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{{Short description|Town in Lancashire, England}}
{{about|the town in Lancashire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| type = Town
| coordinates = {{coord|53.748|-2.482|display=inline,title}}
| population = 120,500
| population_ref = <ref name=2011Census>{{NOMIS2011 |id=E35000757 |title=Blackburn Built-up area sub division |access-date=15 December 2019}}</ref>
| population_density = {{convert|11114|/sqmi|/km2|abbr=on}}<ref name="Census KS01" />
| population_demonym = Blackburnian
| official_name = Blackburn
| unitary_england = [[Blackburn with Darwen]]
| lieutenancy_england = [[Lancashire]]
| region = North West England
| constituency_westminster = [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn]]
| post_town = BLACKBURN
| postcode_district = BB1, BB2
| postcode_area = BB
| dial_code = 01254
| os_grid_reference = SD685277
| london_distance = {{convert|184|mi|km|abbr=on}} [[Boxing the compass|SSE]]
| static_image = {{multiple images|perrow=1 2|align=center|total_width=280px|border=infobox
| image1 = Blackburn Lancashire Townscape.jpg
| image2 = Blackburn town hall.JPG
| image3 = Blackburn Market Hall from Salford - geograph.org.uk - 2280422.jpg
| image4 = Blackburn Cathedral - geograph.org.uk - 2279791.jpg
| image5 = Blackburn Library, Northgate, Blackburn - geograph.org.uk - 5323654.jpg
}}
| static_image_caption = {{ubl|From left to right:|Top: Blackburn Skyline|Middle: [[Blackburn Town Hall|Town Hall Extension]] and Market Hall from Salford|Bottom: [[Blackburn Cathedral|Cathedral]] and Library}}
| pushpin_map = United Kingdom Blackburn with Darwen#United Kingdom Blackburn#England#
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Blackburn with Darwen##Town centre within Blackburn##Shown in England
}}
[[File:Blackburn Lancashire Townscape.jpg|thumb|Blackburn Skyline with the [[Blackburn Cathedral|Cathedral]] and [[Blackburn Town Hall|Town Hall Tower]]]]
'''Blackburn''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-uk-Blackburn.ogg|ˈ|b|l|æ|k|b|ɜːr|n}}) is an [[industrial town]] and the administrative centre of the [[Blackburn with Darwen]] borough in [[Lancashire]], England. The town is north of the [[West Pennine Moors]] on the southern edge of the [[River Ribble|Ribble Valley]], {{convert|8|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} east of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and {{convert|21|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north-northwest of [[Manchester]].{{refn|By road {{convert|27|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.agma.gov.uk/authorities/index.html |title=Authorities: AGMA Policy and Research Unit |work=Association of Greater Manchester Authorities |access-date=11 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018075257/http://www.agma.gov.uk/authorities/index.html |archive-date=18 October 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref>|group= n}}<ref name=grf>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gridreferencefinder.com |title=Grid Reference Finder |website=Gridreferencefinder.com}}</ref> Blackburn is at the centre of the wider unitary authority area along with the town of [[Darwen]]. It is the second largest town (after [[Blackpool]]) in Lancashire.

At the  [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 census]], Blackburn had a population of [[List of urban areas in England by population|117,963]],<ref name="Census KS01">{{Cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=224 |title=KS01 Usual resident population: Census 2011, Key Statistics for urban areas |work=National Statistics |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]] |access-date=9 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907084312/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=8271&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank=224 |archive-date=7 September 2009}}</ref> whilst the wider borough of Blackburn with Darwen had a population of [[List of English districts by population|150,030]];<ref>[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=3&b=276819&c=blackburn&d=13&e=15&g=388684&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1206733342120&enc=1 Census 2001: Blackburn with Darwen Local Authority], [[Office for National Statistics]]. Retrieved 28 March 2008.</ref> 30.8% of the population of town were people of ethnic backgrounds other than white British.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/Lists/DownloadableDocuments/EthnicityAndReligionProfile2011.pdf |title=Blackburn.gov.uk – Ethnicity and Religion profile |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426104109/https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/Lists/DownloadableDocuments/EthnicityAndReligionProfile2011.pdf |archive-date=26 April 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

A former [[mill town]], Blackburn has been the site of textile production since the mid-13th&nbsp;century, when wool was woven in people's houses in the [[domestic system]]. [[Flemish people|Flemish]] weavers who settled in the area in the 14th&nbsp;century helped to develop the woollen cottage industry.<ref name="hb flemish weavers">Burrow, J. & Co. (Eds.) (1960), p. 8.</ref> The most rapid period of growth and development in Blackburn's history coincided with the industrialisation and expansion of [[textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution|textile manufacturing]].

Blackburn's textile sector fell into decline from the mid-20th&nbsp;century and subsequently faced similar challenges to other [[Post-industrial society|post-industrial]] [[Northern England|northern]] towns, including deindustrialisation, economic deprivation and housing problems. Blackburn has had significant investment and redevelopment since 1958 through government funding and the [[European Regional Development Fund]].<ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.4485 European regional development funding] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011072527/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.4485 |date=11 October 2007}}, [[Blackburn with Darwen Council]], Retrieved 17 April 2014</ref>

==History==
===Toponymy===
[[File:BlackburnClockTower1906.jpg|thumb|upright|Blackburn's old clock tower in 1906 with [[time ball]] at the top of its mast]]
The origins of the name are uncertain. It has been suggested that it may be a combination of the River [[River Blakewater, Lancashire|Blakewater]], and an [[Old English]] word "burn", meaning stream.  Local author William Abram, in his 1877 history of the town and parish, cited the ancient name as ''Blake Burne''. Abram also confirms that the region, later known as the [[Blackburn Hundred]], was known as ''Blakeburneshyre''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Abram |first= William Alexander |title=Parish of Blackburn, County of Lancaster: A History of Blackburn, Town and Parish |url=https://archive.org/details/parishofblackbur00abrarich |year=1877 |location=Blackburn |publisher=J. G. & J. Toulmin |page=[https://archive.org/details/parishofblackbur00abrarich/page/n26 1]}}</ref> Blackburn was recorded in [[Domesday Book]] (1086) as ''Blacheburne'' and ''Blacheburn''.<ref name="Land of Roger of Poitou">{{cite web |title=Land of Roger of Poitou |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SD6828/blackburn/ |website=Open Domesday |access-date=5 April 2023}}</ref> By the time of [[John Speed]]'s map of 1610, the spelling of the town was ''Blackburn'', while the region was ''Blackburne''. There is anecdotal speculation that the name of the town may simply mean "black burn", or "black stream".<ref>Miller (1992), p.&nbsp;6.</ref><ref name="Beattie 1992, p. 11">Beattie (1992), p. 11.</ref><ref>[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/discover-domesday/making-of-domesday.htm Survey and making of Domesday] The UK National Archives. Retrieved 1 June 2014</ref>

===Prehistory===
There is little evidence of prehistoric settlement in the [[River Blakewater, Lancashire|Blakewater]] valley, in which Blackburn developed. Evidence of activity in the form of two urn burials has been discovered from the [[British Bronze Age|Bronze Age]] in the hills around Blackburn. In 1879, a [[cinerary urn]] was discovered at a [[tumulus]] at Revidge, north of the town; another was excavated in 1996 at Pleasington Cemetery, west of the town, by gravedigger Grant Higson.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6208899.Rare_treasure_found/ |title=Rare Treasure Found |date=27 March 1996 |access-date=6 June 2017 |work=[[Lancashire Evening Telegraph]] |publisher=[[Newsquest Media Group]] }}</ref> The presence of a [[Holy well|sacred spring]]—perhaps in use during the [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]]—provides evidence of prehistoric activity in the town centre, at All Hallows Spring on Railway Road.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/archaeologyandheritage/historictowns/BlackburnToFig4_LowRes.pdf |title=Lancashire Historic Town Survey: Blackburn: Historic Town Assessment Report |publisher=[[Lancashire County Council]] |date=April 2005 |access-date=3 March 2008 |page=16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228035116/http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/archaeologyandheritage/historictowns/BlackburnToFig4_LowRes.pdf |archive-date=28 February 2008}}</ref>

===Roman era===
Blackburn is located where a [[Roman road|Roman military road]] crossed the river Blakewater. The road linked [[Bremetennacum|Bremetennacum Veteranorum]] ([[Ribchester]]) and [[Mamucium]] (a major Roman [[Fortification|fort]] that occupied [[Castlefield]] in Manchester). The route of the road passed east of [[Blackburn Cathedral]] and probably crossed the river in the Salford neighbourhood just east of the modern town centre.{{refn|Not to be confused with [[City of Salford|Salford]] in Greater Manchester.|group=n}} It is not clear whether the road predated the settlement.<ref name="Beattie 1992, p. 11" /><ref name="Lancashire County Council 2005 p. 16">Lancashire County Council (2005), ''Lancashire Historic Town Survey: Blackburn'', p. 16.</ref>

George C. Miller, in his ''Blackburn: The Evolution of a Cotton Town'', says:

<blockquote>The ancient military way from [[Mamucium]] (Manchester) to ([[Bremetennacum]]) (Ribchester), passing over Blacksnape, plunges on its unswerving course through Blackamoor, over the scarp at Whinney Heights, to pass across the Blakewater in the vicinity of Salford. This fact alone presents a reasonable argument for the existence of a British oppidum or walled village on the site, it being customary for such primitive communities to cluster in the vicinity of a ford or bridge.<ref>Miller [1952](1992), p. 4.</ref></blockquote>

According to William Abram (1877):

<blockquote>The Parish of Blackburn contains many interesting vestiges. Three of the four principal roads constructed by the Romans in Lancashire traversed some portion of the Parish : —I. The lower road from the south to Carlisle, intersected the township of Walton-in-le-Dale. 2. The road from Manchester to Overborough crossed the Parish at its broadest part. 3. The road from the sea to the interior, which formed the conmiunication between the "Sistuntian Port" (on the Wyre) and Ribchester, Ilkley-in-Wharfedale, Aldborough andYork, enters Blackburn Parish at Ribchester, by a ford over the Ribble. The late Rev. E. Sibson, in a paper on the Roman Roads of the Wigan district, speaks of a road of this kind which branched off eastward from Blackrod, "Street-fold and Water-street, near Rivington, and by White Hough, in Tockholes, to the small Roman station at Blackburn, near the new road to Preston."<ref>{{cite book |last=Abram |first= William Alexander |title= Parish of Blackburn, County of Lancaster: A History of Blackburn, Town and Parish |url=https://archive.org/details/parishofblackbur00abrarich |year=1877 |location=Blackburn |publisher=J. G. & J. Toulmin |page=[https://archive.org/details/parishofblackbur00abrarich/page/n30 4]}}</ref></blockquote>

====Roman temple spring at All Hallows====
All Hallows Spring was excavated by [[Antiquarians]] in 1654 and found to contain an inscribed stone commemorating the dedication of a temple to [[Serapis]] by Claudius Hieronymus, [[legatus|legate]] of [[Legio VI Victrix]].<ref name="Lancashire County Council 2005 p. 16"/><ref>[http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archsearch/record.jsf?titleId=986039 Site of All Hallows Spring-Holy well], Archaeology Data Service. Retrieved 31 January 2007.</ref>

===Middle Ages===
[[File:StrikingMillWorkersBlackburn.jpg|thumb|[[Industrial action|Strike]] of [[cotton mill]] workers in 1920 in Cowell Street in the Nab Lane area]]
Christianity is believed to have come to Blackburn by the end of the 6th century, in either 596 (as there is a record of a "church of Blagbourne" in that year) or 598 AD.<ref>[http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/fr.cfm?rcn=NMR_NATINV-43508 Church of St. Mary the Virgin] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024121009/http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/fr.cfm?rcn=NMR_NATINV-43508 |date=24 October 2007 }}, Archaeology Data Service. Retrieved 31 January 2007.</ref><ref>Burrow, J & Co. (Eds.) (1960). p. 7.</ref><ref name="Lancashire County Council 2005 p. 17">Lancashire County Council (2005), ''Lancashire Historic Town Survey: Blackburn'', p. 17.</ref> The town was important during the [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] era when the [[Blackburnshire|Blackburnshire Hundred]] came into existence as a territorial division of the kingdom of [[Northumbria]].<ref name="Lancashire County Council 2005 p. 17"/>

The name of the town appears in the [[Domesday Book]] as both ''Blacheburne'' and ''Blacheburn'',<ref name="Land of Roger of Poitou"/> a royal manor during the days of [[Edward the Confessor]] and [[William the Conqueror]]. Archaeological evidence from the demolition of the [[medieval]] [[parish church]] on the site of the cathedral in 1820 suggests that a church was built during the late 11th or early 12th century.<ref name="Lancashire County Council 2005 p. 17"/> A market cross was also erected nearby in 1101.<ref>[http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/fr.cfm?rcn=NMR_NATINV-43500 Market Cross] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024120901/http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/fr.cfm?rcn=NMR_NATINV-43500 |date=24 October 2007}}, Archaeological Data Society. Retrieved 31 January 2007.</ref> The manor came into the possession of Henry de&nbsp;Blackburn, who divided it between his two sons. Later, one half was granted to the monks of [[Stanlow Abbey]] and this [[moiety title|moiety]] was subsequently granted to the monks of [[Whalley Abbey]]. During the 12th&nbsp;century, the town's importance declined as [[Clitheroe]] became the regional centre.<ref name="Lancashire County Council 2005 p. 17"/> In addition to a settlement in the town centre area, there were several other medieval domiciles nearby.

