Altham, Lancashire
Encyclopedia
Altham is a village and civil parish
in the Borough of Hyndburn
, in Lancashire
, England
. It is the only parish in the borough – the remainder is an unparished area
. The village is 4.3 miles (6.9 km) west of Burnley
, 2.9 miles (4.7 km) north of Accrington
, and 2 miles (3.2 km) north-east of Clayton-le-Moors
, and is on the A678
Blackburn to Burnley road. The River Calder
passes to the north of the village, and forms part of the parish boundary. In the south west corner of the parish is Altham West, a suburb of Accrington. The 2001 census recorded a population of 897.
The Ham class minesweeper
HMS Altham
was named after the village.
, a non-metropolitan district
with borough
status in Lancashire
. Before the Borough of Hyndburn was formed in 1974, the parish was in Burnley Rural District
.
Hyndburn Borough Council has a total of 35 councillors, two of which are elected by the ward
of Altham. the ward is represented by one Conservative Party
and one Labour Party
councillor.
Altham has a parish council; its meetings are usually in Altham village. The facilities at Accrington Stanley
's Crown Ground stadium have allowed some meetings to be held there, a more convenient location for the residents of Altham West.
was opened in the 1810s, pits were located near the canal, and supplied coal to the industries of East Lancashire. Later in the century Altham Colliery (later renamed Moorfield Colliery) was opened. The colliery closed in 1949, and Moorfield Industrial Estate is now on the site. An explosion at the colliery in 1883 resulted in the deaths of 68 people.
Altham is now home to two industrial estates, Altham Industrial Estate within the village and Moorfield Industrial Estate in the southwest of the parish near Clayton-le-Moors
.
church, dedicated to St James and situated on Burnley Road. The current building, which is Grade II* listed, was built in the 16th century, although a church has existed in the village since 1140; at first it was dedicated to St Mary. Until 1870 it was the parish church
to Accrington
.
; the nearest motorway junctions are M65
junctions 7 (west of Clayton-le-Moors
) and 8 (near Huncoat
).
The village is served by two bus routes; the 152 operated by Lancashire United
, which connects the village to Burnley
, Blackburn and Preston, and the 521 operated by M&M Coaches which runs between Burnley and Accrington
.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Borough of Hyndburn
Hyndburn
Hyndburn is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Accrington. The district is named after the River Hyndburn....
, in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the only parish in the borough – the remainder is an unparished area
Unparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
. The village is 4.3 miles (6.9 km) west of Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, 2.9 miles (4.7 km) north of Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
, and 2 miles (3.2 km) north-east of Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors is a township in Hyndburn in Lancashire, England. The town is locally referred to as 'Clayton'. To the west lies Rishton, to the north Great Harwood, and two miles to the south, Accrington. Clayton-le-Moors is situated on the A680 road alongside the M65 motorway.-Description:It is...
, and is on the A678
A678 road
The A678 is a road in Lancashire, England, which runs between the towns of Blackburn and Padiham.The road was formerly the main route between Blackburn and Burnley before it was bypassed by the M65 motorway which opened in the 1980s...
Blackburn to Burnley road. The River Calder
River Calder, Lancashire
The River Calder is a major tributary of the River Ribble, starting in Cliviger close to Burnley in Lancashire, England and is around 24 km / 15 miles in length. Its source is very close to that of the West Yorkshire river with the same name, and that of the River Irwell. It flows through...
passes to the north of the village, and forms part of the parish boundary. In the south west corner of the parish is Altham West, a suburb of Accrington. The 2001 census recorded a population of 897.
The Ham class minesweeper
Ham class minesweeper
The Ham class was a class of inshore minesweepers , known as the Type 1, of the British Royal Navy. The class was designed to operate in the shallow water of rivers and estuaries. It took its name from the fact that all the ship names were British place names ending in -"ham"...
HMS Altham
HMS Altham
HMS Altham was one of 93 ships of the of inshore minesweepers.Their names were all chosen from villages ending in -ham. The minesweeper was named after Altham in Lancashire....
was named after the village.
Governance
Altham is in HyndburnHyndburn
Hyndburn is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Accrington. The district is named after the River Hyndburn....
, a non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
with borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
status in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Before the Borough of Hyndburn was formed in 1974, the parish was in Burnley Rural District
Burnley Rural District
Burnley was a rural district of Lancashire, England from 1894 to 1974. It was named after but did not include Burnley, which was a county borough.It was created in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894...
.
Hyndburn Borough Council has a total of 35 councillors, two of which are elected by the ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
of Altham. the ward is represented by one Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and one Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
councillor.
Altham has a parish council; its meetings are usually in Altham village. The facilities at Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
's Crown Ground stadium have allowed some meetings to be held there, a more convenient location for the residents of Altham West.
Industry
Coal mining was the major industry in Altham in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the Leeds and Liverpool CanalLeeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
was opened in the 1810s, pits were located near the canal, and supplied coal to the industries of East Lancashire. Later in the century Altham Colliery (later renamed Moorfield Colliery) was opened. The colliery closed in 1949, and Moorfield Industrial Estate is now on the site. An explosion at the colliery in 1883 resulted in the deaths of 68 people.
Altham is now home to two industrial estates, Altham Industrial Estate within the village and Moorfield Industrial Estate in the southwest of the parish near Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors is a township in Hyndburn in Lancashire, England. The town is locally referred to as 'Clayton'. To the west lies Rishton, to the north Great Harwood, and two miles to the south, Accrington. Clayton-le-Moors is situated on the A680 road alongside the M65 motorway.-Description:It is...
.
Education
Altham St. James C.E. Primary School is located in the village. The nearest secondary schools are in Accrington.Religious sites
Altham has an AnglicanChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church, dedicated to St James and situated on Burnley Road. The current building, which is Grade II* listed, was built in the 16th century, although a church has existed in the village since 1140; at first it was dedicated to St Mary. Until 1870 it was the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
to Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
.
Transport
Altham is on the A678 roadA678 road
The A678 is a road in Lancashire, England, which runs between the towns of Blackburn and Padiham.The road was formerly the main route between Blackburn and Burnley before it was bypassed by the M65 motorway which opened in the 1980s...
; the nearest motorway junctions are M65
M65 motorway
The M65 is a motorway in Lancashire, England. It runs from just south of Preston through the major junction of the M6 and M61 motorways, east past Darwen, Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Nelson and ends at Colne.-History:...
junctions 7 (west of Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors is a township in Hyndburn in Lancashire, England. The town is locally referred to as 'Clayton'. To the west lies Rishton, to the north Great Harwood, and two miles to the south, Accrington. Clayton-le-Moors is situated on the A680 road alongside the M65 motorway.-Description:It is...
) and 8 (near Huncoat
Huncoat
Huncoat is a small village in Lancashire, England; situated in the North West. It is located to the east of Accrington.Huncoat railway station is on the East Lancashire Line.-Origins:...
).
The village is served by two bus routes; the 152 operated by Lancashire United
Lancashire United
Transdev Lancashire United is an English bus operator, running mainly in and around the boroughs of Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley. The company was founded in April 2001 following the buyout of Stagecoach Ribble by Blazefield Holdings and has since overcome other operators...
, which connects the village to Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Blackburn and Preston, and the 521 operated by M&M Coaches which runs between Burnley and Accrington
Accrington
Accrington is a town in Lancashire, within the borough of Hyndburn. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, north of Manchester city centre and is situated on the mostly culverted River Hyndburn...
.