and now part of Thomas Cook
) began life as an independent travel agent. The textile
industry, in particular, has now sharply declined, leaving the town with high unemployment.
of incorporation as a municipal borough
by Queen Victoria
in 1890. Extreme left wing politics in the early 20th century led to it being labelled "Little Moscow
" by both the local and national press; indeed, the Nelson Leader
ran the headline "Moscow
calling" during the lockout
of 1928. There was significant Communist Party
influence in the town both pre-World War I
and between the wars, and when the Labour Party
came to power in the town, they responded to local political feeling by placing utilities such as gas and water under the control of the municipal council, anticipating by decades the nationalisation of such utilities after World War II
. The council refused, moreover, to participate in celebrations for King George V
's silver jubilee
in 1935, saying that they would rather spend public money on free dinners for school children and the jobless.
The town became, under the Local Government Act 1972
, part of the non-metropolitan district of Pendle
on 1 April 1974. It currently has two tiers of local government, Pendle Borough Council
and Lancashire County Council
, while also being represented in Westminster
and the European Parliament
. A town council, with 24 councillors, was elected for the first time on 1 May 2008.
The main road through the town, originally pedestrianized, is being converted back to a road to boost trade.
has been governed since 2004 by the Liberal Democrats
, led by Alan Davies (Liberal Democrat). The mayor
– a ceremonial post, which rotates annually – is currently Anthony Beckett (Conservative). The borough comprises sixteen wards
in total, six of which – Bradley, Clover Hill, Marsden, Southfield, Walverden and Whitefield – represent the town.
Lancashire County Council
has been governed since 1994 by Labour
. The town is represented on the council in three divisions: Brierfield & Nelson North, Nelson South, and Pendle Central.
, the constituency into which the town falls, is Andrew Stephenson
(Conservative
), who was first elected in 2010.
European Parliament constituency, which elects eight MEP
s by proportional representation
- currently three Conservative
(ECR
), two Labour
(PASD
), one Liberal Democrat
(ALDE
), one UKIP
(EFD
), and one BNP
(NI
).
The United Kingdom Census 2001
showed a total resident population for Nelson of 28,998. The town forms part of the Burnley-Nelson urban area, which has an estimated population of 149,796; for comparison purposes, this is about the same size as Huddersfield
or Oxford
.
The racial composition of the town is 67.79% White and 30.70% Asian or Asian British. The largest religious groups are Christian (52.07%) and Muslim (29.15%). The town is strikingly segregated
: the Marsden ward, which in 2006 elected the borough's first British National Party
councillor, is 96.58% White, while the Whitefield ward is 68.72% Asian or Asian British.
59.02% of adults between the ages of 16 and 74 are classed as economically active and in work.
, which runs west to Burnley
, Accrington
, Blackburn and Preston, and northeast to Colne
. From the town centre, the A56
runs southwest to the M65 at Brierfield and northeast to Colne and beyond, while the A682 – Britain's most dangerous road – heads north into the Yorkshire Dales
.
In November 1969 a multi-storey car park
with space for 350 cars was opened in Nelson.
. The Interchange has an hourly stopping service west to Blackpool South
via Blackburn and Preston, and east to Colne
.
, although Northern Blue
, Pennine and Tyrer Bus operate some services. National Express
operates one coach service to London
each day from the Interchange.
The town has good bus links into Manchester
, compensating for the lack of a frequent rail link: the X43/X44 Witch Way service
(operated by Burnley & Pendle) runs via Burnley and Rawtenstall
to Manchester city centre
, using a fleet of specially-branded double-decker bus
es with leather seats.
, who were Football League members from 1921 until 1931 and played in the lower semi-professional leagues until resigning from the North West Counties League in 2010, and to Nelson Cricket Club
. Cricket
was particularly popular in the town during the inter-war period, when the club enjoyed the services of Learie Constantine
, the West Indian cricketer
; when in 1969 Constantine became the first person of African descent to be given a life peerage, he chose to be gazetted as Baron Constantine, of Maraval
in Trinidad and Tobago
and of Nelson in the County Palatine of Lancaster.
Speedway racing was staged at Seedhill Stadium from 1967 to 1970. The Nelson Admirals were founder members of the British League Division Two.) The team later moved embloc to Odsal Stadium, Bradford. The track was also used for stock car racing.
The town also has two golf clubs, a municipal at Marsden Park and a private club in Kings Causeway known simply as Nelson Golf Club.
and BBC Radio Lancashire
, and – since September 2007 – by community radio service Pendle Community Radio
, aimed primarily at the local Asian
community. There are two local newspapers: the Nelson Leader
, published on Fridays, and the daily Lancashire Telegraph
, which publishes a local edition for Burnley and Pendle.
