Rawtenstall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rawtenstall
Town
Rawtenstall as seen from a hill in Haslingden
Rawtenstall
Population	23,000
OS grid reference	SD808226
• London	177 mi (285 km) SE
District	Rossendale
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ROSSENDALE
Postcode district	BB4
Dialling code	01706
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Rossendale and Darwen
List of places UK England Lancashire 53°41′56″N 2°17′28″W / 53.699°N 2.291°W / 53.699; -2.291

Rawtenstall is a town in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Rossendale area. The town is about 15 miles (24 km) north of Manchester. It is also 22 miles (35 km) east of Preston. Rawtenstall is located in the middle of the Rossendale Valley. In 2022, about 23,000 people lived there.

What Does the Name Rawtenstall Mean?

The name Rawtenstall has two possible meanings. One older idea combines the Middle English word routen (meaning 'to roar') with stall (meaning 'a pool in a river').

A newer idea connects the name to a cattle farm from 1324. This idea combines the Old English word ruh (meaning 'rough') with tun-stall. This could mean 'the site of a farm' or 'buildings used when cattle grazed on high ground'.

A Brief History of Rawtenstall

The first people likely settled in Rawtenstall a long time ago, during the Middle Ages. It was part of the Rossendale Valley. Early homes were simple shelters for forest workers and animals. Later, in the 15th and 16th centuries, bigger buildings appeared. These included mills for grinding corn and flour.

How the Industrial Revolution Changed Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall grew a lot during the Industrial Revolution. New factories, called mills, were built to process cotton. The local weather was good for this industry. Also, Rawtenstall was close to Manchester, a big industrial city known as 'Cottonopolis'.

Brothers Thomas, David, and Peter Whitehead were important business owners. They built many mills, including the famous Ilex Mill. They also built large homes for themselves and many houses for their workers. Other jobs at this time included quarrying (cutting stone) and small-scale coal mining.

Rawtenstall in the 20th Century

Like many towns in Lancashire, Rawtenstall's population went down in the 20th century. It dropped from 30,000 people in 1911 to 21,500 in 1971. As the old factory jobs ended, shoemaking became important. This was often called the slipper industry. It grew from making felt, which came from the textile industry.

A company called H. W. Tricketts in nearby Waterfoot made and sold shoes around the world. However, shoemaking quickly declined from the 1980s. Many companies closed as production moved to other countries.

Local Churches in Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall and its nearby areas have several churches. St Nicholas Church (Church of England) is in Newchurch. The Roman Catholic church of St Peter is also there. Other churches include St Michael's Lumb and St James's Waterfoot. There are also many other chapels for different Christian groups.

How Rawtenstall is Governed

Rawtenstall Town Hall

The old coat of arms for Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall got its own local council in 1874. The area it managed grew to include parts of other nearby places. Rawtenstall Town Hall was finished in 1876. In 1891, Rawtenstall became a municipal borough, which is a type of town council.

After a big change in local government in 1974, Rawtenstall became part of the Borough of Rossendale. Rawtenstall is also part of the Rossendale and Darwen area for the UK Parliament. This area sends one member of parliament to the House of Commons. Andy MacNae has been the Member of Parliament since the 2024 election.

Rawtenstall's Geography and Landscape

Rawtenstall is surrounded by other towns like Bacup, Haslingden, and Ramsbottom. The River Irwell flows through the town. It starts its journey from Bacup towards Manchester here.

The area has become popular with visitors. People enjoy the old buildings and the beautiful landscape. The East Lancashire Railway is a special heritage railway. It lets tourists ride old trains and visit places like Rawtenstall, Ramsbottom, and Bury.

Rawtenstall's Climate

Like most of the United Kingdom, Rawtenstall has an oceanic climate. This means it has mild temperatures and rain throughout the year.

Getting Around Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall's old bus station, September 2008

Rawtenstall has had bus routes since the 1930s. A company called Transdev runs local bus services. The town has a modern bus station in the town centre. There are also frequent services like the X43 bus. This bus connects Rawtenstall to Burnley, Nelson, and Manchester.

