Whitworth, Lancashire
Encyclopedia
Whitworth is a town and civil parish
within the Borough of Rossendale
in Lancashire
, England
. It is set amongst the foothills of the Pennines
, between the towns of Bacup
, to the north, and Rochdale
, to the south. It has a population of 7,263.
The territory of Whitworth spans the entire length of the Whitworth Valley, an area of 7 square miles (18.1 km²). It consists of the areas of Healey
, Broadley, Whitworth, Facit
and Shawforth
that are linked by the A671 road
, part of the great turnpike built in the 18th century, together with a number of smaller hamlets now subsumed into the main areas of Whitworth itself. There are several such hamlets now making up parts of Whitworth, such as Cowm Top which was removed to make way for Cowm Reservoir
, now a water ski recreation centre, and Hades which lies at the foot of Hades Hill together with others that have been absorbed by the nearby towns, such as Prickshaw which is now a part of Rochdale.
Whitworth is twinned with Kandel
, Germany
.
. Flint arrows, stone hammers and spearheads found in the area point to the existence of Neolithic
man who roamed the bleak open moors. The Goidelic Celts occupied the Pennine Hills
, where wolves were encountered as late as the 13th century. Saxons fought off the marauding Dane
s and Scot
s and a decisive battle was fought at Broadclough, north of Bacup. Known in the 13th century as "Whiteworth", and from the Old English meaning "white enclosure" Whitworth has a substantial history, notably the Whitworth Doctors who occupied Whitworth House, a property still in existence in Whitworth Square.
In those early years, Whitworth came within the ancient parish of Rochdale
which, although vast, was itself a part of the hundred of Salford
, one of the main divisions into which the historic county boundaries
of Lancashire
were divided during Norman times
. The Abbot of Whalley Abbey
held much of the land in this area. Saxton’s Map of Lancashire of 1577 does mark Whitworth, setting it between neat pyramid-like hills on either hand. Facit is of rather newer origin. The first settlement was in the 13th century and the name apparently meant "Bright Flowery Slope" in reference to the hillside all around.
through the valley. It ran from Manchester
via Rochdale and Whitworth to Bacup and then on to Burnley
, Colne
and Skipton
. It was one of the few such roads in East Lancashire and provided a ready means of conveying local goods to Manchester and Yorkshire
. The road was of vital importance in Whitworth’s industrial expansion and with it, the settlements in the township thus began to grow. By the 19th century, quarrying and coal mining were the chief industries although the manufacture of yarn remained important.
Towards the end of the 19th century a great deal of development was visible including the opening in 1881 of a rail link
between Bacup
and Rochdale
. Passenger services on the railway stopped in 1947. Two reservoirs, at Cowm and Spring Mill, were completed in 1877 and 1887 to augment Rochdale’s water supplies. In 1910, a tram service was introduced by Rochdale Corporation, first to Whitworth and later extended to Bacup. Buses replaced these in 1932. The first public electricity supply and electric street lighting were both installed in 1923. The population of Whitworth reached its peak of 9,574 in 1901 following which the recession in industry in the 1930s and the effects of World War II
saw it decline. The first post war census
in 1951 declared a population of 7,442 which declined further to 7,031 by 1961. Since then, however, the figure has risen to its present total of around 7,263.
Despite the decline in population, Whitworth in this century has seen improvements in the living conditions of its people and in the amenities provided. Old housing, a relic of the "bad days" of the cotton boom, has been replaced, modernised or renovated in both the public and private sector. Civic buildings have been erected and parks and open spaces provided. In April 1976, an area in and surrounding Healey Dell
, at the south end of the valley became legally designated as a statutory local nature reserve
, the only one in Rossendale.
A prominent feature of Healey Dell is the railway viaduct
which stands 150 feet above the River Spodden
. Built from local quarried stone, it has 8 arches, each of 30 ft span. The first part of this railway line was completed in Facit in 1870. The main function of the line was to transport stone from local quarries. The railway also ferried people to and from the area and during the latter half of the 19th century there were approximately 20 mills between Healey and Shawforth employing around 4,000 people.
Borough Council and Whitworth Town Council
.
Whitworth Town Council was formed in 1974 following the Local Government Act 1972
, as part of the terms of successor parish
es. Prior to this date, Whitworth formed the Whitworth Urban District
which was the administrative unit of the valley but was abolished following the reorganisation.
