Colne
Encyclopedia
Colne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle
in Lancashire
, England
, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65
, 6 miles north-east of Burnley
, with Nelson
immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap
with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire
towns of Skipton
and Keighley
. It is 25 miles east of Preston, 25 miles north of Manchester
and 30 miles west of Leeds
.
There is beautiful countryside around Colne and many old villages close by, including the Bronte Country
and Haworth
to the south east and Pendle Hill
, Newchurch
and Barley
and Clitheroe
to the north west. Nearby villages include Barrowford
, Foulridge
, Winewall, Cottontree
, Trawden
and Laneshaw Bridge and the hamlet of Wycoller
with its historic pack horse bridge and clam bridge said to date back to the Iron Age
. Wycoller Hall is a ruin there.
There are narrow roads to the south over the moors to Hardcastle Crags
and Hebden Bridge
. The attractive Forest of Bowland
lies near Pendle.
It is sometimes confused with the unrelated Colne Valley
around the River Colne
near Huddersfield
in Yorkshire
which includes the towns and villages of Marsden
, Slaithwaite
, Linthwaite
and Golcar
. There is another River Colne
and Colne Valley
around Earls Colne
and Colchester
in Essex
.
. A Mesolithic
camp site, a Bronze Age
burial site and stone tools from the Bronze and Stone Ages have been discovered at nearby Trawden
, and there are also the remains of an Iron Age
fort, dating from the 6th century BC, above Colne at Castercliff
.
Although a Roman road
passes through nearby Barnoldswick
, and some Roman coins have been discovered, there is no conclusive evidence of the Romans
having occupied the area. There is, however, some debate among local historian
s as to whether the Romans may have stayed at Castercliff.
During the period of Colne's history lasting from the early 6th century to the late 10th century, Colne came under Northumbria
n and then Viking
rule, finally coming firmly under Norman
control in the 11th century.
From the 1090s until 1311, the area was controlled by the de Lacy
s of Pontefract
from their outpost at Clitheroe Castle
. Pendle Forest and Trawden Forest
date from this period, forests in those times being hunting grounds for royals and other nobles. St Bartholomew's Church
dates from before 1122 when the town's market was located in the churchyard. The churchyard used to house wooden stocks
on wheels - these are now in the library. People were placed in them on market days.
The town developed in two parts: Colne, on top of the ridge; and Waterside, at the base of the southern side of the ridge, next to the river. By 1296, a corn mill and a fulling
mill had been established down by the river. Later, coal was also mined here.
By the 15th century, Colne had become a major centre for the wool
len trade, in particular for the production of lightweight kersey
. With the Industrial Revolution
, cotton
manufacturing became the main industry in the town, aided by the completion of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
in 1816, and by the arrival of the railway. By 1891 there were 30 cotton mill
s listed in Colne with more in the surrounding areas of Trawden and Laneshawbridge. The largest had 2,400 looms and the smallest 56.
.
The town was made an urban district
in 1894 and designated a borough
in 1895. It grew down the two sides of the hill into what are called the North and South Valleys and towards Nelson
and Laneshawbridge. The town's population declined during the 20th century, as with many Lancashire
mill town
s, from 26,000 in 1911 to 19,000 in 1971. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
, Colne became part of the Borough of Pendle
. In 2008 a town council was re-established.
has much information on this. Today, Colne's cotton industry has all but disappeared, although other types of industry have taken its place. The East Lancashire Towel Company, Barrowford is the last mill in the UK still manufacturing towels using traditional Jacquard methods
. Many of the old weaving mills that used to dot the landscape have either been demolished to make way for retail space, or now accommodate alternative manufacturing industries. The service sector is a growth industry, and now occupies some town centre locations. The main industrial area, Whitewalls, is on the boundary with Nelson
, next to the end of the M65 motorway
, and houses a range of employers, including an abattoir, retail, automotive components, electronics, equipment hire and engineering/manufacturing.
Boundary Mill Stores was established here in 1983 as one of the first UK factory outlets and moved into new larger premises at the end of the M65 recently. There are now stores in Grantham
, Newcastle
and Walsall
.
Lyon's Tours was a family run business which became one of the first UK overseas tour operators offering holidays trips from headquarters off Albert Road, Colne in the late 1950s. It eventually became part of Airtours.
, Colne has views of several well-known hills. Boulsworth Hill
overlooks most of the town and lies on the Lancashire and West Yorkshire
county boundary just south of Trawden
. Noyna Hill
overlooks Colne from the north east, close to Foulridge
; from there it is possible to see most of east Lancashire and into the Yorkshire Dales
. Blacko
Tower (Stansfield Tower) is clearly visible to the north west, and between Noyna Hill and Blacko Tower is Weets Hill
and its long eastern slope, White Moor.
Arguably the most well-known local landmark is Pendle Hill
. Colne is about 5 miles east of Pendle Hill, which many people walk up, particularly at Halloween
, owing to its association with the Pendle witches
; several nearby farmhouses are reputed to be haunted, and have featured on the TV programmes Most Haunted
and Most Haunted Live!