===Industrial Revolution and textiles===
[[File:MakingShuttlesBlackburn.jpg|thumb|Workers producing [[shuttle (weaving)|shuttles]] for the textile industry, c.&nbsp;1920. Rowland Baguley and Company, based on Addison Street, produced a wide range of shuttles for the home textile industry and for export before it closed in the early 1930s.]]

Textile manufacturing in Blackburn dates from the mid-13th&nbsp;century, when wool produced locally by farmers was woven in their homes. Flemish weavers who settled in the area in the 14th century developed the industry. By 1650 the town was known for the manufacture of blue and white "Blackburn checks", and "Blackburn greys" became famous not long afterwards.<ref name="hb flemish weavers"/> By the first half of the 18th century [[textile industry|textile manufacture]] had become Blackburn's main industry.<ref>Beattie (1992), p.13.</ref> From the mid-18th to the early 20th&nbsp;century Blackburn evolved from a small market town into "the weaving capital of the world", and its population increased from less than 5,000 to over 130,000.<ref>Beattie (1992), p.&nbsp;49.</ref>

''John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles'' provides a profile of Blackburn in 1887:

<blockquote>Blackburn. [[borough status in the United Kingdom|parl. and mun. bor.]], [[ecclesiastical parish|parish]] and [[Township (England)|township]], NE. Lancashire, {{convert|9|mi|km|disp=sqbr}} E. of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and {{convert|210|mi|km|disp=sqbr}} NW. of London by rail – par., 48,281 ac., pop. 161,617; township, 3681 ac., pop. 91,958; bor., 6974 ac., pop. 104,014; 4 Banks, 2 newspapers. Market-days, Wednesday and Saturday. It is one of the chief seats of cotton manufacture, besides producing [[Calico (fabric)|calico]], [[muslin]], &c., there being over 140&nbsp;mills at work. There are also factories for making cotton machinery and [[steam engine|steam-engines]]. Blackburn has been associated with many improvements in the manufacture of cotton, among which was the invention (1767) of the "[[spinning jenny]]" which was invented in nearby [[Oswaldtwistle]] by [[James Hargreaves]], who died in 1770. There are several fine churches and public buildings. A [[Corporation Park, Blackburn|Corporation Park]] (50 [[acre|ac.]] in area) is on the outskirts of the town. Several lines of railway converge here, and pass through one principal station belonging to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Ry. Co. B. returns 2&nbsp;members to Parliament.<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/entry_page.jsp?text_id=1869320&word=NULL Vision of Britain: Bartholomew Gazetteer Entry for Blackburn], ''A Vision of Britain through Time'', Retrieved 21 April 2008.</ref></blockquote>
[[File:Weaving shed, Queen Street Mill - geograph.org.uk - 680867.jpg|thumb|A typical [[weaving shed]] at [[Queen Street Mill]] Textile Museum, Burnley]]
From around 1750, cotton textile manufacturing expanded rapidly. Supplied with cotton by merchants, and paid by the piece, cottagers spun cotton into thread and wove it into cloth. The merchants arranged for cloth to be bleached and dyed.

After 1775, [[Cotton mill|spinning]] mills were built in the town. Early mills were warehouse conversions; the first purpose-built spinning mill was constructed in 1797 and by 1824 there were 24. The number of [[Spindle (textiles)|spindles]] reached 2.5&nbsp;million&nbsp; by 1870 and spinning mills were constructed up to that time – 24 since 1850. Spinning declined between 1870 and 1900 as the sector transferred to south Lancashire.<ref>Beattie (1992), pp. 15–16.</ref>

In 18th-century Blackburn, [[weaving]] was primarily undertaken by [[loom|handloom]] weavers working from their own cottages. However, as powerlooms were introduced into the mills after 1825, the percentage of handloom weavers began to decline and this occurred more rapidly in areas closer to the town. In 1826 the [[Power-loom riots]] cam through Blackburn in response to the loss of jobs and low wages. Handloom weavers continued to make up a sizable portion of the workforce in outlying rural areas. The last handloom shop in Blackburn closed in 1894.<ref>Beattie (1992), pp. 16–18.</ref>

===1800s===
In 1807, the [[Thwaites Brewery|Daniel Thwaites & Co]] brewery was established; the company is still in business today and is now based at Sykes Holt in Mellor.<ref name="Daniel Thwaites Location">{{Cite web |title=Daniel Thwaites Location |url=https://www.thwaites.co.uk/brewery-and-our-beers/ |website=Thwaites.com |publisher=Thwaites |access-date=17 February 2018}}</ref>

Improvements to the [[power loom]] in the early 1840s, and the construction of a railway line in 1846, led to greater investment in power looms in Blackburn in the second half of that decade. The railway brought opportunities for expansion of the cotton trade, and in subsequent decades many new mills were constructed:<ref>Timmins (1993).</ref> between 1850 and 1870, sixty-eight&nbsp;weaving-only and four combined weaving/spinning mills were built and nine weaving mills were built per decade between 1870 and 1890.<ref>Beattie (1992), p. 17.</ref>
[[File:Mill Chimney, Blackburn, UK.jpg|thumb|upright|Duke Street Mill being destroyed]]

Improvements in power loom efficiency meant that weaving, the primary source of wealth and income for handloom weavers, began to transfer from the cottage industry to factories.<ref>Turner (1992), p. 9.</ref> This led to high rates of unemployment: according to figures published in March 1826, some 60 per cent of all handloom weavers in Blackburn and [[Rishton]], [[Lower Darwen]] and [[Oswaldtwistle]] were unemployed.<ref>Turner (1992), p.&nbsp;12.</ref> High unemployment led to the [[Power-loom riots|Lancashire weavers' riots]]. At 3:00 pm on 24 April 1826, a mob arrived in Blackburn after attacking power looms in [[Accrington]]. Proceeding to Bannister Eccles' Jubilee Factory on Jubilee Street, the mob destroyed 212 power looms in the space of 35 minutes. They then turned their attention to John Houghton and Sons' Park Place factory, located nearby, and destroyed another 25 looms, before seeking more machinery to attack. The crowd began to disperse at around 6:00 pm, troops having arrived at 3:30 pm to try to quell the rioting.<ref>Turner (1992), pp. 18–24.</ref>

===20th-century decline of the cotton industry===
In 1890, Blackburn's [[Chamber of Commerce]] had recognised that the town was overly dependent on the cotton industry, warning of the dangers of "only having one string to their bow in Blackburn".<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 11.</ref> The warning proved prophetic when, in 1904, a slump hit the cotton industry and other industries dependent on it, such as engineering, brewing and building.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 18.</ref> In 1908, another slump saw 43 mills stop production and a quarter of the town's looms lay idle.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 24.</ref>
[[File:Albion Mill Blackburn.jpg|thumb|Albion Mill photographed in 2008. The mill ceased production in 1975 and was demolished in 2010.<ref name="Taylor A">Taylor (2000), pp. 109–110.</ref>]]

During the [[First World War]] suspension of trade with India resulted in the expansion of colonial British India's cotton industry at the expense of Britain's,<ref name="ATaylor 1">Taylor (2000), pp. 47–55.</ref> and the imposition of an 11 per cent import tariff by the colonial British Government led to a dramatic slump in trade in 1921, a situation which worsened in 1922 after the Indian Government raised the tariff to 14 per cent. This caused the number of stopped mills to increase to 47, with 43,000 looms lying idle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1678&language=eng |title=Indian Duties |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=19 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026021011/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1678&language=eng |archive-date=26 October 2007}}</ref> Two years into the slump, Foundry and Limbrick Mills became the first to close permanently.<ref name="ATaylor 1"/>

Not long afterwards, in 1926, the [[1926 United Kingdom general strike|General Strike]] saw production suspended at half the town's mills and 12,000&nbsp;unemployed.<ref name="ATaylor 1"/>

In 1927, [[Matthew Brown & Co.]] relocated to the town's Lion Brewery, on Coniston Road, following their acquisition of local brewer Nuttall & Co, later the subject of a hostile takeover by [[Scottish & Newcastle|Scottish & Newcastle Breweries]] in 1987, ceasing brewing in 1991.<ref name ="ACOBB">A Century of British Brewers 1890 to 2012 by Norman Barber {{ISBN|1 873966 19 9}}</ref>

In 1928, there was another slump in textile production, and another strike in 1929 after employers requested a 12%&nbsp;wage cut; 40,000&nbsp;cotton workers struck for a week and eight mills closed, making 28&nbsp;closures in six years.<ref name="ATaylor 1" /> By the start of 1930, 50&nbsp;mills had shut and 21,000&nbsp;people were unemployed.<ref name="ATaylor 1" /> A financial crisis in 1931 led to 24,000&nbsp;unemployed, with 1,000&nbsp;houses and 166&nbsp;shops lying empty in the town.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1680&language=eng |title=Financial Crisis |access-date=19 May 2008 |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026185452/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1680&language=eng |archive-date=26 October 2007}}</ref> A total of 26 mills closed down between 1930 and 1934.<ref name="ATaylor 1"/>

====1948 mass fingerprinting====
Blackburn became the first town to undertake the mass fingerprinting of people following the murder of [[June Anne Devaney]] in May 1948.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Fingerprint Society Commemorates 60 Years Since Landmark Fingerprint Identification |url=http://www.fpsociety.org.uk/news/JAD.html |publisher=The Fingerprint Society |access-date=12 September 2012 |year=2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306164019/http://www.fpsociety.org.uk/news/JAD.html |archive-date=6 March 2012 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> June Anne Devaney was a three-year-old patient at Queens Park Hospital when she was abducted from her cot and murdered in the hospital grounds on 15 May 1948. Fingerprints on a bottle underneath her cot led the police to fingerprint every male over the age of 16 who was present in Blackburn on 14 and 15 May 1948. After taking over 46,500 sets of fingerprints, a match was made with Peter Griffiths, a 22-year-old ex-serviceman. Griffiths admitted his guilt and his trial ascertained if he was sane or not. After deliberating for 23 minutes, the jury found him sane and he was hanged at [[Liverpool Prison]] on Friday 19 November 1948. After his conviction, the police destroyed all fingerprints they had taken.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sixty Years of Fingerprints |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7573433.stm |publisher=BBC |access-date=12 September 2012 |format=Video |date=20 August 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Woodruff |first=Lorna |title=The Murder of June Anne Devaney |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=5144&language=eng |publisher=Cottontown.org |access-date=12 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404071143/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?language=eng&pageID=5144 |archive-date=4 April 2012}}</ref>