Tony Hicks (Musician, the Hollies, born Nelson 1945)
Bernie Calvert (Musician, the Hollies, born Nelson 1944)
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
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, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles (6.4 km) north of 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....
on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
.
It developed as a mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
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...
, but has today lost much of its industry and is characterised by pockets of severe deprivation and some of the lowest house prices in the country.
History
The town was originally two villages, Little Marsden and Great Marsden. A small mill had been established by the Ecroyd family at Edge End as early as 1740, and there were two coal mines nearby, but it was the coming of the Leeds and Liverpool CanalLeeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
in 1796, followed by 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...
in 1849, that spurred its development as an industrial town, with an economy based mainly upon 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....
weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
.
There was already a Marsden on the railway network in the neighbouring county of Yorkshire (West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
), so the new railway station was called the Nelson Inn, Great Marsden, after the adjacent public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, the Lord Nelson Inn named after Admiral Lord Nelson, from which the town also in time derived its name.
Walverden Mill in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
Road was built in 1850, and was soon followed by others. The town became associated in the 20th century with the production of confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
as well, including Jelly Babies and Victory V
Victory V
Victory V is a British brand of liquorice-flavoured lozenges. Originally manufactured in Nelson, Lancashire they were devised by Thomas Fryer and Edward Smith MD in the mid-19th century and were initially made by hand to ensure that each sweet contained the correct amount of therapeutic...
and was where the package holiday
Package holiday
A package holiday or package tour consists of transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided like a rental car, activities or outings during the holiday. Transport can be via charter airline to a foreign country...
company Airtours (formerly Pendle Travel and now part of Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook AG
This article contains historical information about Thomas Cook AG until its merger with My Travel - for the new company see - Thomas Cook Group...
) began life as an independent travel agent. The textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
industry, in particular, has now sharply declined, leaving the town with high unemployment.
Governance
Nelson was granted its charterCharter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
of incorporation 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...
by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in 1890. Extreme left wing politics in the early 20th century led to it being labelled "Little Moscow
Little Moscow
Little Moscow was a term used to describe towns and villages in capitalist societies whose population appeared to hold extreme left-wing political values or communist views...
" by both the local and national press; indeed, the Nelson Leader
Nelson Leader
The Nelson Leader is a weekly newspaper published every Friday for readers in the town of Nelson in Pendle, east Lancashire. It is edited from the 'Leader-Times' series of newspapers' offices in Nelson, Lancashire.-Editorial Variants:...
ran the headline "Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
calling" during the lockout
Lockout
Lockout may refer to:* Lockout , a type of work stoppage* Lockout * Lockout chip, a computer chip in a video game system to prevent use of unauthorized software* Lock-out device, part of a signaling system used on game shows...
of 1928. There was significant Communist Party
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
influence in the town both pre-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and between the wars, and when the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
came to power in the town, they responded to local political feeling by placing utilities such as gas and water under the control of the municipal council, anticipating by decades the nationalisation of such utilities after World War II
World 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 council refused, moreover, to participate in celebrations for King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
's silver jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
in 1935, saying that they would rather spend public money on free dinners for school children and the jobless.
The town became, 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....
, part of the non-metropolitan district of Pendle
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
on 1 April 1974. It currently has two tiers of local government, Pendle Borough Council
Pendle Borough Council
Pendle Borough Council is a district council in England, that has authority covering the borough of Pendle in Lancashire.-2006 Local Elections:...
and 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...
, while also being represented in Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. A town council, with 24 councillors, was elected for the first time on 1 May 2008.
Economy
The town centre is home to a number of high street multiples, and a mix of other shops. The town's shopping centre, originally called the Arndale Centre, was renamed the Admiral Shopping Centre in 1998, but it has since been renamed the Pendle Rise Shopping Centre.The main road through the town, originally pedestrianized, is being converted back to a road to boost trade.
Local
Pendle Borough CouncilPendle Borough Council
Pendle Borough Council is a district council in England, that has authority covering the borough of Pendle in Lancashire.-2006 Local Elections:...
has been governed since 2004 by 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...
, led by Alan Davies (Liberal Democrat). The mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
– a ceremonial post, which rotates annually – is currently Anthony Beckett (Conservative). The borough comprises sixteen wards
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
in total, six of which – Bradley, Clover Hill, Marsden, Southfield, Walverden and Whitefield – represent the town.
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...
has been governed since 1994 by Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
. The town is represented on the council in three divisions: Brierfield & Nelson North, Nelson South, and Pendle Central.
National
The Member of Parliament for PendlePendle (UK Parliament constituency)
Pendle 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.-Boundaries:...
, the constituency into which the town falls, is Andrew Stephenson
Andrew Stephenson
Andrew Stephenson is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Pendle in Lancashire since the 2010 general election. Formerly a borough councillor in Macclesfield, he worked as an insurance broker before becoming an MP.-Early life and education:Stephenson...