The town is also known for the British in India Museum
, and the Wallace Hartley
Memorial, in memory of the bandmaster
of the RMS Titanic who used to live in Colne and is buried in the cemetery.
is ¾m (1 km) west of the town centre. It forms the eastern terminus of the East Lancashire Line
, which runs to Nelson
, Brierfield, Burnley
and on to Preston and Blackpool
. The line beyond Colne to Skipton
, formerly part of the Midland Railway
, was closed by British Rail
in 1970.
The local bus company, Burnley & Pendle
, was part-owned until 1996 by the local borough council. There are buses every few minutes during the daytime on the 'Main Line' service between Burnley
bus station
and Colne town centre. Most of these then fork in various directions at each end, and continue to Padiham
, Clitheroe
or Accrington
from Burnley
, and to Earby
, Barnoldswick
, Trawden
or Keighley
from Colne. Until 2005 the town had a direct bus service to Manchester
in the shape of route X43
, but this was withdrawn following low usage. and the Main Line routes improved in frequency to compensate.
Pennine Motor Services, based in Skipton
, operates an hourly service with distinctive orange buses each way from Skipton
to Burnley
via Colne.
Colne is on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
with a mile long dead straight tunnel to Foulridge
and Foulridge Reservoir built in 1866 at the western end feeding the summit level.
. It had John Tillotson
an Archbishop of Canterbury
1691-1694 amongst its alumni. The new school (1812) in Barrowford Road closed in the late 20th century and the premises are to become flats in 2009.
Colne and its nearby villages now have nine primary schools, one of which is a Catholic school
. There are three high schools
in Colne, one of which is a Catholic school.
Nelson and Colne College
is the main provider for post-16 education in the area – there is no grammar school or continuing sixth form
centre, the nearest being in Burnley
and Skipton
. Nelson and Colne College offers AS-level
and A-level qualifications, as well as BTEC
, City and Guilds, Open College of the North West
and some professional qualifications. The college also has tie-ins with some higher education
institutions.
is the town's football team; it currently plays in the North West Counties Football League
. (The local Football League team is Burnley F.C.
, which also enjoys strong support in the town.) The town also has a junior football club, Colne JFC, which runs teams for 8 to 16 year olds, as well as a senior team. Colne & Nelson Rugby Union Football Club is located at Holt House Playing Fields and the club will celebrate it's centenary in 2015. It runs 2 senior teams a Ladies' team and a massive Junior and Mini Colts section.
The town has the oldest cricket
club in the Lancashire League, Colne Cricket Club
, which was formed in 1830. The first games were played on the Horsfield, the same field that is used today. It has been a continuous member of the Lancashire League since 1890.
Pendle Leisure Trust runs the Pendle Leisure Centre next to the railway station. This has two swimming pools, a fitness gym, a sauna, a sports hall and an outdoor all-weather pitch.
Colne Golf Club is located at Law Farm, to the north east of the town.
There are two large local parks. One is the King George Playing Fields next to Skipton Road (A56
) between Colne and Earby
. The other is Alkincoats Park, off the road between Colne and Barrowford
(B6247). Alkincoats Park has bowling green
s, hard surface tennis court
s, pitch and put golf
, a children's play area and footpaths that lead to areas close to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
and the now-dismantled Colne to Skipton
railway line. The towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the trackbed of the dismantled Colne to Skipton railway are also popular leisure destinations, as is Ballgrove Picnic Area at the eastern edge of Colne, close to Laneshaw Bridge
. It is possible to walk from here to historic Wycoller
.
Since 2004 Colne has hosted an annual Grand Prix cycle race around the town centre. It follows the 800 metres of the town centre one way road system. Some 2,500-4,000 local people attend the event, which is part of the British Cycling Season Championship.
Ralph, the father of Roger Bannister
the first sub-four minute miler in 1954, was born in Colne, the family having lived here for 400 years. "Roger Bannister and the Four-minute Mile by John Bale"
Every August bank holiday
, the Great British Rhythm and Blues
Festival takes place, which attracts people and artists from all over the world over three days. Many local pubs and clubs stage music gigs; others hold 'fringe' type gigs. The main focus of attention, where the larger events are staged, is the Municipal Hall close to the town centre. A second festival, the Colne Gala, has been held on most years for the last three decades, with a parade along a route through the town centre to the main Gala event at Alkincoats Park and Holt House.
Colne is also home to the amateur-run Pendle Hippodrome Theatre
.
, close to the counties of North Yorkshire
and West Yorkshire
. The local area is served by TV from Granada and BBC North West
. Colne is also served by radio from BBC Radio Lancashire
, the commercial station 2BR
, and Pendle Community Radio
, a community radio
service aimed at the borough's British Asian
population.
A local newspaper, the Colne Times, a variant edition of the larger Burnley Express
, is published on Fridays; a second, midweek edition, the Pendle Express, aimed at both Colne and neighbouring Nelson, is published on Tuesdays. The town is also served by the Lancashire Telegraph
, which publishes a Burnley
, Pendle
and Rossendale
edition six days a week and by a weekly freesheet, the 'Pendle Citizen', which appears on Thursdays.