====1948–1999====
Between 1948 and 1950 the textile industry experienced a short post-war boom, during which sales increased, industry training methods improved and automatic looms were introduced, which allowed a single weaver to control 20 to 25 looms. Loom sheds were rebuilt to house new, larger looms.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1681&language=eng |title=Post-War Boom |access-date=19 May 2008 |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025005722/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1681&language=eng |archive-date=25 October 2007}}</ref> Despite the post-war boom, the cotton industry continued to decline and only 25 per cent of the town's population were employed in textiles by 1951; this figure had stood at 60 per cent up to the beginning of the [[Great Depression]] in 1929.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 83.</ref> In 1952 the number of weavers fell from 10,890 to 9,020.<ref name="Cottontown 50s">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1682&language=eng |title=1950s Decline |access-date=19 May 2008 |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024153227/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1682&language=eng |archive-date=24 October 2007}}</ref> By 1955 more cloth was imported from India than was exported<ref name="Cottontown 50s"/> and between 1955 and 1958 another 16&nbsp;mills closed. In 1959, due partly to the re-organisation of the textile industry as a result of the [[Act of parliament|Textiles Act]], another 17&nbsp;mills closed.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 87.</ref> By 1960 there were 30 mills operating in Blackburn.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 91.</ref>

Closures continued in the 1960s with The Parkside, Fountains, Malvern and Pioneer Mills shutting in 1964.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 94.</ref> In 1967 the Eclipse Mill at Feniscowles closed, unable to compete with imported cloth sold at nine pence cheaper per yard than the mill could produce. By the end of that year there were 26&nbsp;mills operating.<ref name="Cottontown LC">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1683&language=eng |title=Local Decline |access-date=19 May 2008 |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026104531/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1683&language=eng |archive-date=26 October 2007 }}</ref> The 1970s saw further closures, and the number of textile workers in Blackburn reduced to 6,000 by January 1975, the year in which the Albion and Alston mills stopped production with the loss of 400&nbsp;jobs.<ref name="Taylor A"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1684&language=eng |title=The End of an Industry |access-date=19 May 2008 |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026103601/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1684&language=eng |archive-date=26 October 2007 }}</ref> In 1976 there were 2,100 looms in operation in the town, compared with 79,405 in 1907.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=345 |title=20th Century Changes: Production and Decline |access-date=19 May 2008 |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616071043/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=345 |archive-date=16 June 2008}}</ref>

===21st-century revitalisation===

After continued economic decline in the 2000s, new investment began in the 2010s. In 2015, Scottish designer [[Patrick Grant (designer)|Patrick Grant]] rescued Cookson & Clegg, a factory founded in Blackburn in 1860 that was facing closure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cooke |first1=Diane |title=TV star set to revive Blackburn's textile industry after saving historic clothing company |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/13835931.tv-star-set-revive-blackburns-textile-industry-saving-historic-clothing-company/ |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] |date=9 October 2015 |language=en}}</ref> The following year he launched the Blackburn-based clothing brand [[Community Clothing]] to boost employment in British mills and factories.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Theodosi |first1=Natalie |title=Patrick Grant Launches Nonprofit Label, Community Clothing |url=https://wwd.com/feature/patrick-grant-non-profit-label-community-clothing-10357136/ |access-date=9 May 2023 |work=[[Women's Wear Daily|WWD]] |date=17 February 2016}}</ref>

The inaugural British Textile Biennial, a month-long festival celebrating textiles through art and exhibitions, was held in Blackburn in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Very First British Textile Biennial comes to Pennine Lancashire |url=https://www.creativelancashire.org/posts/the-very-first-british-textile-biennial-comes-to-pennine-lancashire |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Creative Lancashire |date=12 September 2019 |language=en}}</ref> The second edition took place in October 2021, and included an exhibition from Turner Prize winner [[Lubaina Himid]] and a film starring [[Maxine Peake]].<ref>{{cite news |title=British Textile Biennial 2021: Events begin across East Lancashire |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-58749461 |access-date=11 May 2023 |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=1 October 2021}}</ref>

In 2021, the [[Blackburn with Darwen Council]] proposed a £250m "Blackburn Master Plan" to revitalise central Blackburn over the next decade, with the goal of building 500 new homes and creating 1,000 jobs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Blackburn's £250m town centre regeneration plan revealed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-59681469 |access-date=12 May 2023 |publisher=BBC News |date=16 December 2021}}</ref> In 2022, £200m in government, council, and private investments were announced for the revitalisations of the town centres in both Blackburn and Darwen.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Bill |title=The £200m boost set to benefit Blackburn and Darwen town centres |url=https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/200m-boost-set-benefit-blackburn-24640165 |access-date=12 May 2023 |work=LancsLive |date=2 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The Townscape Heritage Project will create a new cultural quarter in Blackburn's historic town centre.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jacobs |first1=Bill |title=Historic town centre terrace to get dramatic new look |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23018130.historic-blackburn-town-centre-terrace-get-dramatic-new-look/ |access-date=12 May 2023 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=4 October 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Councillor Phil Riley stated that additional investment over the next decade could lead to 100,000 jobs in the borough.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beaney |first1=Abigail |title=Leader of council sets out vision for £1 billion boost for future of borough |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/22727887.1-billion-vision-blackburn-darwen-set-council-boss/ |access-date=12 May 2023 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=27 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
{{Further|List of Blackburn historical plaques}}

==Governance==
{{about|section=y|the organisation of government in the area|party politics and local issues|#Politics}}
Blackburn is administered by [[Blackburn with Darwen]] [[unitary authority]], which encompasses Blackburn and the small town of [[Darwen]] to the south. The town sends one Member of Parliament (MP) to the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]].

===Local government===
{{Main|Blackburn with Darwen|Blackburn with Darwen local elections}}
The council has been elected "by thirds" since 1996{{refn |One councillor from each of the three-member wards is elected in each of three years of four; candidates in 2-member wards are elected in two years of four. In the other years of the four-year cycle no elections are required|group=n}} In its 2007 [[Comprehensive Performance Assessment]] (CPA), the [[Audit Commission (United Kingdom)|Audit Commission]] described the council as "improving well" and gave it the highest "four star" overall performance rating.<ref name="auditcomm">[http://cpa.audit-commission.gov.uk/STCCScorecard.aspx?TaxID=LG-LV-BLAWDBC Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) scorecard 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707020027/http://cpa.audit-commission.gov.uk/STCCScorecard.aspx?TaxID=LG-LV-BLAWDBC |date=7 July 2011}}, [[Audit Commission (United Kingdom)|Audit Commission]], Retrieved 5 July 2008.</ref>

Although children's services, adult social care and [[GCSE]] results were praised, the commission highlighted "significant health problems" and increased "levels of repeat victims of domestic violence" as causes for concern.<ref name="auditcomm"/> Despite generally good performance, overall user satisfaction levels with the council are below average and not improving.<ref name="auditcomm"/> The borough has [[Beacon Council (award)|Beacon Council]] status and shares its best practice in education policy with other councils as part of the scheme.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/ |title=Home – Blackburn with Darwen Council |website=Blackburn.gov.uk |access-date=28 March 2006 |archive-date=8 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208211710/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Parliamentary representation===
The [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|historic constituency of Blackburn]] was created for the [[1832 United Kingdom general election|1832 general election]] and sent two [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Members of Parliament]] (MPs) to Westminster until it was abolished in [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950]] and replaced for one parliamentary term by two new single-member constituencies, [[Blackburn East (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn East]] and [[Blackburn West (UK Parliament constituency)|Blackburn West]]. At the [[1955 United Kingdom general election|1955 general election]], Blackburn East and Blackburn West were merged into the [[Blackburn (UK Parliament constituency)|modern-day constituency]] which is relatively tightly formed and returns a single [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]].

===Coat of arms===
[[File:BlackburnCoatOfArms.jpg|thumb|180px|Arms of the former Blackburn Borough Council on display in the [[Town Hall]]]]
The [[coat of arms]] of the former Blackburn Borough Council has many distinctive emblems.<ref name="coatofarms1">[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.6933 The Crests of Blackburn and Darwen] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624175658/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.6933 |date=24 June 2006 }}, [[Blackburn with Darwen Council]], Retrieved 16 April 2008</ref> The [[blazon]] of the arms is: ''Argent a Fesse wavy Sable between three Bees volant proper on a Chief Vert a Bugle stringed Argent between two Fusils Or. On the [[Crest (heraldry)|crest]], a Wreath of the Colours a Shuttle Or thereon a Dove wings elevated Argent and holding in the beak the Thread of the Shuttle reflexed over the back and an Olive Branch proper.'' The [[Latin]] [[motto]] of the town is {{lang|la|Arte et Labore}}, correctly translated as 'By art and by labour' but often translated as 'By skill and hard work'.<ref name="By Skill And Hard Work">{{Cite web |title=Blackburn Is open |url=https://www.newspaperclub.com/blackburnisopen/ddcmkwpu-by-skill-and-hard-work |access-date=17 February 2018}}</ref>

The motto, granted on 14 February 1852 to the former Borough of Blackburn, is poignant, as Blackburn, once a small town, had risen to importance through the energy and enterprise of her spinners and manufacturers, combined with the skill and labour of her operatives.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} The Borough of Blackburn was formed by the amalgamation of the County Borough of Blackburn, the Borough of Darwen, part of the [[Turton Urban District]] and the parishes of [[Yate and Pickup Bank]], [[Eccleshill, Lancashire|Eccleshill]], [[Livesey]], [[Pleasington]] and [[Tockholes]] from the [[Blackburn Rural District]].<ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=si |year=1972 |number=2039 |si=The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972}}</ref>

==Politics==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2023}}
Blackburn council and its successor have been predominantly controlled by the [[The Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] since 1945 and continuously for 19&nbsp;years until May 2007 when it fell into [[no overall control]].<ref>[http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/1375885.Shocked_Labour_loses_control_of_Blackburn_with_Darwen/ Shocked Labour loses control of Blackburn with Darwen], David Bartlett, ''[[Lancashire Telegraph]]'', 4 May 2007, Retrieved 6 June 2017.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/uk_politics/vote2000/locals/10.stm |title=UK Politics: Local Elections 2000: Blackburn with Darwen |work=BBC News |access-date=4 July 2008}}</ref> In 2008, UKPollingReport characterised the constituency of Blackburn as "a mix of deprived inner-city wards dominated by Muslim voters, white working class areas and [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] voting suburbs".<ref>[http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/guide/seat-profiles/blackburn Blackburn Election Guide], UKPollingReport. Retrieved 12 April 2008.</ref>

Until 2015, the MP was the former [[Secretary of State for Justice]] and former [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] [[Jack Straw]]. The distribution of seats as of May 2018 was 44 seats for the Labour Party, 17 for the Conservatives and 3 for the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]].