Rawtenstall railway station serves the town, but it is mainly for tourists now. It is part of the East Lancashire Railway. This railway line is mostly for fun trips, not for daily travel. The M66 motorway from Manchester connects to Rawtenstall. This makes the drive between Manchester and Rawtenstall about half an hour. The closest train stations for regular travel are in Accrington and Todmorden.

Schools and Learning in Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall has several primary and secondary (high) schools. These include Alder Grange School, St Paul's C of E Primary, and All Saints' Catholic High School. Although it is in Waterfoot, Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School is partly named after Rawtenstall.

The town also has a public library. It was built in 1906 with money from Andrew Carnegie.

Exploring Rawtenstall Town Centre

Rawtenstall's Lidl store

The Witch Way bus on Bank Street

Fitzpatrick's, "the last temperance bar in England"

Around the year 2000, Rawtenstall's shopping centre from the 1960s became empty. In 2011, the old shopping centre was taken down. This created a new town square area. Local markets and events are sometimes held there. Since 2017, many new shops, cafes, and bars have opened in the town centre. The market has also been improved.

Near the Cricket Ground is the Weavers Cottage. This is an old 18th-century loom shop. It has been restored as a small museum. You can see a Victorian kitchen, a clog shop, and a working hand loom there.

Rawtenstall used to be home to the local newspaper, the Rossendale Free Press. The town also has one of the biggest indoor markets in Rossendale. It even has a sign saying it's "probably the friendliest market in the world."

The town is home to Fitzpatrick's Herbal Health. This is a traditional herbalist and temperance bar. It claims to be the oldest maker of sarsaparilla and dandelion and burdock drinks in the country. It is the last bar of its kind in England.

Sunday Best, a popular fashion shop, opened in 1971. It won an award for the best women's fashion shop in Britain in 2011. Rawtenstall also has the area's local courts.

Culture and Arts in Rawtenstall

The now demolished Valley Centre in Rawtenstall

Rawtenstall was featured in the TV show Who Do You Think You Are? in 2006. The actress Jane Horrocks, who was born in Rawtenstall, was the subject of the episode.

The Irwell Sculpture Trail goes through the town. Four sculptures are located here: the Whispering Wall, the Gateway, the Willow Tree, and the Bocholt Tree. The Bocholt Tree celebrates Rawtenstall's connection with its twin town, Bocholt, Germany.

Whitaker Park and The Whitaker Museum

Whitaker Park is just outside the town centre. It includes a large house built in the 1840s by a mill owner. The house and its gardens were given to Rawtenstall in 1902 for public use. This property is now known as The Whitaker. It used to be called Rossendale Museum and Art Gallery.

The park has tennis courts, a bowling green, and a playground. It also has beautiful gardens and fountains. The museum inside The Whitaker has local history exhibits. It also has gallery spaces and a room full of interesting old objects. There is a large collection of taxidermy (stuffed animals).

In 2019, The Whitaker received a large grant to make it bigger. It reopened in July 2021. It now has more space for displays, education, a cafe, and a shop.

Media in Rawtenstall

Local news and TV shows for Rawtenstall come from BBC North West and ITV Granada. You can also listen to local radio stations. These include BBC Radio Lancashire and Rossendale Radio. The town's local newspaper is the Lancashire Telegraph.

Sports and Activities in Rawtenstall

Cricket at Rawtenstall Cricket Club's Bacup Road ground

Rawtenstall is home to the largest dry ski-slope in the North of England. It is called Ski Rossendale. It is located very close to the town centre. This ski slope has been used for world record attempts and by Olympic athletes. It reopened in 2011 after being closed for a while.

Rawtenstall Cricket Club plays in the Lancashire League. Their home ground is the Worswick Memorial Ground. Rawtenstall is also home to Rossendale RUFC, a rugby club.

Famous People from Rawtenstall

• David Whitehead (1790–1865) – A businessman who built many mills in Rawtenstall.
• Jane Horrocks (born 1964) – An actress and singer, known for Absolutely Fabulous.
• Natalie Casey (born 1980) – An actress who starred in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
• Phil Lester (born 1987) – A popular YouTuber and BBC Radio 1 presenter.
• Thomas Hamer (born 1998) – A Parasport swimmer.

Images for kids

• 

  Waxwork of Jane Horrocks

See also

In Spanish: Rawtenstall para niños