, Archbishop of Canterbury
from 1691 until 1694 was educated in Colne Grammar School.
Wallace Hartley
, lead member of the orchestra on board the Titanic was brought up and buried in Colne and has a memorial near the Library Cenotaph.
Sir William Pickles Hartley
, jam manufacturer and philanthropist
, who founded the Hartley's Jam Company
was born in Colne in 1846 and attended a local British and Foreign School Society
school. Hartley's Jam is still on the market though no longer linked to Colne. He gave some of his profits to build Hartley Hospital and Hartley Homes on the boundary with Laneshawbridge.
Brian Redman
, (born 9 March 1937 in Colne) Redman drove for Shadow Racing Cars both in CanAm and in Formula One in the 1960s and '70s and winning the SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship three years in a row (1974–76) driving Lolas. He raced many Le Mans 24 hour races
and living in Florida
is still active appearing at the 36th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races in August 2009.
Sydney Silverman
, MP for Nelson & Colne, 1935–68, winning eight elections and sponsoring the abolition of hanging in 1965.
Geoff Crambie, writer and local historian of Pendle and Colne.
Tony Livesey
, British journalist and broadcaster who lives in Colne.
Mike Phelan
, Assistant Manager of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson
.
Natalie Gumede
, actress best known for playing China in BBC Three
's Ideal
.
Jeff Smith MBE
, motorcyclist known for his two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships (1964–65), two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations, one Scottish Six Days Trial win and eight ISDT Gold Medals.[2] He was a member of the BSA factory racing team.
Steven Burke
, track and road cyclist who won the bronze medal in the individual pursuit
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
Hannah Hobley
, actress, best known for playing Chantelle "Telle" Garvey in ITV
's Benidorm
.
Alan Wharton
, (1923–1993) England Test cricketer who played for Lancashire
and later Leicestershire
.
Jessica Forrest, Hollyoaks
actress who plays fictional character Leanne Holiday.
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
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...
, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the 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:...
, 6 miles north-east 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....
, with Nelson
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap
River Aire
The River Aire is a major river in Yorkshire, England of length . Part of the river is canalised, and is known as the Aire and Calder Navigation....
with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
towns of Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
and Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
. It is 25 miles east of Preston, 25 miles north of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and 30 miles west of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
.
There is beautiful countryside around Colne and many old villages close by, including the Bronte Country
Brontë Country
The Brontë Country is a name given to an area of south Pennine hills west of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The name comes from the Brontë sisters, who wrote such literary classics as Jane Eyre , Wuthering Heights , and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall while living in the area.The geology of the...
and Haworth
Haworth
Haworth is a rural village in the City of Bradford metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is located amongst the Pennines, southwest of Keighley and west of Bradford. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope...
to the south east and Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill is located in the north-east of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Burnley, Nelson, Colne, Clitheroe and Padiham, an area known as Pendleside. Its summit is above mean sea level. It gives its name to the Borough of Pendle. It is an isolated hill, separated from the Pennines to the...
, Newchurch
Newchurch in Pendle
Newchurch in Pendle is a village in Lancashire adjacent to Barley, at the foot of Pendle Hill. Famous for the Demdike family of Pendle witches who lived there in the 17th century. Newchurch used to be called 'Goldshaw Booth' and later 'Newchurch in Pendle Forest', however this was shortened to...
and Barley
Barley, Lancashire
Barley is a village in the borough of Pendle, in Lancashire, England. It is in the parish of Barley-with-Wheatley Booth. The village lies between Black Moss Reservoirs and Lower Ogden Reservoir....
and Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
to the north west. Nearby villages include Barrowford
Barrowford
Barrowford is a large village and civil parish in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. It is situated to the north of Nelson on the other side of the M65 motorway, and forms part of the Burnley/Nelson conurbation. It also comprises the area of Lowerford and sometimes gets confused with its...
, Foulridge
Foulridge
Foulridge is a small village and civil parish in Pendle, Lancashire, close to the border with North Yorkshire in England. It is situated just beyond Colne, on the route from the M65 to Skipton, and is an important stopping point on summit pound of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, just before it...
, Winewall, Cottontree
Cottontree and Winewall, Lancashire
Cottontree and Winewall are two hamlets that fall within the district of Colne in Pendle, Lancashire. They are next to each other, wedged between the actual town of Colne and the nearby village of Trawden. Cottontree is generally situated in the valley along the road that runs from Colne to...
, Trawden
Trawden
Trawden is a medium sized village in Trawden Forest Parish of Pendle, Lancashire, England, situated at the foot of Boulsworth Hill. Agriculture was the main industry of the village and surrounding area, although it did have several mills. Most of these have now been demolished for, or converted to...
and Laneshaw Bridge and the hamlet of Wycoller
Wycoller
Wycoller is a village in the Borough of Pendle, in Lancashire, England. It is located 3 miles east of Colne, near to the junction of the Lancashire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire borders....
with its historic pack horse bridge and clam bridge said to date back to the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
. Wycoller Hall is a ruin there.