In July 1992, white and Asian youths rioted for several nights in Blackburn, as a newsagents in Brookhouse was set on fire and police had to disperse "small groups of white youths attempting to join a confrontation between the town's ethnic minorities".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/copycat-disorders-with-different-causes-as-rioters-clashed-with-police-on-the-streets-of-burnley-1535607.html|title = 'Copycat' disorders with different causes: As rioters clashed with|website = [[Independent.co.uk]]|date = 22 October 2011}}</ref>

The next resurgence of support for the far right came in 2002; The incumbent [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] were pushed into third place behind [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]. Commenting on the elections, Blackburn MP [[Jack Straw]] said: "It is very sad. We had the far right in Blackburn 26&nbsp;years ago when they won two seats in Shadsworth. But there the whole community decided they wouldn't have it. You can never say they won't put candidates in Blackburn but we will work hard on community relations."<ref>{{Cite news |title=BNP secures three seats |author=Higginson, David|publisher=[[Newsquest]] Media Group |date=27 November 2002}}</ref>

The council until prior to 2008 had two members for the [[England First]] party, [[Mark Cotterill]] for Meadowhead ward and Michael Johnson for Fernhurst. Mark Cotterill has since stood down and Michael Johnson joined the [[For Darwen]] party. Members of the [[British National Party|BNP]] won a council seat in the town in November 2002 following elections in May which saw three of their colleagues elected in nearby [[Burnley]]. The BNP's Robin Evans secured a 16-vote majority in Mill Hill ward with two recounts following a campaign using pub meetings and leafleting.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/farright/story/0,11981,845853,00.html |title=BNP snatches council seat in Straw constituency |author=Ward, David |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=23 November 2002 |access-date=5 July 2008 |location=London}}</ref> Robin Evans resigned from the party in October 2003.{{Why|date=July 2023}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1443668/BNP-councillor-resigns-from-party.html | title=BNP councillor resigns from party|website=Telegraph.co.uk| date=8 October 2003|accessdate=28 July 2023}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2023}}
{{climate chart
|Blackburn
|1|6|70
|1|7|50
|3|9|60
|4|12|50
|7|15|60
|10|18|70
|12|20|70
|12|20|80
|10|17|70
|8|14|80
|4|9|80
|2|7|80
|source={{Cite web|url=http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/UKXX1036.html |publisher=Yahoo! Weather |year=2007 |title=Records and averages |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608213409/http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/UKXX1036.html |archive-date=8 June 2011 }}
|float=right
}}
At {{Coord|53|44|41|N|2|28|37|W|type:city}} (53.7449°, −2.4769°), and {{convert|184|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north-northwest of London, Blackburn stands {{convert|401|ft|m|0|order=flip}} above sea level, {{convert|9|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} east of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]] and {{convert|21|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north-northeast of [[Manchester]]. The [[River Ribble|Ribble Valley]] and [[West Pennine Moors]] lie to the north and south respectively. Blackburn experiences a [[temperate]] [[Oceanic climate|maritime climate]], like much of the British Isles, with relatively cool summers and mild winters. There is regular but generally light precipitation throughout the year.

Although the city of Preston, the administrative centre for Lancashire, is located about {{convert|9|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} west, Blackburn is the largest municipality in East Lancashire. The town is bounded on other sides by the towns of [[Accrington, Lancashire|Accrington]] to the east and Darwen to the south. The village of [[Wilpshire]] is {{convert|2+1/2|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north of Blackburn, and is partly [[wikt:contiguous|contiguous]] (development-touching) however in the [[Ribble Valley]] local government district. Other nearby villages are [[Langho]], approximately {{convert|1+1/4|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} northeast, and [[Mellor, Lancashire|Mellor]] to the northwest.

The towns of [[Rishton]], to the east, and [[Great Harwood]], to the northeast, are both in the [[Local authority district|local government district]] of [[Hyndburn]]. The town of [[Burnley]] lies {{convert|11|mi|km}} to the east.<ref>[http://local.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=12&ll=53.739371,-2.477074&spn=0.084474,0.346069&om=1 Map of Blackburn and surrounding region], ''[[Google Maps]]''; [http://www.recpath.com/Free/GMap.html RecPath] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820234644/http://www.recpath.com/Free/GMap.html |date=20 August 2006}} used for distances.</ref>

===Geology and terrain===
[[File:BlackburnDarwenSpace.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Blackburn and the southern town of [[Darwen]] as viewed from space by the [[Landsat 7]] satellite in 2000 (false colour image)]]
[[File:BlackburnViewFromTank.jpg|thumb|300px|View north over Lammack and [[Pleckgate]] from one of the highest points in Blackburn at the site of the old water tank at Revidge]] Located in the midst of the East Lancashire Hills, some areas of the town are characterised by steep slopes. The town centre centres in a plain of {{Convert|91-110|m|ft|abbr=on}} [[Above Ordnance Datum|above sea level]] surrounded by hills. The Revidge to the north can be reached via a steep climb up Montague Street and Dukes Brow to reach a peak of {{convert|715|ft|0|order=flip}} above sea level.{{refn|The centre of the ridge is covered by the town's main cricket ground and Corporation Park|group=n}}<ref name="Blackburn">[http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/ Blackburn], Ordnance Survey Get-a-map. Retrieved 27 October 2006.</ref>

To the west, the wooded Billinge Hill in [[Witton Country Park]] is {{convert|804|ft|0|order=flip}} high, while [[Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital]] is situated to the east of the town at a vantage point of {{convert|663|ft|0|order=flip}}.<ref name="Blackburn"/> These figures can be considered in the context of other hills and mountains in Lancashire, including [[Great Hill (England)|Great Hill]] at {{convert|1250|ft|0|order=flip}}, [[Winter Hill (Lancashire)|Winter Hill]] at {{convert|1496|ft|0|order=flip}}, [[Pendle Hill]] at {{convert|1827|ft|0|order=flip}} and [[Green Hill (Lancashire)|Green Hill]] at {{convert|2060|ft|0|order=flip}}.

The [[River Blakewater]], which gives its names to the town, flows down from the moors above [[Guide, Lancashire|Guide]] and then through the areas of [[Whitebirk]], Little Harwood, Cob Wall and Brookhouse to the town centre. The river is [[culvert]]ed and runs underground in the town centre, under Ainsworth Street and between [[Blackburn Cathedral]] and the Boulevard. On the western side of the town centre the Blakewater continues through the Wensley Fold area before joining the [[River Darwen]] outside Witton Country Park; the Darwen flows into the [[River Ribble]] at [[Walton-le-Dale]].

The geology of the Blackburn area yields numerous resources which underpinned its development as a centre of manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution. [[mining|Mineable]] [[coal seam]]s have been used since the mid-late 16th&nbsp;century.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1251&language=eng |title=Coal mining in Blackburn with Darwen |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=27 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060617202021/http://cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1251&language=eng |archive-date=17 June 2006}}</ref>

The [[Coal Measures]] in the area overlie the [[Millstone Grit]] which has been [[quarry|quarried]] in the past for [[millstone]]s and, along with local [[limestone]] deposits, used as a construction material for roads and buildings. In addition, there were deposits of iron ore in the [[Furness]] and [[Ulverston]] districts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=564&language=eng |title=Geography and geology |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=27 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208021038/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=564&language=eng |archive-date=8 December 2006 }}</ref>

The Blackburn area was subjected to [[glaciation]] during the [[Pleistocene|Pleistocene ice age]], and the [[sandstone]]-and-[[shale]] bedrock is overlain in much of the area by [[glacial deposit]]s called [[till]] (which is also called "boulder clay") of varying thickness up to several tens of feet. [[Glacial outwash]] (sand and gravel) also occur in small patches, including along Grimshaw Brook.<ref>[http://www.grimshaworigin.org/WebPages/GeolBlak.htm Geology of the Blackburn Area] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212140935/http://grimshaworigin.org/WebPages/GeolBlak.htm |date=12 December 2006}}, Grimshaw Origins and History, 2000</ref><ref>[http://lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapecharacass/contents.asp A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire – Landscape Character Assessment] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070105214505/http://lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapecharacass/contents.asp |date=5 January 2007}}, Lancashire County Council</ref><ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/upload/doc/contaminated_land.doc Contaminated land inspection strategy] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102175028/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/upload/doc/contaminated_land.doc |date=2 November 2006}}. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Retrieved 6 July 2008.</ref>

===Green belt===
{{further|North West Green Belt}}
Blackburn is within a [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]] region that extends into the wider surrounding counties, and is in place to reduce [[urban sprawl]], prevent the towns in the nearby [[Greater Manchester Built-up Area|Greater Manchester]] and [[Liverpool Urban Area|Merseyside]] conurbations from further convergence, protect the identity of outlying communities, encourage [[brownfield]] reuse, and preserve nearby countryside. This is achieved by restricting inappropriate development within the designated areas and imposing stricter conditions on permitted building.<ref name="belt">{{Cite web |url=https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/New%20local%20plan%202/5.11%20BwD%20Green%20Belt%20Study%20Final%20Sept%202013.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=23 February 2018 |archive-date=23 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223171407/https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/New%20local%20plan%202/5.11%20BwD%20Green%20Belt%20Study%20Final%20Sept%202013.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Sizeable areas of green belt exist within the borough, west and south of Blackburn surrounding Witton Country Park and Pleasington parish, with other parishes in the borough containing portions of green belt, Tockholes, Eccleshill, Yate and Pickup Bank parish, Livesy, Darwen, with North Turton largely covered. The green belt was first drawn up in 1982 under [[Lancashire County Council]],<ref name="belt"/> and the size in the borough in 2017 amounted to some {{convert|5,260|ha|acre}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Green belt statistics – GOV.UK |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-belt-statistics |website=Gov.uk |date=16 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

==Demography==
At the time of the [[HM Government|UK Government]]'s [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]], Blackburn, defined as an urban area, had a population of 105,085 and a population density of {{convert|11114|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Census KS01"/> According to further statistics from the same census, this time defining Blackburn as a [[United Kingdom constituencies|Westminster parliamentary constituency]], the population was 69.22 per cent [[White British]] (national average for England 89.99 per cent) with significant [[Pakistan]]i (14.31 per cent) and [[India]]n (11.45 per cent ) ethnic minorities.<ref name="Census KS06">[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6021228&c=blackburn&d=27&e=15&g=388646&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211121501156&enc=1&dsFamilyId=47 2001 Census: Key Statistics, Ethnic Group (KS06)], [[Office for National Statistics]]. Retrieved 18 March 2008.</ref> 12.33 per cent of the population was born outside the [[European Union]].<ref name="Census KS05">[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6021228&c=blackburn&d=27&e=15&g=388646&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211121501156&enc=1&dsFamilyId=11 2001 Census: Key Statistics, Country of Birth (KS05)], [[Office for National Statistics]]. Retrieved 18 March 2008.</ref> In terms of religion, 57.53 per cent of residents were Christian (average for England 71.74 per cent), 25.74 per cent [[Muslim]] (average for England 3.1 per cent) and 15.98% no religion or not stated.<ref name="Census KS07">[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6021228&c=blackburn&d=27&e=15&g=388646&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211121501171&enc=1&dsFamilyId=17 2001 Census: Key Statistics, Religion (KS07)], [[Office for National Statistics]]. Retrieved 18 March 2008.</ref>

With regard to the economic activity of those aged 16–74, the 2001 Census indicates that 33.93 per cent were full-time employees (average for England 40.81 per cent), 11.72 per cent part-timers, 5.97 per cent self-employed (average for England 8.32 per cent), and 4.5 per cent unemployed (average for England 3.35 per cent).<ref name="Census KS09A">[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6021228&c=blackburn&d=27&e=15&g=388646&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211121501156&enc=1&dsFamilyId=21 2001 Census: Key Statistics, Economic Activity (KS09A)], [[Office for National Statistics]]. Retrieved 18 March 2008.</ref>

The 2001 census also records the social grade of the constituency's 72,418 people aged 16 and over: using the [[NRS social grades]] system, 10,748 were classed as AB (higher and intermediate managerial/administrative/professional), 17,514 as C1 (supervisory, clerical, junior managerial/administrative/professional), 11,691 as C2 (skilled manual workers), 19,212 as D (semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers), and 13,253 as E (on state benefit, unemployed, lowest grade workers).<ref name="Census UV50">[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=6021228&c=blackburn&d=27&e=10&g=388646&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211128991717&enc=1&dsFamilyId=141 2001 Census: Key Statistics, Approximated Social Grade (UV50)], [[Office for National Statistics]]. Retrieved 18 March 2008.</ref>

Additionally, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council manages a site for gypsies and travellers in the Ewood area of the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gypsy and traveller sites – Ewood travellers site |url=http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.13201 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110926180604/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.13201 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 September 2011 |work=A-Z of Services |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=3 October 2012}}</ref>