The history of local government in Whitworth began in 1874. The latter end of that century, as has previously been mentioned, saw a great deal of local development. As a result, a local board
was set up in 1874 to administer Whitworth. Further independence arrived towards the end of the century with the creation of the Parish of Whitworth, one of nineteen new parishes carved out of the original vast Rochdale Parish. Complete independence came in June 1894 when an urban district
council replaced the Local Board. The first meeting was held on January 3, 1895 and the first chairman was William Ernest Whitworth. With this, Whitworth had become ecclesiastically and administratively autonomous from its neighbour. However, in 1974 when Whitworth Urban District
was abolished and Whitworth was absorbed into the newly created Rossendale Borough
.
The urban district council did much to shake off the legacy of the 19th century and Whitworth became as progressive a place, for its size, as any in Lancashire
. For example, in four days, 325 officials travelled to Whitworth, then one of Lancashire's smallest local authorities, to inspect the unique housing development at Leavengreave.
Today the town council
consists of twelve elected members and a part-time town clerk. Its mission statement is "To improve the quality of life for the community of Whitworth". The town council acts as a pressure group upholding the rights and values of Whitworth, a sounding board for local opinion and a centre for promoting the town's historical, cultural and social identity.
The Names of the Councillors are as follows Cllr Tom Aldred, Cllr David Chorlton, Cllr Madeline De Souza, Cllr Jim Mellor, Cllr Sean Serridge, and Cllr Lynda Barnes for Facit and Shawforth. With Cllr Alan Neal, Cllr David Bradbury (Current Mayor), Cllr Karen Ruane, Cllr Maureen Jones, Cllr Ian Mycock and Cllr David Barnes for Whitworth and Healey.
The Town council has three employes Mr Karen Douglas the town clerk, Mr Glyn Illif the town caretaker, and Mr John Leyland the town's lengths man.
to the north and Rochdale
to the south, Whitworth forms part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
.
It specialises in providing for the latter but facilities for all include water skiing, inflatables and banana rides. The Whitworth Leisure Centre in John Street was opened in June 2003 thanks largely to the efforts of the Community Leisure Association of Whitworth (CLAW). The centre, which replaced the defunct Whitworth Swimming Pool, caters for a variety of activities including swimming in the refurbished pool. The location of Whitworth close to high moorland, and Brown Wardle Hill
in particular, makes it an ideal venue for hang gliding while the rugged quarry areas make for interesting motor sports.
More usual sporting activities are also catered for including golf at Lobden Golf Club, crown green bowls
at the Festival Park Bowling Club and fishing care of the Whitworth Angling
Club.
A number of football clubs exist in the area, the most senior of which is the Whitworth Valley Football Club.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
within the Borough 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 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 set amongst the foothills of the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
, between the towns of 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...
, to the north, and Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, to the south. It has a population of 7,263.
The territory of Whitworth spans the entire length of the Whitworth Valley, an area of 7 square miles (18.1 km²). It consists of the areas of Healey
Healey, Greater Manchester
Healey is a place in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. It covers Shawclough, Syke and Nook Farm, as well as the rest of the land known as Healey on the right hand side of Whitworth Road after Gale Street up to Healey Corner ....
, Broadley, Whitworth, Facit
Facit
Facit was an industrial corporation and manufacturer of office products. It was based in Åtvidaberg, Sweden, and founded in 1922 as AB Åtvidabergs Industrier. Facit AB, a manufacturer of mechanical calculators, was incorporated into the corporation the same year...
and Shawforth
Shawforth
Shawforth is a suburban village within the Rossendale borough of Lancashire, England. It lies amongst the South Pennines along the course of the River Spodden and A671 road...
that are linked by the A671 road
A671 road
The A671 is a road in the North West of England, that runs between Oldham, Greater Manchester and Worston, near Clitheroe, Lancashire. Major towns on the route include Rochdale and Burnley. The road is approximately long...
, part of the great turnpike built in the 18th century, together with a number of smaller hamlets now subsumed into the main areas of Whitworth itself. There are several such hamlets now making up parts of Whitworth, such as Cowm Top which was removed to make way for Cowm Reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
, now a water ski recreation centre, and Hades which lies at the foot of Hades Hill together with others that have been absorbed by the nearby towns, such as Prickshaw which is now a part of Rochdale.
Whitworth is twinned with Kandel
Kandel
Kandel is a town in the district of Germersheim, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated near the border with France, approx. 18 km north-west of Karlsruhe, and 15 km south-east of Landau....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Early history
The early history of Whitworth is unclear; exact dates are difficult to pin down. At the very earliest period, Whitworth was at the edge of the famed and extensive Forest of Rossendale, which covered 22,000 acres (89 km²) and reached a point somewhere near 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...