There are narrow roads to the south over the moors to Hardcastle Crags
Hardcastle Crags
Hardcastle Crags is a wooded Pennine valley in West Yorkshire, England, owned by the National Trust. It lies approximately north of the town of Hebden Bridge.-Gibson Mill:...
and Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge
Hebden Bridge is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and lies 8 miles west of Halifax and 14 miles north east of Rochdale, at the confluence of the River Calder and the River Hebden .A 2004 profile of...
. The attractive Forest of Bowland
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
lies near Pendle.
It is sometimes confused with the unrelated Colne Valley
Colne Valley
The Colne Valley is a steep sided valley on the east flank of the Pennine Hills in the English county of West Yorkshire. It takes its name from the River Colne which rises above the town of Marsden and flows eastward along the floor of the valley....
around the River Colne
River Colne
There are several different rivers named River Colne in England:* River Colne, Essex — passing through Colchester* River Colne, Hertfordshire — tributary of the River Thames, passing through London Colney and other parts of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Greater London and Surrey* River...
near Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
in Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
which includes the towns and villages of Marsden
Marsden, West Yorkshire
Marsden is a large village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield and located at the confluence of the River Colne and the Wessenden Brook...
, Slaithwaite
Slaithwaite
Slaithwaite is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Colne Valley laying across the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, approximately southwest of Huddersfield. The pronunciation of Slaithwaite varies...
, Linthwaite
Linthwaite
Linthwaite is a village in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated 4 miles west of Huddersfield, on the A62 in the Colne Valley...
and Golcar
Golcar
Golcar is a village located on a hillside crest above the Colne Valley in West Yorkshire, England, west of Huddersfield, and just north of the River Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal...
. There is another River Colne
River Colne, Essex
The River Colne is a small river that runs through Colchester, England. It is not a tributary of any other river, instead having an estuary that joins the sea near Brightlingsea.-Source:...
and Colne Valley
River Colne, Essex
The River Colne is a small river that runs through Colchester, England. It is not a tributary of any other river, instead having an estuary that joins the sea near Brightlingsea.-Source:...
around Earls Colne
Earls Colne
Earls Colne is a village in Essex, England named after the River Colne, on which it stands, and the Earls of Oxford who held the manor of Earls Colne from before 1086 to 1703.-Manor of Earls Colne:...
and Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
History
The history of the local area dates back to the Stone AgeStone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
. A Mesolithic
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
camp site, a Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
burial site and stone tools from the Bronze and Stone Ages have been discovered at nearby Trawden
Trawden
Trawden is a medium sized village in Trawden Forest Parish of Pendle, Lancashire, England, situated at the foot of Boulsworth Hill. Agriculture was the main industry of the village and surrounding area, although it did have several mills. Most of these have now been demolished for, or converted to...
, and there are also the remains of an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fort, dating from the 6th century BC, above Colne at Castercliff
Castercliff
Castercliff is an Iron Age hillfort situated close to the towns of Nelson and Colne in Lancashire, Northern England.The site consists of three ramparts enclosing an oval interior. Excavations during the 1970s appear to show that the site was not completed and no evidence of occupation was...
.
Although a Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
passes through nearby Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick is a town and civil parish within the West Craven area of the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is built in the shadow of Weets Hill, and Stock Beck, a...
, and some Roman coins have been discovered, there is no conclusive evidence of the Romans
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
having occupied the area. There is, however, some debate among local historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
s as to whether the Romans may have stayed at Castercliff.
During the period of Colne's history lasting from the early 6th century to the late 10th century, Colne came under Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
n and then Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
rule, finally coming firmly under Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
control in the 11th century.
From the 1090s until 1311, the area was controlled by the de Lacy
De Lacy
de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
s of Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
from their outpost at Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle
Clitheroe Castle in Clitheroe, Lancashire, England is a motte and bailey castle built in a natural carboniferous limestone outcrop, .It has been suggested that Clitheroe Castle may have been first built before 1086 as there is reference to the "castellatu Rogerii pictaviensis" in the Domesday Book....
. Pendle Forest and Trawden Forest
Trawden Forest
Trawden Forest is a civil parish in the English county of Lancashire.Trawden Forest forms part of the borough of Pendle; its main community is Trawden formerly called Beardshaw....
date from this period, forests in those times being hunting grounds for royals and other nobles. St Bartholomew's Church
St Bartholomew's Church, Colne
-Sources:...
dates from before 1122 when the town's market was located in the churchyard. The churchyard used to house wooden stocks
Stocks
Stocks are devices used in the medieval and colonial American times as a form of physical punishment involving public humiliation. The stocks partially immobilized its victims and they were often exposed in a public place such as the site of a market to the scorn of those who passed by...
on wheels - these are now in the library. People were placed in them on market days.
The town developed in two parts: Colne, on top of the ridge; and Waterside, at the base of the southern side of the ridge, next to the river. By 1296, a corn mill and a fulling
Fulling
Fulling or tucking or walking is a step in woolen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of cloth to eliminate oils, dirt, and other impurities, and making it thicker. The worker who does the job is a fuller, tucker, or walker...
mill had been established down by the river. Later, coal was also mined here.