In the 2021 census, the population of Blackburn with Darwen was 154,922, according to mid-2021 population figures published by the ONS. Blackburn with Darwen's population growth rate between mid-2020 and mid-2021 was 0.2% per year. Blackburn with Darwen covers an area of 137 square kilometres (53 square miles) and has a population density of 1,131 people per square kilometre (km2), based on the latest population estimates taken in mid-2021.<ref name="Census2021"/>

According to the latest 2021 census, the population in Blackburn with Darwen is predominantly white (60%), with non-white minorities representing the remaining 40% of the population. The largest religious group in Blackburn with Darwen is Christians who account for 38% of the population.<ref name="Census2021"/>

English is spoken as the main language by 87.5% of people in Blackburn with Darwen, and spoken either well or very well by 8% of the population. 3.4% reported having poor English language skills, and the remaining 0.8% spoke no English at all.<ref name="Census2021">[https://www.varbes.com/demographics/blackburn-with-darwen-demographics Blackburn with Darwen 2021 census data], varbes.com. Accessed 28 July 2023.</ref>

=== Ethnicity ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="14" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |1961 estimations<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Robinson |first=Vaughan |date=1979 |title=Contrasts between Asian and white housing choice |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369183X.1979.9975567 |journal=New Community |language=en |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=195–202 |doi=10.1080/1369183X.1979.9975567 |issn=0047-9586|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1971 estimations<ref name=":1" />
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{cite web |title=KS006 – Ethnic group |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/submit.asp?forward=yes&menuopt=201&subcomp= |access-date=30 January 2016 |publisher=NOMIS}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref>{{cite web |title=Ethnic Group by measures |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/QS201EW/view/1946157259?cols=measures |access-date=8 January 2016 |publisher=NOMIS}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=TS021 - Ethnic group - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021ts021 |access-date=2024-06-08 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!121,847
!89.2%
!116,142
!84.2%
!107,124
!78%
!102,009
!69.1%
!93,392
!60.4%
|-
|White: [[White British|British]]<ref name="2001Category" group="n">New category created for the 2001 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|104,629
|76.1
|98,144
|66.5
|87,997
|56.9%
|-
|White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,172
|0.9
|794
|0.5
|589
|0.4%
|-
|White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]<ref name="2011Category" group="n">New category created for the 2011 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|161
|0.1
|101
|0.1%
|-
|White: [[Romanichal|Roma]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|
|
|143
|0.1%
|-
|White: [[Other White|Other]]<ref name="2001Category" group="n" />
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,323
|1.0
|2,910
|2.0
|4,562
|2.9%
|-
![[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total
!–
!0.2%
!–
!4.3%
!13,646
!10%
!20,192
!14.6%
!28,588
!20.8%
!41,494
!28.1%
!55,178
!35.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|7,485
|5.5%
|10,824
|7.8%
|14,654
|10.7
|19,791
|13.4
|24,389
|15.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|5,468
|4%
|8,299
|6%
|12,020
|8.7
|17,801
|12.1
|27,525
|17.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|158
|
|316
|
|523
|0.4
|1,525
|1.0
|1,473
|1.0%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]{{#tag:ref|In 2001, listed under the 'Other ethnic group' heading.|group="n"}}
|–
|–
|–
|–
|177
|
|237
|
|204
|0.1
|721
|0.5
|400
|0.3%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|358
|
|516
|
|1,187
|0.9
|1,656
|1.1
|1,391
|0.9%
|-
![[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!444
!0.3%
!606
!0.4%
!318
!0.2%
!933
!0.6%
!1,406
!0.9%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|African]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|145
|
|178
|
|183
|0.1
|614
|0.4
|1,061
|0.7%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|73
|
|100
|
|106
|0.1
|202
|0.1
|170
|0.1%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|226
|
|328
|
|29
|0.0
|117
|0.1
|175
|0.1%
|-
![[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed or British Mixed]]: Total<ref name="2001Category" group="n" />
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!1,262
!0.9%
!1,823
!1.2%
!2,596
!1.6%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|200
|0.1
|315
|0.2
|368
|0.2%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black African
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|109
|0.1
|162
|0.1
|231
|0.1%
|-
|Mixed: White and Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|703
|0.5
|989
|0.7
|1,329
|0.9%
|-
|Mixed: Other Mixed
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|250
|0.2
|357
|0.2
|668
|0.4%
|-
!Other: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!678
!0.5%
!960
!0.8%
!178
!0.1%
!1,230
!0.8%
!2,169
!1.4%
|-
|Other: Arab<ref name="2011Category2" group="n">New category created for the 2011 census</ref>
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|585
|0.4
|841
|0.5%
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
|–
|–
|–
|–
|678
|0.5%
|960
|0.8%
|178
|0.1
|645
|0.4
|1,328
|0.9%
|-
!Non-White: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!14,768
!10.8%
!21,758
!15.8%
!
!
!
!
!61,349
!39.6%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Total
!–
!–
!–
!100%
!136,615
!100%
!137,900
!100%
!137,470
!100%
!147,489
!100%
!154,741
!100%
|}

==Economy==
As of 2007, the town centre was subject to a multimillion-pound investment. [[Blackburn with Darwen Council]] made some refurbishments and renovations of key public places, notably the Church Street area with its [[Grade II listed]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.11157 |title=Waterloo Pavilions |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=5 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011071904/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.11157 |archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref> [[Classical architecture|classical style]]<ref>{{NHLE|num=1239322|desc=20, Church Street|access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|num=1239154|desc=28 and 30, Church Street|access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|num=1239364|desc=Barclays Bank, 36, Church Street|access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref> Waterloo Pavilions complemented by street furniture and sculptures. As of 2006, [[The Mall Blackburn]] (formerly known as Blackburn Shopping Centre) was the main shopping centre in Blackburn with over 130 shops and 400 further outlets close by.<ref>Blackburn is placed in a similar position to its neighbour Burnley in most consumer spending and footfall rankings. Along with Burnley, Bolton, Preston and Bury are the towns' main retail rivals.[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.6442 Page=3 Tourism in Blackburn with Darwen: Shopping] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427031839/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.6442&viewPage=3 |date=27 April 2006}}, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, 8 November 2005, Retrieved 2 May 2006.</ref>

In June 2011, Blackburn Market opened in a new site under the shopping centre<ref>{{Cite web |title=Blackburn's New Market open for business |url=http://www.blackburnlife.com/2011/06/blackburns-new-market-open-for-business/ |publisher=Blackburn Life |access-date=27 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426002528/http://www.blackburnlife.com/2011/06/blackburns-new-market-open-for-business/ |archive-date=26 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and opened six days a week (Monday–Saturday). The previous market was based on the other side of Ainsworth Street. It first opened on this site in 1964, where there was a three-day market (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) and the Market Hall (Monday–Saturday).

In May 2008, one of the town's most well-known shops, the shoe store Tommy Ball's, closed due to [[administration (insolvency)|insolvency]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2300276.famous_blackburn_shoe_store_tommy_balls_closes/ |title=Famous Blackburn shoe store Tommy Ball's closes |first=Tom |last=Moseley |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] |publisher=[[Newsquest Media Group]] |date=27 May 2008 |access-date=11 January 2009}}</ref> The town's oldest store, Mercer & Sons, also closed after a decline in sales blamed on the [[Late 2000s recession|credit crunch]]. It opened in 1840 and was originally an [[ironmonger]], but it converted to selling toys, household goods and hardware. In January 2009 the directors of the company announced that the shop would close after a 30-day statutory consultation, unless they changed their minds or a buyer was found.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/blackburn/4033673.Shock_as_Mercer_s_announces_plans_to_close/ |title=Shock as Blackburn's oldest shop announces plans to close |first=Tom |last=Moseley |work=Blackburn Citizen |publisher=[[Newsquest Media Group]] |date=9 January 2009 |access-date=11 January 2009}}</ref>

Markets continue to offer a wide range of local produce, such as Lancashire cheeses, [[tripe]], Bowland beef and lamb. Walsh's [[Sarsaparilla (soft drink)|Sarsaparilla]] stall decided not to join the move into the Mall shopping centre in 2011,{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} and opens six days a week.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Tom |last=Moseley |title=Market site 'not for supermarket' |work=Lancashire Telegraph |publisher=Newsquest Media Group |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/1992085.market_site_not_for_supermarket/ |date=24 February 2008 |access-date=8 July 2008}}</ref>

Major employers in Blackburn include: Blackburn College, [[Thwaites Brewery]], [[BAE Systems]] ([[Samlesbury Aerodrome]] site, located at Samlesbury, northwest of Blackburn); Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council; and the [[East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust]] (based at the Royal Blackburn Hospital).{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

''Drumstone Trade Park'' near the town centre has trade outlets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://completelyindustrial.co.uk/scheme/Drumstone-Trade-Park-Blackburn|title=Drumstone Trade Park, Blackburn - Completely Industrial|website=Completelyindustrial.co.uk|access-date=11 June 2022}}</ref>

==Transport==
{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2023}}

===Railway===
[[File:Blackburn Railway Station.jpg|thumb|Blackburn railway station]]
[[Blackburn railway station]] is sited in the town centre and is managed by [[Northern Trains]], who also operate all of its passenger services. It is on the [[Ribble Valley line]] between [[Clitheroe railway station|Clitheroe]] and [[Manchester Victoria]]; trains to Manchester typically take around 50 minutes and continue on to [[Rochdale railway station|Rochdale]]. The station also hosts [[East Lancashire Line]] services eastwards to [[Burnley railway station|Burnley]], [[Colne railway station|Colne]], [[Leeds railway station|Leeds]] and [[York railway station|York]]; services westwards go to [[Preston railway station|Preston]] and [[Blackpool North railway station|Blackpool]].

===Buses===
Blackburn's new bus station in Ainsworth Street opened in May 2016. A new interchange was built outside the station as part of the Cathedral Quarter redevelopment, where all buses continue to the bus station.

===Air===
[[Manchester Airport]], the busiest airport in the UK outside London,<ref>{{Cite news |first=James |last=Wilson |title=A busy hub of connectivity |work=[[Financial Times]] – FT report – doing business in Manchester and the NorthWest |publisher=The Financial Times Limited |date=26 April 2007}}</ref> provides scheduled flights. It is located about {{convert|28|mi|km|abbr=on}} south-east of the town.

===Waterways===
The [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]] runs through Blackburn from Feniscowles in the south-west to Whitebirk in the north-east, skirting the town centre to the east of Blackburn railway station. This important early industrial artery arrived in 1810 and became the chief focus for industrial growth in the 19th century, with raw cotton imported via [[Liverpool]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canal |url=https://www.leedsandliverpoolcanalsociety.co.uk/canal/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society |language=en-GB}}</ref> While it suffered neglect in the wake of the area's industrial decline, the Blackburn stretch has benefited from a number of regeneration projects since the 1990s. British Waterways residential moorings are to be found at Finnington Lane Bridge on the western edge of the borough.

===Roads===
The [[M65 motorway]] passes to the south of Blackburn. It runs from [[Colne]], about {{convert|17|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} north-east of Blackburn, to a point close to the village of [[Lostock Hall]] near [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]], about {{convert|12|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}  west. Junction six of the motorway is located at the eastern edge of Blackburn, near the Intack area; junctions five and four are located to the south, near the village of [[Guide, Lancashire|Guide]] and the [[Lower Darwen]] area, respectively; and junction three is located at the south-western edge of the town, close to the [[Feniscowles]] area. The M65 links Blackburn to the national motorway network, connecting to junction nine of the [[M61 motorway|M61]] and junction 29 of the [[M6 motorway|M6]].