. Flint arrows, stone hammers and spearheads found in the area point to the existence of Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
man who roamed the bleak open moors. The Goidelic Celts occupied the Pennine Hills
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
, where wolves were encountered as late as the 13th century. Saxons fought off the marauding Dane
Dane
- General :* Someone from the Kingdom of Denmark, or of Danish descent** Dane, a Danish national, resident or citizen ** Dane, one of the Danish people** Dane, a member of the Danes...
s and Scot
Scot
A Scot is a member of an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland, derived from the Latin name of Irish raiders, the Scoti.Scot may also refer to:People with the given name Scot:* Scot Brantley , American football linebacker...
s and a decisive battle was fought at Broadclough, north of Bacup. Known in the 13th century as "Whiteworth", and from the Old English meaning "white enclosure" Whitworth has a substantial history, notably the Whitworth Doctors who occupied Whitworth House, a property still in existence in Whitworth Square.
In those early years, Whitworth came within the ancient parish of Rochdale
Rochdale (ancient parish)
Rochdale was an ecclesiastical parish of early-medieval origin in northern England, administered from the Church of St Chad, Rochdale. At its zenith, it occupied of land amongst the South Pennines, and straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire...
which, although vast, was itself a part of the hundred of Salford
Salford (hundred)
The hundred of Salford was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in Northern England. It was sometimes known as Salfordshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of Salford...
, one of the main divisions into which the historic county boundaries
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of 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...
were divided during Norman times
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. The Abbot of Whalley Abbey
Whalley Abbey
Whalley Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey in Whalley, Lancashire, England. After the dissolution of the monasteries, the abbey was largely demolished and a country house was built on the site. In the 20th century the house was modified and it is now the Retreat and Conference House of the...
held much of the land in this area. Saxton’s Map of Lancashire of 1577 does mark Whitworth, setting it between neat pyramid-like hills on either hand. Facit is of rather newer origin. The first settlement was in the 13th century and the name apparently meant "Bright Flowery Slope" in reference to the hillside all around.
Development
The 16th century saw the gradual destruction of the Forest of Rossendale and the extension of sheep farming, the growth of weaving and eventually the first industry in the area. Industrialisation, however, remained a "household" affair through the 18th century and the settlements of Whitworth, Facit and Shawforth remained villages. Impetus was given to the development of the area through the construction, during the middle of the century, of a turnpike roadTurnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
through the valley. It ran from 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...
via Rochdale and Whitworth to Bacup and then on 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....
, 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...
and Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
. It was one of the few such roads in East Lancashire and provided a ready means of conveying local goods to Manchester and Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. The road was of vital importance in Whitworth’s industrial expansion and with it, the settlements in the township thus began to grow. By the 19th century, quarrying and coal mining were the chief industries although the manufacture of yarn remained important.
Towards the end of the 19th century a great deal of development was visible including the opening in 1881 of a rail link
Whitworth railway station
Whitworth railway station served the town of Whitworth in Rossendale, Lancashire, England, from 1870 until closure in 1947.-References:*Lost Railways of Lancashire by Gordon Suggitt...
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 Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
. Passenger services on the railway stopped in 1947. Two reservoirs, at Cowm and Spring Mill, were completed in 1877 and 1887 to augment Rochdale’s water supplies. In 1910, a tram service was introduced by Rochdale Corporation, first to Whitworth and later extended to Bacup. Buses replaced these in 1932. The first public electricity supply and electric street lighting were both installed in 1923. The population of Whitworth reached its peak of 9,574 in 1901 following which the recession in industry in the 1930s and the effects of 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...
saw it decline. The first post war census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
in 1951 declared a population of 7,442 which declined further to 7,031 by 1961. Since then, however, the figure has risen to its present total of around 7,263.
Despite the decline in population, Whitworth in this century has seen improvements in the living conditions of its people and in the amenities provided. Old housing, a relic of the "bad days" of the cotton boom, has been replaced, modernised or renovated in both the public and private sector. Civic buildings have been erected and parks and open spaces provided. In April 1976, an area in and surrounding Healey Dell
Healey, Greater Manchester
Healey is a place in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. It covers Shawclough, Syke and Nook Farm, as well as the rest of the land known as Healey on the right hand side of Whitworth Road after Gale Street up to Healey Corner ....
, at the south end of the valley became legally designated as a statutory local nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
, the only one in Rossendale.
A prominent feature of Healey Dell is the railway viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
which stands 150 feet above the River Spodden
River Spodden
The River Spodden is a watercourse in North West England. It rises in the Lancashire Pennine hills above Whitworth and proceeds south through Healey Dell and on to Rochdale, Greater Manchester, where the river merges with the River Roch...
. Built from local quarried stone, it has 8 arches, each of 30 ft span. The first part of this railway line was completed in Facit in 1870. The main function of the line was to transport stone from local quarries. The railway also ferried people to and from the area and during the latter half of the 19th century there were approximately 20 mills between Healey and Shawforth employing around 4,000 people.