By the 15th century, Colne had become a major centre for the wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
len trade, in particular for the production of lightweight kersey
Kersey (cloth)
Kersey is a kind of coarse woollen cloth.It derives its name from the village of Kersey, Suffolk, having presumably originated in that region. However the cloth was made in many places. By 1475, the West Riding of Yorkshire including Calderdale was also a major producer. Kersey was a lighter...
. With the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
manufacturing became the main industry in the town, aided by the completion of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
in 1816, and by the arrival of the railway. By 1891 there were 30 cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s listed in Colne with more in the surrounding areas of Trawden and Laneshawbridge. The largest had 2,400 looms and the smallest 56.
.
The town was made an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in 1894 and designated a 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....
in 1895. It grew down the two sides of the hill into what are called the North and South Valleys and towards Nelson
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
and Laneshawbridge. The town's population declined during the 20th century, as with many 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...
mill town
Mill town
A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories .- United Kingdom:...
s, from 26,000 in 1911 to 19,000 in 1971. In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, Colne became part of the Borough of Pendle
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
. In 2008 a town council was re-established.
Economy
Pendle Heritage Centre, BarrowfordBarrowford
Barrowford is a large village and civil parish in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. It is situated to the north of Nelson on the other side of the M65 motorway, and forms part of the Burnley/Nelson conurbation. It also comprises the area of Lowerford and sometimes gets confused with its...
has much information on this. Today, Colne's cotton industry has all but disappeared, although other types of industry have taken its place. The East Lancashire Towel Company, Barrowford is the last mill in the UK still manufacturing towels using traditional Jacquard methods
Jacquard loom
The Jacquard loom is a mechanical loom, invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard in 1801, that simplifies the process of manufacturing textiles with complex patterns such as brocade, damask and matelasse. The loom is controlled by punched cards with punched holes, each row of which corresponds to one row...
. Many of the old weaving mills that used to dot the landscape have either been demolished to make way for retail space, or now accommodate alternative manufacturing industries. The service sector is a growth industry, and now occupies some town centre locations. The main industrial area, Whitewalls, is on the boundary with Nelson
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
, next to the end of the M65 motorway
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:...
, and houses a range of employers, including an abattoir, retail, automotive components, electronics, equipment hire and engineering/manufacturing.
Boundary Mill Stores was established here in 1983 as one of the first UK factory outlets and moved into new larger premises at the end of the M65 recently. There are now stores in Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
.
Lyon's Tours was a family run business which became one of the first UK overseas tour operators offering holidays trips from headquarters off Albert Road, Colne in the late 1950s. It eventually became part of Airtours.
Landmarks
Situated on the edge of the PenninesPennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
, Colne has views of several well-known hills. Boulsworth Hill
Boulsworth Hill
Boulsworth Hill is a large expanse of moorland, the highest point of the South Pennines of south-eastern Lancashire, England, separating the District of Pendle from Calderdale....
overlooks most of the town and lies on the Lancashire and West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
county boundary just south of Trawden
Trawden
Trawden is a medium sized village in Trawden Forest Parish of Pendle, Lancashire, England, situated at the foot of Boulsworth Hill. Agriculture was the main industry of the village and surrounding area, although it did have several mills. Most of these have now been demolished for, or converted to...
. Noyna Hill
Noyna Hill
Noyna Hill is a hill in the pennines hills range in Pendle, Lancashire.It is located a mile to the east Foulridge and it is possible to see other local towns such as; Colne, Nelson, Trawden, Barnoldswick and Earby...
overlooks Colne from the north east, close to Foulridge
Foulridge
Foulridge is a small village and civil parish in Pendle, Lancashire, close to the border with North Yorkshire in England. It is situated just beyond Colne, on the route from the M65 to Skipton, and is an important stopping point on summit pound of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, just before it...
; from there it is possible to see most of east Lancashire and into the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
. Blacko
Blacko
Blacko is a village and civil parish within the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 595.The village is on the old turnpike road to Gisburn...
Tower (Stansfield Tower) is clearly visible to the north west, and between Noyna Hill and Blacko Tower is Weets Hill
Weets Hill
Weets Hill is a hill in the West Craven area of Pendle, Lancashire, England.It is 2.5 miles south-west of the town of Barnoldswick and is 4 miles north-east of Pendle Hill....
and its long eastern slope, White Moor.
Arguably the most well-known local landmark is Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill is located in the north-east of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Burnley, Nelson, Colne, Clitheroe and Padiham, an area known as Pendleside. Its summit is above mean sea level. It gives its name to the Borough of Pendle. It is an isolated hill, separated from the Pennines to the...
. Colne is about 5 miles east of Pendle Hill, which many people walk up, particularly at Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
, owing to its association with the Pendle witches
Pendle witch trials
The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area around Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged with the murders of ten people by the use of witchcraft...
; several nearby farmhouses are reputed to be haunted, and have featured on the TV programmes Most Haunted
Most Haunted
Most Haunted is a British paranormal documentary reality television series. The series was first shown on 25 May 2002 and ended on 21 July 2010. It was broadcast on Living and presented by Yvette Fielding. The programme was based on investigating purported paranormal activity...
and Most Haunted Live!