Other major roads in and around Blackburn include the [[A666 road|A666]] and the [[A677 road|A677]]. The A666 runs from the [[A59 road (Great Britain)|A59]] near the village of [[Langho]], some {{convert|3+3/4|mi|km|round=0.5|abbr=on}}  north-west of Blackburn. It passes through the town centre and continues south through the towns of [[Darwen]] and [[Bolton]], then south-west to the town of [[Pendlebury]], near [[Manchester]], where it joins the [[A6 road (Great Britain)|A6]] at [[Irlams o' th' Height]]. The A677 runs from the east part of Blackburn, about {{convert|1+1/2|mi|km|round=0.5|abbr=on}} from the centre. It passes through the centre of the town and continues to the western outskirts. It then heads north-west to the village of [[Mellor Brook]] before continuing west towards the city of [[Preston, Lancashire|Preston]]. It joins the A59 about {{convert|5+1/2|mi|km|0}} west of Blackburn, about halfway between Blackburn and Preston. [[Barbara Castle]] Way, named after the former local MP, runs from Montague Street to Eanam Roundabout; it passes close to the town centre as part of the A6078 town centre orbital route.

==Landmarks==
===Cathedral===
{{Main|Blackburn Cathedral}}
[[File:Blackburn Cathedral west front.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Blackburn Cathedral]] sits in the middle of the town centre.]]
[[Blackburn Cathedral]] was formerly [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|St Mary]]'s Parish Church. It was reconsecrated in 1826 on the site of a previous church that had stood for several hundred years. In 1926 the [[Diocese of Blackburn]] was created and the church gained cathedral status.<ref>Duckworth and Halsall (2002), p. 25.</ref> Blackburn was selected above other locations for the new wave of Archbishop Temple's cathedrals because of its then excellent public transport infrastructure – the cathedral stands next to the bus and railway station.{{refn|Both interchanges have been reduced in scale since.|group=n}} Between the 1930s and 1960s an enlarged cathedral was built using the existing building as the nave.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?LANGUAGE=eng&pageID=1339 |title=Blackburn Cathedral |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=20 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024065620/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?pageid=1339&language=eng |archive-date=24 October 2007}}</ref> Six of the cathedral's bells were cast in 1737 and are claimed to derive from even older bells.<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 9.</ref> An image of the cathedral is used behind BBC interviews filmed at [[BBC Radio Lancashire]] in Darwen Street, opposite the cathedral.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

===Ewood Park===
{{Main|Ewood Park|Blackburn Rovers F.C.}}
The ground was opened in AprIl 1882.<ref>Jackman (2006), pp. 29–30.</ref> Work on the redeveloped, all-seater stadium got underway in February 1993 when the old Darwen End stand was demolished. This stand, with the old Blackburn End stand, was redeveloped before the Nuttall Street stand was also demolished ready for redevelopment in January 1994. Almost two years later, on 18 November 1995, the new Ewood Park was officially opened.<ref>Jackman (2006), pp. 181–187.</ref> With a capacity of 31,367,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/europe/countries/united_kingdom/england/north_west.shtml |work=World Stadiums |title=Stadiums in England: North West |access-date=29 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531000225/http://www.worldstadiums.com/europe/countries/united_kingdom/england/north_west.shtml |archive-date=31 May 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> it consists of four sections: the [[Darwen]] End, Riverside Stand (so named as it stands on the banks of the [[River Darwen]]), Blackburn End, and Jack Walker Stand, named after a Blackburn industrialist and club supporter. The stadium also has conference and banqueting facilities.

===Queen Victoria's statue===
[[File:Statue of Queen Victoria in Blackburn.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Blackburn's Statue of Queen Victoria with the cathedral in the background]]
Blackburn's statue of [[Queen Victoria]] stands next to the cathedral grounds overlooking the Cathedral Square. Victoria's fourth daughter, [[Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll]], unveiled the statue on 30 September 1905. It was sculpted by the Australian Sir Bertram McKennal out of white Sicilian [[marble]] and stands on a grey [[granite]] [[plinth]].<ref>Taylor (2000), p. 20.</ref> It is {{convert|11|ft|1}} high and weighs {{convert|9|LT|t|0|spell=on|abbr=off}}, while the plinth is {{convert|14|ft|m|1}} high and weighs {{convert|30|LT|t|0|abbr=off}}.<ref>Duckworth and Halsall (2002), p. 24.</ref>

===Town Hall===
[[File:Town Hall Blackburn Lancashire.jpg|thumb|upright|The Italianate 19th-century [[Blackburn Town Hall|Old Town Hall]] and its 1960s counterpart—the reclad New Town Hall]]
The construction of Blackburn's original, [[renaissance architecture|Italian Renaissance style]] [[Blackburn Town Hall|Town Hall]] was completed in 1856 at a cost of £35,000,<ref>Beattie (2007), p. 139.</ref> equivalent to about £1.5&nbsp;million as at 2008.<ref name=CC>{{cite web |title=Currency converter |publisher=The National Archives | url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/ |access-date=8 July 2008}}</ref> The architect was James Paterson and the contractors were Richard Hacking and William Stones. It originally housed a police station with 18 cells, a large assembly room, and a council chamber.<ref>Duckworth (2005), p. 20.</ref> A tower block extension was constructed in 1969 at a cost of £650,000, equal to about £6.6 million as at 2008.<ref name=CC /> The tower block is not strictly an extension to the earlier building: the two buildings are connected only by an elevated, enclosed footbridge. The tower block was {{convert|198|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} high and the top was {{convert|545|ft|9|in|m|1|abbr=on}} above sea-level when built,<ref>Burrow, J & Co. (Eds.) (1970), p. 16.</ref> although it has since been re-clad and these figures may have altered slightly. The two buildings are known locally as the ''New Town Hall'' and ''Old Town Hall'' respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Old Town Hall – King William Street |url=http://www.blackburnpast.com/2009/11/old-town-hall-king-william-street.html |work=Blackburn Past: A look at Blackburn Lancashire in Days gone by |access-date=2 October 2012 |author=Blackburnlad |quote=...or as we refer to it today, the Old Town Hall (the 1960s tower block being the 'new' Town Hall).}}</ref>

===Technical School===

[[File:Blackburn with Darwen - College Of Technology And Design - 20340526183237.jpg|thumb|left|Blackburn's 19th-century Technical School]]

The school was built in the Northern Renaissance style and has a slate roof, an attic, a basement and two intermediate storeys. Made mainly of red brick and yellow [[terra cotta]], it is profusely decorated. There are ornate [[gable]]s, a round-arched entrance with angled [[Turret (architecture)|turret]]s and balcony above; in addition, there is a [[frieze]] below the top storey with panels depicting art and craft skills.  A Grade II [[listed building]], it is now part of [[Blackburn College (Blackburn with Darwen)|Blackburn College]].<ref>Beattie (2007), pp. 197–198.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?language=eng&pageID=1401 |title=Blackburn Technical School |work=Cotton Town |publisher=Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council |access-date=24 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030121527/http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?LANGUAGE=eng&pageID=1401 |archive-date=30 October 2007}}</ref><ref>Timmins (1993), plate 161.</ref> The Prince of Wales placed a time capsule in the wall of the college during his visit. The college celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2013.

===Cotton Exchange===
[[File:Cotton Exchange 24 July 2023.jpg|thumb|alt=Exterior of the Cotton Exchange Building, Blackburn|Blackburn Cotton Exchange Building]]
The [[Blackburn Cotton Exchange Building|Cotton Exchange]] was built in 1865 as a trading point for the local cotton industry.<ref name="NHLE">{{National Heritage List for England |num= 1222896|desc= The Cotton Exchange |access-date= 23 July 2023 |mode=cs2}}</ref> Designed by William Brakspear, the building was repurposed in 1881 to make it more suitable as a performance hall.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Exchange New Stage |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000152/18811112/002/0008 |access-date=25 July 2023 |publisher=Blackburn Standard |date=12 November 1881}}</ref> In 1918, it was refurbished as a cinema and continued to serve this purpose until its closure in 2005. The building was bought by the Re:Source charity in 2015 and has since hosted events such as the National Festival of Making, adidas Spezial Exhibition, and the Confessional Music and Arts Festival.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Shuiab |title=Town centre turned into a giant workshop for Festival of Making |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/23642914.blackburn-turned-giant-workshop-festival-making/ |access-date=30 July 2023 |publisher=Lancashire Telegraph |date=9 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Sophie-May |title=21,000 people and famous faces visited Blackburn for Adidas Spezial exhibition |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/17985555.21-000-people-visited-blackburn-adidas-spezial-exhibition/ |access-date=30 July 2023 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=23 October 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Anson |first1=John |title=Confessional Festival all set to make history at the Exchange |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/19569508.confessional-festival-make-history-exchange/ |access-date=30 July 2023 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=9 September 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

===Other landmarks===
[[File:Wainwright Bridge, Blackburn, Lancashire.jpg|thumb|Wainwright Bridge, in October 2017]] [[File:King George's Hall, Blackburn, Lancashire.jpg|thumb|King George's Hall]]
The Wainwright Bridge was opened in June 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3183883.Blackburn_s_Wainwright_bridge_opens_to_traffic/ |title=Blackburn's Wainwright bridge opens to traffic |date=27 June 2008 |last=Moseley |first=Tom |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] |publisher=[[Newsquest Media Group]] |access-date=29 June 2008}}</ref> The £12 million [[bowstring arch bridge]] crosses the [[East Lancashire Line|East Lancashire]] and [[Ribble Valley Line|Ribble Valley]] railway lines west of the town centre and forms part of the A6078 Town Centre Orbital Route. The bridge is named after [[Alfred Wainwright]], after a vote by the townspeople.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6916943.stm |title=Steel brought in for £9m bridge |date=26 July 2007 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=19 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2008/3/31/1091588.html |title=Wainwright remembered with new bridge |date=31 March 2008 |publisher=[[Newsquest Media Group]] |work=[[Lancashire Telegraph]] |access-date=19 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920022434/http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2008/3/31/1091588.html |archive-date=20 September 2010}}</ref> [[Blackburn Arena]], opened in 1991, houses an [[ice rink]] and is home to the [[Blackburn Hawks]] [[ice hockey]] team.

[[Blackburn railway station]] features a {{convert|24|ft|m|1|adj=on}} mural by the [[Ormskirk]]-based artist Stephen Charnock. It shows eight famous faces associated with the town, including [[Mohandas Gandhi]], who visited nearby [[Darwen]] in 1931. The station was renovated in 2000. [[BBC Radio Lancashire]] has its studios in Darwen Street in the town centre. [[Thwaites Brewery]], which produces [[cask ale]], has had a position in the centre of the town since 1870. There is also [[King George's Hall, Blackburn|King George's Hall]], which is an arts and entertainment centre and Thwaites Empire Theatre. A section of the [[Leeds and Liverpool Canal]] runs through the town. [[St Anne's Church, Blackburn|St Anne's Roman Catholic Church]] is also situated in the centre of the town, is a [[Lombard Romanesque]] church, built in 1926, destroyed by [[arson]] in 2002 and rebuilt in 2004.<ref name=stock>[http://taking-stock.org.uk/Home/Dioceses/Diocese-of-Salford/Blackburn-St-Anne/ Blackburn – St Anne] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223024309/http://taking-stock.org.uk/Home/Dioceses/Diocese-of-Salford/Blackburn-St-Anne/ |date=23 February 2016 }} from [[English Heritage]], retrieved 14 February 2016</ref> The [[Canterbury Street drill hall]] was completed in 1870.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1436740 |desc=Blackburn Drill Hall |access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

===Parks===
[[File:Corporation Park Conservatory Blackburn Lancashire.jpg|thumb|Corporation Park's conservatory, which dates from 1900<ref name="Duckworth p75">Duckworth (2005), p.&nbsp;75.</ref>]]
[[Corporation Park, Blackburn|Corporation Park]], north-west of the town centre, was built on {{convert|50|acre|ha|-1|order=flip}} of land bought from Joseph Feilden, lord of the manor, for {{convert|50|£/acre|£/ha|abbr=off}} in 1855. It opened on 22 October 1857, with shops and mills closing for the day, church bells ringing and flags flying from public buildings. Railway companies claimed 14,000 people travelled to the opening.<ref>Duckworth (2005), p. 65.</ref> A conservatory was opened on 16 May 1900.<ref name="Duckworth p75"/> Corporation Park contains the [[Blackburn War Memorial]] which commemorates those who lost their lives in the two World Wars.<ref name=ELM>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20130613044453/http://www.eastlancsmemorials.co.uk/accringtonblackburn/blackburn_corporationpark.htm Corporation Park.]}} East Lancashire Memorials. Retrieved 17 August 2012.</ref><ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConMediaFile.3781 Corporation Park, garden of Remembrance.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607042239/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConMediaFile.3781 |date=7 June 2011 }} Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Retrieved 17 August 2012.</ref><ref>[https://archive.today/20121128001310/http://website.ag.nsw.gov.au/Mackennal/html/moreInfo/moreInfo_BM141.html The Blackburn war memorial.], Archive.today, Retrieved 17 August 2012.</ref> The town's annual Armistice parade concludes at the war memorial.