Governance
Local government services in Whitworth are provided by three local authorities; Lancashire County Council, RossendaleRossendale
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...
Borough Council and Whitworth Town Council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
.
Whitworth Town Council was formed in 1974 following 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....
, as part of the terms of successor parish
Successor parish
Successor parishes are civil parishes with a parish council created by the Local Government Act 1972 in England. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of urban districts and municipal boroughs that were abolished in 1974. Most successor parish councils exercised the right to...
es. Prior to this date, Whitworth formed the Whitworth Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
which was the administrative unit of the valley but was abolished following the reorganisation.
The history of local government in Whitworth began in 1874. The latter end of that century, as has previously been mentioned, saw a great deal of local development. As a result, a local board
Local board of health
Local Boards or Local Boards of Health were local authorities in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulate slaughterhouses and ensure the proper supply of water to their...
was set up in 1874 to administer Whitworth. Further independence arrived towards the end of the century with the creation of the Parish of Whitworth, one of nineteen new parishes carved out of the original vast Rochdale Parish. Complete independence came in June 1894 when an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
council replaced the Local Board. The first meeting was held on January 3, 1895 and the first chairman was William Ernest Whitworth. With this, Whitworth had become ecclesiastically and administratively autonomous from its neighbour. However, in 1974 when Whitworth Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
was abolished and Whitworth was absorbed into the newly created Rossendale Borough
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...
.
The urban district council did much to shake off the legacy of the 19th century and Whitworth became as progressive a place, for its size, as any 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...
. For example, in four days, 325 officials travelled to Whitworth, then one of Lancashire's smallest local authorities, to inspect the unique housing development at Leavengreave.
Today the town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
consists of twelve elected members and a part-time town clerk. Its mission statement is "To improve the quality of life for the community of Whitworth". The town council acts as a pressure group upholding the rights and values of Whitworth, a sounding board for local opinion and a centre for promoting the town's historical, cultural and social identity.
Mayor
Whitworth's current mayor is Councillor David George Bradbury and the current deputy mayor is Councillor David Barnes. They lead a twelve strong council made of six councilors representing two wards. Facit and Shawforth to the north of the town, and Whitworth and Healey to the south.The Names of the Councillors are as follows Cllr Tom Aldred, Cllr David Chorlton, Cllr Madeline De Souza, Cllr Jim Mellor, Cllr Sean Serridge, and Cllr Lynda Barnes for Facit and Shawforth. With Cllr Alan Neal, Cllr David Bradbury (Current Mayor), Cllr Karen Ruane, Cllr Maureen Jones, Cllr Ian Mycock and Cllr David Barnes for Whitworth and Healey.
The Town council has three employes Mr Karen Douglas the town clerk, Mr Glyn Illif the town caretaker, and Mr John Leyland the town's lengths man.
Geography
Situated between the towns of 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...
to the north and Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
to the south, Whitworth forms part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
Greater Manchester Urban Area
The Greater Manchester Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the large conurbation that encompasses the city of Manchester and the continuous metropolitan area that spreads outwards from it, forming much of Greater Manchester in North West England...
.
Landmarks
Construction of a new civic hall on Market Street in Whitworth began in early 2006 after the previous hall was destroyed by an electrical fire on December 6, 2003. The new hall is called "The Riverside" and is run by the Community Leisure Association of Whitworth (CLAW). It was officially opened at 2pm on Saturday, 28 October 2006.Communal facilities
The facilities available in Whitworth for the pursuit of sports, although limited, are varied, and in some instances unique. Chief among these is water sports. The Whitworth Water-Ski and Recreation Centre based at Cowm Reservoir provides integrated facilities for both the able bodied and the disabled.It specialises in providing for the latter but facilities for all include water skiing, inflatables and banana rides. The Whitworth Leisure Centre in John Street was opened in June 2003 thanks largely to the efforts of the Community Leisure Association of Whitworth (CLAW). The centre, which replaced the defunct Whitworth Swimming Pool, caters for a variety of activities including swimming in the refurbished pool. The location of Whitworth close to high moorland, and Brown Wardle Hill
Brown Wardle Hill
Brown Wardle is a hill between Wardle, Greater Manchester and Whitworth, Lancashire. The summit is on the border of two counties....
in particular, makes it an ideal venue for hang gliding while the rugged quarry areas make for interesting motor sports.
More usual sporting activities are also catered for including golf at Lobden Golf Club, crown green bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
at the Festival Park Bowling Club and fishing care of the Whitworth Angling
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
Club.
A number of football clubs exist in the area, the most senior of which is the Whitworth Valley Football Club.