Most Haunted Live!
Most Haunted Live was a spin-off of the paranormal reality television series Most Haunted and was also produced by Antix Productions. The show consists of paranormal investigations broadcast live over a period of one or more nights, usually with interactive sections that involve the...
The town is also known for the British in India Museum
British in India
-List of British people who lived or were born in India:*Augustus De Morgan*Engelbert Humperdinck *Diana Rigg*Derek Prince*Hugh Bignell, cricketer*Annie Besant*William Makepeace Thackeray*Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis...
, and the Wallace Hartley
Wallace Hartley
Wallace Henry Hartley was an English violinist and bandleader on the on its maiden voyage. He became famous for leading the eight member band as the ship sank on 15 April 1912. He died in the sinking.-Life and career:...
Memorial, in memory of the bandmaster
Bandmaster
A bandmaster is the leader and conductor of a band, usually a military band, brass band or a marching band.-British Armed Forces:In the British Armed Forces, a Bandmaster is always a Warrant Officer Class 1 . A commissioned officer who leads a band is known as the Director of Music...
of the RMS Titanic who used to live in Colne and is buried in the cemetery.
Transport
Colne is connected to the national railway network. Colne railway stationColne railway station
Colne railway station serves the Lancashire mill town of Colne which is situated close to Pendle Hill. The station, which is managed by Northern Rail, is the terminus of the East Lancashire Line. Trains from Blackpool South run through Preston and Blackburn to Burnley and Colne.Currently the...
is ¾m (1 km) west of the town centre. It forms the eastern terminus of the East Lancashire Line
East Lancashire Line
The East Lancashire Line is a railway line in the Lancashire region of England, which runs between Preston and Colne, through Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley ....
, which runs to Nelson
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
, Brierfield, 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....
and on to Preston and Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
. The line beyond Colne to Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
, formerly part of the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, was closed by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
in 1970.
The local bus company, Burnley & Pendle
Burnley & Pendle
Transdev Burnley & Pendle is a bus operator running within the boroughs of Burnley and Pendle, and into the surrounding areas including Accrington, Keighley and the high profile express service to Manchester...
, was part-owned until 1996 by the local borough council. There are buses every few minutes during the daytime on the 'Main Line' service between 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....
bus station
Bus station
A bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
and Colne town centre. Most of these then fork in various directions at each end, and continue to Padiham
Padiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
, Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
or 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...
from 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....
, and to Earby
Earby
Earby is a small town and civil parish within the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England. It is north of Colne, from Skipton, and from Burnley. The parish had a population of 4,348 recorded in the 2001 census,...
, Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick
Barnoldswick is a town and civil parish within the West Craven area of the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England just outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is built in the shadow of Weets Hill, and Stock Beck, a...
, Trawden
Trawden
Trawden is a medium sized village in Trawden Forest Parish of Pendle, Lancashire, England, situated at the foot of Boulsworth Hill. Agriculture was the main industry of the village and surrounding area, although it did have several mills. Most of these have now been demolished for, or converted to...
or Keighley
Keighley
Keighley is a town and civil parish within the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of Bradford and is at the confluence of the River Aire and the River Worth...
from Colne. Until 2005 the town had a direct bus service to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in the shape of route X43
The Witch Way
The Witch Way is the current name for the long-standing bus route X43, which runs between Manchester and Nelson, England. The service is currently operated by Transdev Burnley & Pendle.The route has operated continuously since 1948...
, but this was withdrawn following low usage. and the Main Line routes improved in frequency to compensate.
Pennine Motor Services, based in Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
, operates an hourly service with distinctive orange buses each way from Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
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....
via Colne.
Colne is on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
with a mile long dead straight tunnel to Foulridge
Foulridge
Foulridge is a small village and civil parish in Pendle, Lancashire, close to the border with North Yorkshire in England. It is situated just beyond Colne, on the route from the M65 to Skipton, and is an important stopping point on summit pound of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, just before it...
and Foulridge Reservoir built in 1866 at the western end feeding the summit level.
Education
Colne Grammar School was a main centre for education from the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. It had John Tillotson
John Tillotson
John Tillotson was an Archbishop of Canterbury .-Curate and rector:Tillotson was the son of a Puritan clothier at Haughend, Sowerby, Yorkshire. He entered as a pensioner of Clare Hall, Cambridge, in 1647, graduated in 1650 and was made fellow of his college in 1651...
an Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
1691-1694 amongst its alumni. The new school (1812) in Barrowford Road closed in the late 20th century and the premises are to become flats in 2009.
Colne and its nearby villages now have nine primary schools, one of which is a Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
. There are three high schools
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in Colne, one of which is a Catholic school.
Nelson and Colne College
Nelson and Colne College
Nelson & Colne College is situated in the town of Nelson, Lancashire, North West of England, providing Further Education to Pendle and the surrounding districts...
is the main provider for post-16 education in the area – there is no grammar school or continuing sixth form
Sixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
centre, the nearest being in 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....
and Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
. Nelson and Colne College offers AS-level
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
and A-level qualifications, as well as BTEC
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
, City and Guilds, Open College of the North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
and some professional qualifications. The college also has tie-ins with some higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
institutions.