The town's Queen's Park was opened in June 1887, having been laid out at a cost of £10,000 on land acquired by Blackburn Corporation from the [[Ecclesiastical Commissioners]] in 1882. It originally had two [[bowling green]]s, two tennis courts, a lake of over {{convert|3|acre|ha|order=flip}}, a children's paddling pool, a bandstand, and a refreshment room. Two additional bowling greens and a pavilion were added in 1932.<ref>Duckworth (2005), pp. 78–79.</ref>

[[File:Queens Park Lake Blackburn Lancashire.jpg|thumb|The main lake in Queen's Park]]
[[Witton Country Park]] is a {{convert|480|acre|ha|order=flip|adj=on}} space to the west of the town. The land was purchased in 1946 and was the ancestral home of the Feilden family. It is larger than all the town's other parks and playing fields put together.<ref name="Duckworth p79">Duckworth (2005), p. 79.</ref> Witton Park High School is located within the park, as are three astroturf football pitches and a full-size athletic track, which is home to the Blackburn Harriers. The Blackburn model aircraft club also uses the park for radio-controlled aircraft. Pleasington cemetery and crematorium lie on its edges.

Roe Lee Park, in the north of the town, opened on Wednesday 30 May 1923 to commemorate a visit by [[George V]]. It was originally a {{convert|16|acre|ha|order=flip|adj=on}} site with five tennis courts and three bowling greens.<ref name="Duckworth p79"/> The borough council website describes it as a {{convert|17|acre|ha|order=flip|0|adj=on}} "urban fringe park with bowling greens, kick around area and children's playground".<ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.14432&viewPage=1 Roe Lee Park] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607024629/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.14432&viewPage=1 |date=7 June 2011}}. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Retrieved 5 June 2008.</ref> In 2007, all four parks described here were winners of [[Green Flag award]]s.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Parks awarded prestigious Green Flags |publisher=Newsquest Media Group |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/search/1550257.Parks_awarded_prestigious_Green_Flags/ |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=17 July 2007 |access-date=6 July 2007}}</ref>

[[Blackburn Cemetery]] is located to the north of the town centre in Roe Lee.

===Libraries===
Blackburn Central Library, located in the town centre close to the Town Hall, is described as "the seventh most visited library in England".<ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.226 Libraries] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010000225/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.226 |date=10 October 2007}}, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Retrieved 4 July 2008.</ref> The library has various sections and facilities, including: an information and reference section, a media section, a community history section, a children's library, and a creche. An ICT training suite at the library has been named the "Bill Gates Room".<ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.8428&viewPage=1 Blackburn Central Library] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024071851/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.8428&viewPage=1 |date=24 October 2007}}, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Retrieved 4 July 2008.</ref> Blackburn has smaller libraries for the Mill Hill, Livesey and Roman Road parts of the town, and a mobile library service.<ref>[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.227 Our Libraries] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010000151/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.227 |date=10 October 2007}}, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Retrieved 4 July 2008.</ref>

==Education==
:''See [[List of schools in Blackburn with Darwen]]''
Secondary education in Blackburn is provided by nine [[state-funded schools (England)|state-funded schools]] and one private school.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Establishments/Search?tok=8T0RB2dO |title=Search results: Establishments in 'Blackburn with Darwen' |website=Get information about schools |publisher=UK Government |access-date=28 January 2018}}</ref> In 2005, [[Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School]] became the first Muslim state school in the North West. It had previously been an independent school.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chorleycitizen.co.uk/news/5782437.School_celebrates_new_funded_status/ |title=School celebrates new funded status |date=17 June 2005 |access-date=3 March 2008 |work=[[Lancashire Evening Telegraph]] |publisher=[[Newsquest Media Group]]}}</ref> Since then [[Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School]] has been established and [[Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn|Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School]] joined the state-funded sector.

The town also has a few [[special school]]s. St Thomas's and Sunnyhurst Pupil Referral Unit educates children unable to attend mainstream school for health reasons or other difficulties.<ref name="school">[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.15376 Blackburn with Darwen Schools] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411062818/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.15376 |date=11 April 2008}}, [[Blackburn with Darwen]], Retrieved 14 April 2008</ref>

Over £25 million was invested in educational initiatives in Blackburn with Darwen in the late 2000s, including new schools, city learning centres and children's centres. Over 11,000 adults take part in some form of educational programme.<ref name="lifelonglearning"/> [[Blackburn with Darwen]] council has twice had Beacon Status for education in the "Fostering School Improvement" and "Transforming the School Workforce" categories.<ref name="lifelonglearning">[http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.157 Education and lifelong learning] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411023708/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.157 |date=11 April 2008}}, [[Blackburn with Darwen Council]], Retrieved 14 April 2008</ref> Compared with 56.5 per cent nationally, 51.3 per cent of pupils in Blackburn with Darwen achieve grades A*–C.<ref name="edu-stats">[http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=3&b=276819&c=blackburn&d=13&e=5&g=388684&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1208190643287&enc=1 Key Figures for Education, Skills and Training], [[Office for National Statistics]], Retrieved 14 April 2008</ref> The average GCE/VCE A/AS and Equivalent Point Score per Student is 649.7, compared with 716.7 nationally.<ref name="edu-stats"/>

Although the town's proportion of ethnic minorities is below 25%, in some schools the vast majority of pupils are from the ethnic minority population, whilst other schools are almost entirely white. This has been identified as a problem to racial integration in the town.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5078504.stm |title=School choice 'means classroom ghettos' |first=Mark |last=Easton |date=14 June 2006 |access-date=3 March 2008 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

The independent school sector is represented by [[Westholme School]] and [[Jamiatul Ilm Wal Huda]].

The two [[further education]] colleges in the town are [[Blackburn College (Blackburn with Darwen)|Blackburn College]] and the sixth-form [[St. Mary's College, Blackburn|St. Mary's College]]. The town does not have a university, but some higher education courses for over-18s are provided by the [[East Lancashire Institute of Higher Education]] (ELIHE).

==Local media==
Local TV coverage is provided by ''[[BBC North West Tonight]]'' and ''[[ITV Granada Reports]]''.

Local radio stations are [[106.5 Central Radio|Central Radio North West]] which is a local independent commercial radio station and [[BBC Radio Lancashire]] which broadcast from the town, [[Heart North West]], [[Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire]], [[Capital Manchester and Lancashire]]

The [[Lancashire Telegraph]] and [[Lancashire Post]] are the town's local newspaper.

==Sport==
===Football===
[[File:Ewood Jack Walker Stand.jpg|thumb|upright|Ewood Park's Jack Walker Stand]]
{{Main|Blackburn Rovers F.C.}}
[[EFL Championship]] side [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]] is based at the [[Ewood Park]] stadium. It was established in 1875, becoming a founder member of [[The Football League]] in 1888. In 1890 Rovers moved to its permanent home ground at [[Ewood Park]]. Until the formation of the [[FA Premier League|Premier League]] in 1992, most of Blackburn Rovers' success was pre-1930, when they won the league twice and [[FA Cup]] six times.<ref>[http://www.premierleague.com/page/blackburn-rovers Blackburn Rovers club profile] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511203500/http://www.premierleague.com/page/blackburn-rovers |date=11 May 2008}}. [www.premierleague.com]. Retrieved 29 May 2008.</ref> After finishing runners-up to [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in 1993–1994, Rovers won the [[Premier League|English Premier League]] the following year.<ref>Jackman (2006), pp. 182–185.</ref> In 2002 they won the [[Football League Cup|League Cup]].<ref>Jackman (2006), pp. 201–204.</ref>

===Ice hockey===
Blackburn has an Olympic-sized ice rink housed at the 3,200-seat [[Blackburn Arena]]. The arena is the home of the [[Blackburn Hawks]] and [[Lancashire Raptors]] ice hockey teams, both of which play in the [[English National Ice Hockey League]].

===Cricket===
Although Lancashire County Cricket Club play inter-county [[Cricket (sport)|cricket]] at [[Old Trafford Cricket Ground]], the town club at Alexandra Meadows on Dukes Brow is the [[East Lancashire Cricket Club]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.eastlancssportsclub.co.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214135742/http://www.eastlancssportsclub.co.uk/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=14 February 2013 |title=East Lancashire Club – Member of Lancashire Cricket League |website=Eastlancssportsclub.co.uk}}</ref>

Blackburn Northern Cricket Club states it has recently leased the [[Ribchester]] Cricket Ground for its matches.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blackburnnth.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131090217/http://blackburnnth.play-cricket.com/home/home.asp |url-status=dead |title=Blackburn Northern CC – Play-Cricket – |date=31 January 2013 |archive-date=31 January 2013}}</ref>

==Cultural references==
{{more citations needed section|date=February 2023}}
Blackburn is mentioned in [[The Beatles]]' song "[[A Day in the Life]]".
{{blockquote|<poem>I read the news today—oh, boy
4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the [[Albert Hall]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 April 2006 |title=Musical mystery solved on tour |url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/03/31/rice.backburn/ |access-date=30 May 2008 |website=CNN}}</ref></poem>}}

The title of the unofficial [[fanzine]] of the town's football club, [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], is ''4,000 Holes'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.4000holes.co.uk/ |title=Blackburn Rovers &#124; fanzine &#124; 4000 holes |date=11 January 2016 |website= |access-date=11 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111184834/http://www.4000holes.co.uk/ |archive-date=11 January 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the 1968 Beatles film ''[[Yellow Submarine (film)|Yellow Submarine]]'' has John mentioning the lyric as well in the "Sea of Holes".

The 2005 British film ''[[Love + Hate (2005 film)|Love + Hate]]'', directed by Dominic Savage, was shot in Blackburn.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0471018/ Love + Hate], Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 10 May 2008.</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2006/04/28/love_and_hate_2006_review.shtml Love + Hate – film review], [[BBC]] website. Retrieved 10 May 2008.</ref>

===St Peter's Burial Ground===
During late 2015, work done on St Peter's Burial Ground in advance of road construction involved disinterring the remains of nearly 2,000 individuals buried there during the cemetery's period of operation (1821–1945). The burial ground had been connected with the former St Peter's Church, a large one that seated some 1,500 people, which was demolished in 1976. Archaeologists found that nearly half of the bodies were those of young children, who appeared to have died quickly during the mid-19th century from illnesses affected the lungs and gastrointestinal system. The numbers are taken as reflecting the massive increase in the city's population during that period due to its booming textile industry, which led to unhealthy living situations among the working classes.

The remains were to be relocated to another section of the cemetery. A memorial service conducted by [[Julian Henderson]], the [[Bishop of Blackburn]], for those being re-buried was scheduled to be held during the summer of 2016.<ref>{{cite news |title=Blackburn archaeological survey: Bodies of 800 young children found |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-35408967 |work=BBC News |date=26 January 2016}}</ref>

==Notable people==
{{Category see also|People from Blackburn}}

===Politics and industry===
[[File:John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn - Project Gutenberg eText 17976.jpg|thumb|upright|[[John Morley]], British [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] [[wikt:statesman|statesman]], writer and newspaper editor, was born in Blackburn in 1838.]]