(Conservative
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...
), who was first elected in 2010.
Europe
Nelson lies within the North West EnglandNorth West England (European Parliament constituency)
North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
European Parliament constituency, which elects eight MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
s by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
- currently three Conservative
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...
(ECR
European Conservatives and Reformists
The European Conservatives and Reformists, abbreviated to ECR, is a conservative anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament. The group currently comprises 57 MEPs, making it the fourth-largest group in the European Parliament....
), two Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
(PASD
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...
), one Liberal Democrat
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...
(ALDE
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe is a transnational alliance between two European political parties: the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and the European Democratic Party. It has political groups in the European Parliament, the EU Committee of the Regions, the...
), one UKIP
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
(EFD
Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...
), and one BNP
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
(NI
Non-Inscrits
Non-Inscrits are Members of the European Parliament who do not sit in one of the recognized political groups....
).
Demography
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1911 | 39,479 |
| 1921 | 39,841 |
| 1931 | 38,304 |
| 1939 | 34,803 |
| 1951 | 34,384 |
| 1961 | 32,292 |
| 1971 | 31,286 |
| 2001 | 28,998 |
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
showed a total resident population for Nelson of 28,998. The town forms part of the Burnley-Nelson urban area, which has an estimated population of 149,796; for comparison purposes, this is about the same size as Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
or Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
The racial composition of the town is 67.79% White and 30.70% Asian or Asian British. The largest religious groups are Christian (52.07%) and Muslim (29.15%). The town is strikingly segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
: the Marsden ward, which in 2006 elected the borough's first British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
councillor, is 96.58% White, while the Whitefield ward is 68.72% Asian or Asian British.
59.02% of adults between the ages of 16 and 74 are classed as economically active and in work.
Road
Nelson is served by Junction 13 of the M65 motorwayM65 motorway
The M65 is a motorway in Lancashire, England. It runs from just south of Preston through the major junction of the M6 and M61 motorways, east past Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Nelson and ends at Colne.-History:...
, which runs west 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....
, Accrington
Accrington
Accrington 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...
, Blackburn and Preston, and northeast to 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...
. From the town centre, the A56
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...
runs southwest to the M65 at Brierfield and northeast to Colne and beyond, while the A682 – Britain's most dangerous road – heads north into the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
.
In November 1969 a multi-storey car park
Multi-storey car park
A multi-storey car-park is a building designed specifically to be for car parking and where there are a number of floors or levels on which parking takes place...
with space for 350 cars was opened in Nelson.
Bus and rail interchange
In December 2008 the town's new bus and rail interchange was opened at a site which used the existing train station. The new interchange facility cost £4.5 million and included enhancements such as cycle stands, taxi & car drop off facilities, electronic information displays, a direct link to the train station including a passenger lift and an enclosed passenger concourse with 10 bus stands.Rail
Rail services to and from Nelson are provided by Northern RailNorthern 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...
. The Interchange has an hourly stopping service west to Blackpool South
Blackpool South railway station
Blackpool South railway station is a single platform stop at the end of the Fylde coast branch line from Kirkham, in Lancashire, England. It is unmanned and has an hourly service daily, except winter Sundays....
via Blackburn and Preston, and east to Colne
Colne railway station
Colne railway station serves the Lancashire mill town of Colne which is situated close to Pendle Hill. The station, which is managed by Northern Rail, is the terminus of the East Lancashire Line. Trains from Blackpool South run through Preston and Blackburn to Burnley and Colne.Currently the...
.
Bus and coach
The main bus operator in Nelson is Burnley & PendleBurnley & 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...
, although Northern Blue
Northern Blue
Transdev Northern Blue was a bus operator running around Burnley in East Lancashire. The company operated many school routes, along with a small number of commercial and subsidised bus services...
, Pennine and Tyrer Bus operate some services. National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
operates one coach service to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
each day from the Interchange.
The town has good bus links into 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...
, compensating for the lack of a frequent rail link: the X43/X44 Witch Way service
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...
(operated by Burnley & Pendle) runs via Burnley and Rawtenstall
Rawtenstall
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...
to Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
, using a fleet of specially-branded double-decker bus
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
es with leather seats.
Sports
The town is home to Nelson F.C.Nelson F.C.
Nelson F.C. are an English football club, based in Nelson, Lancashire. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One, who played their home matches at Victoria Park, Lomeshaye Way. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.-Early years:...
, who were Football League members from 1921 until 1931 and played in the lower semi-professional leagues until resigning from the North West Counties League in 2010, and to Nelson Cricket Club
Nelson Cricket Club
Nelson Cricket Club, based at Seedhill in Nelson, Lancashire, are a cricket club in the Lancashire League. They play at the Seedhill ground in Nelson. Their captain for the 2011 season is Thomas Lord and their professional is New Zealand international player Luke Woodcock.Nelson Cricket Club was...
. Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
was particularly popular in the town during the inter-war period, when the club enjoyed the services of Learie Constantine
Learie Constantine
Learie Nicholas Constantine, Baron Constantine MBE was a West Indian cricketer who played 18 Test matches before the Second World War. He took West Indies' first wicket in Test cricket and was the team's leading all-rounder and opening bowler for the entirety of his career...
, the West Indian cricketer
Cricketer
A cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
; when in 1969 Constantine became the first person of African descent to be given a life peerage, he chose to be gazetted as Baron Constantine, of Maraval
Maraval
Maraval is one of the northern suburbs of Trinidad's capital, Port of Spain a valley in northern Trinidad in Trinidad and Tobago. It is situated at the bottom of the hills of Paramin and located east of the Diego Martin valley to which it is connected directly by Morne Coco Road, and west of Santa...
in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
and of Nelson in the County Palatine of Lancaster.
Speedway racing was staged at Seedhill Stadium from 1967 to 1970. The Nelson Admirals were founder members of the British League Division Two.) The team later moved embloc to Odsal Stadium, Bradford. The track was also used for stock car racing.
The town also has two golf clubs, a municipal at Marsden Park and a private club in Kings Causeway known simply as Nelson Golf Club.
Recreation
The town is home to several parks the most notable of which are Victoria Park and Marsden Park. The recently opened Arts, Culture and Enterprise Centre (The ACE Centre) http://www.acecentre.co.uk/ABOUT+ACE/1/INTRO/2/ provides the residents with a new multi-purpose venue and incorporates a cinema, theatre and bistro.Media
Local radio for Nelson is currently provided by 2BR2BR
Two Boroughs Radio is a commercial radio station in East Lancashire. It broadcased from studios in the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in Nelson, then in August 2010 2BR moved to Accrington based 'The Studios' with Sister Station 107 The Bee- About :The station broadcasts from the Pendle Forest...
and BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Lancashire is the BBC Local Radio service for the county of Lancashire, in North West England. It began as BBC Radio Blackburn on 26 January 1971 on 96.4FM, then adding 854 kHz AM in 1972 and changing to its current name on 4 July 1981...
, and – since September 2007 – by community radio service Pendle Community Radio
Pendle Community Radio
Pendle Community Radio is a community radio station based in Nelson, Lancashire. Starting broadcasts on 103.1 MHz FM in September 2007, it aims to provide dedicated programming to the Asian Muslim population that live in Pendle, east Lancashire, during times of Muslim holy festivals...
, aimed primarily at the local Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
community. There are two local newspapers: the Nelson Leader
Nelson Leader
The Nelson Leader is a weekly newspaper published every Friday for readers in the town of Nelson in Pendle, east Lancashire. It is edited from the 'Leader-Times' series of newspapers' offices in Nelson, Lancashire.-Editorial Variants:...
, published on Fridays, and the daily Lancashire Telegraph
Lancashire Telegraph
The Lancashire Telegraph, formerly the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, is a local tabloid newspaper distributed in East Lancashire, England. It has two separate geographic editions each day – one for the boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, and one for Burnley, Pendle, and...
, which publishes a local edition for Burnley and Pendle.
Notable people
- Footballer and manager Jimmy HoganJimmy HoganJames "Jimmy" Hogan was an English football player and coach of Irish descent...
, footballer Mike PhelanMike PhelanMichael Christopher "Mike" Phelan , also known as Mick Phelan or Micky Phelan, is an English football coach, former player, and current assistant manager of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson....
and actor John SimmJohn SimmJohn Simm is an English stage and screen actor. In recent years he is best known for his roles as Sam Tyler in the detective drama Life on Mars and as The Master in the revival of the science fiction series Doctor Who, but he has also starred in many highly acclaimed award-winning television...
were brought up in the town. - C. L. R. JamesC. L. R. JamesCyril Lionel Robert James , who sometimes wrote under the pen-name J.R. Johnson, was an Afro-Trinidadian historian, journalist, socialist theorist and essayist. His works are influential in various theoretical, social, and historiographical contexts...
, author, intellectual and writer on cricket, lived in Nelson before moving to LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - Ted KoppelTed KoppelEdward James "Ted" Koppel is an English-born American broadcast journalist, best known as the anchor for Nightline from the program's inception in 1980 until his retirement in late 2005. After leaving Nightline, Koppel worked as managing editor for the Discovery Channel before resigning in 2008...
, American broadcast journalist, was born in Nelson.
Tony Hicks (Musician, the Hollies, born Nelson 1945)
Bernie Calvert (Musician, the Hollies, born Nelson 1944)