Sports and leisure
Colne F.C.Colne F.C.
Colne Football Club are an English football club based at the Holt House Stadium in Colne, Lancashire. They were established in 1996 and were elected straight into the North West Counties League. They are full members of the Lancashire County Football Association.-History:There used to be a club...
is the town's football team; it currently plays in the North West Counties Football League
North West Counties Football League
The North West Counties Football League is a football league in North west of England. As of 2011, the league covers Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Southern Cumbria, Northern Staffordshire, the High Peak area of Derbyshire, and the far west of West Yorkshire. In the past, the...
. (The local Football League team is Burnley F.C.
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, which also enjoys strong support in the town.) The town also has a junior football club, Colne JFC, which runs teams for 8 to 16 year olds, as well as a senior team. Colne & Nelson Rugby Union Football Club is located at Holt House Playing Fields and the club will celebrate it's centenary in 2015. It runs 2 senior teams a Ladies' team and a massive Junior and Mini Colts section.
The town has the oldest cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club in the Lancashire League, Colne Cricket Club
Colne Cricket Club
Colne Cricket Club is a cricket club in the Lancashire League, which plays its home games at The Horsfield in Colne. For the 2011 season their captain is Matthew Wilson, and their professional is Mansoor Amjad of Pakistan. The club has won the league on four occasions and won the cup six times,...
, which was formed in 1830. The first games were played on the Horsfield, the same field that is used today. It has been a continuous member of the Lancashire League since 1890.
Pendle Leisure Trust runs the Pendle Leisure Centre next to the railway station. This has two swimming pools, a fitness gym, a sauna, a sports hall and an outdoor all-weather pitch.
Colne Golf Club is located at Law Farm, to the north east of the town.
There are two large local parks. One is the King George Playing Fields next to Skipton Road (A56
A56 road
The A56 is a road in England which extends between the city of Chester in Cheshire and the village of Broughton in North Yorkshire. The road contains a mixture of single and dual carriageway sections, and traverses environments as diverse as the dense urban sprawl of inner city Manchester and the...
) between Colne and Earby
Earby
Earby is a small town and civil parish within the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England. It is north of Colne, from Skipton, and from Burnley. The parish had a population of 4,348 recorded in the 2001 census,...
. The other is Alkincoats Park, off the road between Colne and Barrowford
Barrowford
Barrowford is a large village and civil parish in the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. It is situated to the north of Nelson on the other side of the M65 motorway, and forms part of the Burnley/Nelson conurbation. It also comprises the area of Lowerford and sometimes gets confused with its...
(B6247). Alkincoats Park has bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
s, hard surface tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
s, pitch and put golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, a children's play area and footpaths that lead to areas close to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a canal in Northern England, linking the cities of Leeds and Liverpool. Over a distance of , it crosses the Pennines, and includes 91 locks on the main line...
and the now-dismantled Colne to Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
railway line. The towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the trackbed of the dismantled Colne to Skipton railway are also popular leisure destinations, as is Ballgrove Picnic Area at the eastern edge of Colne, close to Laneshaw Bridge
Laneshaw Bridge
Laneshaw Bridge is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle. It is to the east of Colne in Lancashire and is the easternmost settlement in Lancashire on the main road route, before the North Yorkshire border....
. It is possible to walk from here to historic Wycoller
Wycoller
Wycoller is a village in the Borough of Pendle, in Lancashire, England. It is located 3 miles east of Colne, near to the junction of the Lancashire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire borders....
.
Since 2004 Colne has hosted an annual Grand Prix cycle race around the town centre. It follows the 800 metres of the town centre one way road system. Some 2,500-4,000 local people attend the event, which is part of the British Cycling Season Championship.
Ralph, the father of Roger Bannister
Roger Bannister
Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
the first sub-four minute miler in 1954, was born in Colne, the family having lived here for 400 years. "Roger Bannister and the Four-minute Mile by John Bale"
Every August bank holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
, the Great British Rhythm and Blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
Festival takes place, which attracts people and artists from all over the world over three days. Many local pubs and clubs stage music gigs; others hold 'fringe' type gigs. The main focus of attention, where the larger events are staged, is the Municipal Hall close to the town centre. A second festival, the Colne Gala, has been held on most years for the last three decades, with a parade along a route through the town centre to the main Gala event at Alkincoats Park and Holt House.
Colne is also home to the amateur-run Pendle Hippodrome Theatre
Pendle Hippodrome Theatre
The Pendle Hippodrome Theatre is an amateur-run theatre in Colne, Lancashire in the north of England. It is owned by the Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Company, operating as Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Limited....
.
Media
The town sits at the far eastern end of LancashireLancashire
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...
, close to the counties of North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. The local area is served by TV from Granada and BBC North West
BBC North West
BBC North West is the BBC English Region serving Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Walsden in West Yorkshire, the Isle of Man , north-west Derbyshire, the Yorkshire Dales including Settle and Ribblesdale, and southern Cumbria.BBC North West television output is also broadcast in...