[[Jack Walker]], steel baron and once owner of the local steel company [[Walkersteel]], was born in the town in 1929 and lived locally until he moved to the [[Channel Islands]] in 1974. He was a former owner of Blackburn Rovers.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/885590.stm | work=BBC News | title=Football remembers Jack Walker | date=18 August 2000}}</ref>

In politics, [[William Henry Hornby (1805-1884)|William Henry Hornby]], a leading industrialist, the first mayor of Blackburn, and Chairman of the Conservative Party was born in the town in 1805. [[John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn]], Liberal statesman, writer and newspaper editor was born in the town in 1838. The town had close links with [[Barbara Castle]], an MP in Blackburn for 34 years (1945–1979) and holder of the positions of [[Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity]], [[First Secretary of State]] and [[Secretary of State for Social Services]] under Labour governments of the 1960s and 1970s. [[Sajjad Karim]] (born 1970) served as a Member of the European Parliament for the North West England between 2004 and 2019.

[[George Dewhurst (Radical and Reformer)|George Dewhurst]] (1789-1857), Radical, Reformer and Reedmaker. "One of Blackburn's most remarkable sons".

[[Mohsin Issa]] and [[Zuber Issa]] are owners of [[EG Group]].

[[File:Fred Kempster.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Frederick Kempster]], British Giant and Showman, known for his extreme height.]]

A showman born in Blackburn named Frederick Kempster was dubbed "The English [[List of tallest people|Giant]]" at a height of {{convert|7|ft|9|in}}. He lived from 1889–1918 and remains one of England's Tallest People in History by the Guinness Book of Records.

===Arts and music===
* [[Tony Ashton]] (1946–2001), rock musician
* [[Michael Billington (actor)|Michael Billington]] (1941–2005), actor, star of ''[[UFO (British TV series)|UFO]]''
* [[William Billington (poet)|William Billington]] (1825–1884), writer, known as the "Blackburn Poet"
* [[Josephine Cox]] (1938–2020), fiction writer<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/things-to-do/best-selling-author-josephine-cox-on-growing-up-in-blackburn-6962806|title = Best selling author Josephine Cox on growing up in Blackburn and her dreams of writing sci-fi|website=Greatbritishlife.co.uk|date = 29 December 2014}}</ref>
* [[Ross Eccles]] (born 1937), contemporary artist; many of his paintings feature scenes and landmarks of Blackburn and Lancashire
* [[Kathleen Ferrier]] (1912–1953), [[contralto]]
* [[Christina Gabbitas]] (born 1967), author
* [[Clive Gardiner]] (1891-1960), artist, designer and illustrator
* [[Michael Gibson (TV presenter)|Michael Gibson]] (born 1980), television presenter and documentary director
* [[Barry Gray]] (1908–1984), composer
* [[Kathleen Harrison]] (1892–1995), actress<ref>"[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0365692/bio Biography for Kathleen Harrison]", Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 14 May 2006</ref>
* [[Tez Ilyas]] (born 1983), stand-up comedian
* [[Russell Harty]] (1934–1988), broadcaster<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/1405472/index.html|title = BFI Screenonline: Harty, Russell (1934-88) Biography|website=Screenonline.org.uk}}</ref>
* [[Ethel Carnie Holdsworth]] (born Ethel Carnie; 1886–1962), writer and feminist
* [[Lee Mack]], (born 1968), actor/comedian
* [[Grace Davies (singer)|Grace Davies]], (born 1997), singer/songwriter<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gracedaviesofficial.com/bio |title=Bio - Grace Davies |access-date=16 August 2018 |archive-date=16 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816130031/https://www.gracedaviesofficial.com/bio |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Sarah Martin (musician)|Sarah Martin]] (born 1974), musician, member of Belle and Sebastian
* [[Ian McShane]] (born 1942), actor<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/faces/ian_mcshane.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030803090735/http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/faces/ian_mcshane.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 August 2003 |title=Ian McShane |publisher=BBC |access-date=4 July 2008}}</ref>
* [[Tony O'Neill]], (born 1978), author
* [[Steve Pemberton]] (born 1967), actor<ref>"[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0671487/ Steve Pemberton]", Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 6 September 2006.</ref>
* [[Wendi Peters]] (born 1968), actress
* [[Ronald Stevenson]] (1928–2015), Scottish composer
* [[Jeanette Threlfall]] (1821–1880), Christian hymnist and poet
* [[Debbie Travis]] (born 1960), television host
* [[Anthony Valentine]] (1939–2015), actor
* [[Diana Vickers]] (born 1991), singer and actress
* [[Alfred Wainwright]] (1907–1991), guidebook author
* [[Jon Walmsley]] (born 1956), musician and actor
* [[Michael Winterbottom]] (born 1961), film maker<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2001/8/27/660923.html |title=Essential facts on Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn |work=This Is Lancashire |date=27 August 2001 |publisher=Newsquest Media Group |access-date=14 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070319050658/http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2001/8/27/660923.html |archive-date=19 March 2007}}</ref>
* [[William Wolstenholme]] (1865–1931), blind composer and organist
* [[William Woodruff]] (1916–2008), historian and author
* [[AJ Odudu]] (born 1988), television host

===Sport===
* [[Gareth Ainsworth]] (born 1973), footballer and football manager
* [[Farakh Ajaib]] (born 1991), snooker player
* [[Iain Balshaw]] (born 1979), England [[rugby union]] player
* [[Nathon Burns]] (Born 1989) Judoka for Ireland
* [[John Byrom (footballer)|John Byrom]] (born 1944), footballer
* [[Bernard Cafferty]] (born 1934), chess player, author and translator
* [[Albert Clough]] (1901–1957), professional footballer
* [[Matt Derbyshire]] (born 1986), footballer for [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]]
* [[Anastasios Donis]] (born 1996), footballer for [[Stade de Reims|Stade Reims]] and [[Greece national football team|Greece]]
* [[Keith Duckworth]] (1933–2005), motor-racing engine designer
* [[David Dunn]] (born 1979), footballer for [[Blackburn Rovers]] and England, then football coach
* [[Russell Edmonds]] (born 1977), former cricketer
* [[Frank Fielding]] (born 1988), footballer for [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]]
* [[Carl Fogarty]] (born 1965), four time motorcycle [[World Superbike]] champion
* [[Joe Garner]] (born 1988), footballer for [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]]
* [[Will Greenwood]] (born 1972), England [[rugby union]] player
* [[Roy Isherwood]] (born 1934), footballer for [[Blackburn Rovers F. C.|Blackburn Rovers]]
* [[Connor Mahoney]] (born 1997), footballer for [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]]
* [[William Marsden (footballer, born 1871)|William Marsden]] (born 1871), footballer
* [[Oliver Newby]] (born 1984), cricketer for [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]]
* [[Geoffrey Phillips]] (born 1931), England cricketer
* [[Anthony Pilkington]] (born 1988), footballer
* [[John Sumner (climber)|John Sumner]] (1936–2004), rock climber<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/john-sumner-38165.html |title=John Sumner obituary |last=Wells |first=Colin |date=13 March 2004 |work=[[The Independent]] |location=London |access-date=6 June 2017}}</ref>
* [[William Townley]] (1866–1950), footballer and coach
* [[Adam Wharton]] (born 2004), footballer for [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], younger brother of Scott
* [[Scott Wharton]] (born 1997), footballer for [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], elder brother of Adam

===Sciences===
* [[Timothy Leighton]] (born 1963), Ultrasonics and Underwater Acoustics professor, Institute of Sound and Vibration Research, [[University of Southampton]]
* [[Barbara Mawer]] (1936–2006), biochemist and medical researcher
* [[Noel Slater]] (1912–1973), mathematician and astronomer
* [[Eric Fawcett]] (1927–2000), professor in the Department of Physics at the [[University of Toronto]], credited with discovering the Hall effect in type-II superconductors<ref>[https://scienceforpeace.ca/0012-eric-fawcett-obituary Eric Fawcett obituary] – Science for Peace</ref>

==Twin towns==
Blackburn is [[sister city|twinned]] with
* [[Altena]], Germany<ref>{{cite web|title=Partnerstädte / Patenschaften|url=http://www.altena.de/Partnerstaedte-Patenschaften.65.0.html|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005155945/http://www.altena.de/Partnerstaedte-Patenschaften.65.0.html|archive-date=5 October 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Péronne, Somme]], France<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx25pjwd4ldo|title=Cross-channel celebrations for post WW1 bridge|first=David |last=Saville|work=[[BBC News]]|date=6 October 2024|accessdate=14 October 2024}}</ref>
* [[Tarnów]], Poland<ref>{{cite web|title=Miasta Partnerskie|url=http://www.tarnow.pl/Miasto/Urzad-Miasta-Tarnowa/Miasta-Partnerskie|access-date=1 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502005344/http://www.tarnow.pl/Miasto/Urzad-Miasta-Tarnowa/Miasta-Partnerskie|archive-date=2 May 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Lancashire}}
* [[Listed buildings in Blackburn]]

==Notes and references==
; Notes
{{Reflist|group=n}}
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

; References
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite book|author=Abram, W. A.|title=A History of Blackburn Town & Parish|edition=Limited second edition reprint|publisher=T.H.C.L. Books|year=1990|orig-year=1877|isbn=0-948494-10-7}}
* {{Cite book|author=Beattie, Derek|title=Blackburn: The Development of a Lancashire Cotton Town|publisher=Keele University Press|year=1992|isbn=1-85331-021-2}}
* {{Cite book|author=Beattie, Derek|title=Blackburn: A History by Derek Beattie|publisher=Carnegie Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-85936-113-9}}
* {{Cite book|editor=Burrow, J and Co. |title=Blackburn: Official Handbook|publisher=Cheltenham and London|year=1960}}
* {{Cite book|editor=Burrow, J and Co. |title=Blackburn: Official Handbook|publisher=Cheltenham and London|year=1970|isbn=0-85026-110-4}}
* {{Cite book|author=Duckworth, Alan|title=Blackburn: Town and City memories|publisher=The Francis Frith Collection|year=2005|isbn=1-85937-986-9}}
* {{Cite book|author1=Duckworth, Alan  |author2=Halsall, Jim |name-list-style=amp|title=Blackburn in Focus|publisher=Landy Publishing Company|year=2002|isbn=1-872895-58-1}}
* {{Cite book|author=Jackman, Mike|title=Blackburn Rovers: An Illustrated History|publisher=The Breedon Books Publishing Company|year=2006|isbn=1-85983-475-2}}
* {{Cite book|author=Miller, Geo. C.|title=Blackburn: the Evolution of a Cotton Town|edition=Limited second edition reprint|publisher=T.H.C.L. Books|location=Blackburn|year=1992|orig-year=1951|isbn=0-948494-18-2}}
* {{Cite book|author=Taylor, Andrew|title=20th Century Blackburn|publisher=Wharncliffe Books|year=2000|isbn=1-871647-89-4}}
* {{Cite book|author=Timmins, Geoffrey|title=Blackburn: A Pictorial History|publisher=Phillimore and Co.|year=1993|isbn=0-85033-865-4}}
* {{Cite book|author=Turner, William|title=RIOT!: The Story of the East Lancashire Loom-Breakers|publisher=Lancashire County Books|year=1992|isbn=1-871236-17-7}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Blackburn}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/ Blackburn with Darwen Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208211710/http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/ |date=8 February 2012 }}
* [http://www.theshuttle.org.uk/  The Shuttle: News for Blackburn with Darwen Council]
* [http://www.cottontown.org/  Photographic history of Blackburn with Darwen as influenced by the development of the cotton trade.]

{{Blackburn with Darwen geography}}
{{Lancashire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Blackburn| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Lancashire]]
[[Category:Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Unparished areas in Lancashire]]
[[Category:West Pennine Moors]]
[[Category:Geography of Blackburn with Darwen]]