. Colne is also served by radio from BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Lancashire
BBC Radio Lancashire is the BBC Local Radio service for the county of Lancashire, in North West England. It began as BBC Radio Blackburn on 26 January 1971 on 96.4FM, then adding 854 kHz AM in 1972 and changing to its current name on 4 July 1981...
, the commercial station 2BR
2BR
Two Boroughs Radio is a commercial radio station in East Lancashire. It broadcased from studios in the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in Nelson, then in August 2010 2BR moved to Accrington based 'The Studios' with Sister Station 107 The Bee- About :The station broadcasts from the Pendle Forest...
, and Pendle Community Radio
Pendle Community Radio
Pendle Community Radio is a community radio station based in Nelson, Lancashire. Starting broadcasts on 103.1 MHz FM in September 2007, it aims to provide dedicated programming to the Asian Muslim population that live in Pendle, east Lancashire, during times of Muslim holy festivals...
, a community radio
Community radio
Community radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...
service aimed at the borough's British Asian
British Asian
British Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
population.
A local newspaper, the Colne Times, a variant edition of the larger Burnley Express
Burnley Express
For the cricketer with the same nickname, see James Anderson .The Burnley Express is a newspaper for Burnley and Padiham, England and surrounding area. It is printed twice weekly on Tuesday and Friday - which is the larger edition. It has been in print since 1877 and is now part of the Johnston...
, is published on Fridays; a second, midweek edition, the Pendle Express, aimed at both Colne and neighbouring Nelson, is published on Tuesdays. The town is also served by the Lancashire Telegraph
Lancashire Telegraph
The Lancashire Telegraph, formerly the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, is a local tabloid newspaper distributed in East Lancashire, England. It has two separate geographic editions each day – one for the boroughs of Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, and one for Burnley, Pendle, and...
, which publishes a 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....
, Pendle
Pendle
Pendle is a local government district and borough of Lancashire, England. It adjoins the Lancashire boroughs of Burnley and Ribble Valley, the North Yorkshire district of Craven and the West Yorkshire districts of Calderdale and the City of Bradford...
and Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
edition six days a week and by a weekly freesheet, the 'Pendle Citizen', which appears on Thursdays.
Notable people
John TillotsonJohn Tillotson
John Tillotson was an Archbishop of Canterbury .-Curate and rector:Tillotson was the son of a Puritan clothier at Haughend, Sowerby, Yorkshire. He entered as a pensioner of Clare Hall, Cambridge, in 1647, graduated in 1650 and was made fellow of his college in 1651...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
from 1691 until 1694 was educated in Colne Grammar School.
Wallace Hartley
Wallace Hartley
Wallace Henry Hartley was an English violinist and bandleader on the on its maiden voyage. He became famous for leading the eight member band as the ship sank on 15 April 1912. He died in the sinking.-Life and career:...
, lead member of the orchestra on board the Titanic was brought up and buried in Colne and has a memorial near the Library Cenotaph.
Sir William Pickles Hartley
Sir William Pickles Hartley
Sir William Pickles Hartley , jam manufacturer and philanthropist, founded the Hartley's jam company. He was born in Colne, Lancashire and attended a local British and Foreign School Society school.-Biography:...
, jam manufacturer and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, who founded the Hartley's Jam Company
Hartley's
Hartley's is a UK brand of marmalades, jams and jellies, manufactured at Histon, Cambridgeshire, by Premier Foods.- History :Hartley's was a grocers founded by Sir William Pickles Hartley near Pendle, Lancashire. In 1871 a supplier failed to deliver a consignment of jam, so William made his own and...
was born in Colne in 1846 and attended a local British and Foreign School Society
British and Foreign School Society
The British and Foreign School Society offers charitable aid to educational projects in the UK and around the world by funding schools, other charities and educational bodies...
school. Hartley's Jam is still on the market though no longer linked to Colne. He gave some of his profits to build Hartley Hospital and Hartley Homes on the boundary with Laneshawbridge.
Brian Redman
Brian Redman
Brian Herman Thomas Redman is a British racing driver from England....
, (born 9 March 1937 in Colne) Redman drove for Shadow Racing Cars both in CanAm and in Formula One in the 1960s and '70s and winning the SCCA/USAC Formula 5000 Championship three years in a row (1974–76) driving Lolas. He raced many Le Mans 24 hour races
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
and living in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
is still active appearing at the 36th Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races in August 2009.
Sydney Silverman
Sydney Silverman
Samuel Sydney Silverman was a British Labour politician and vocal opponent of capital punishment.-Early life:...
, MP for Nelson & Colne, 1935–68, winning eight elections and sponsoring the abolition of hanging in 1965.
Geoff Crambie, writer and local historian of Pendle and Colne.
Tony Livesey
Tony Livesey
Anthony Livesey is a British journalist and broadcaster who currently presents a late night show on BBC Five Live. The show runs from 22.30 to 1:00 from Monday to Thursday.-Early life:...
, British journalist and broadcaster who lives in Colne.
Mike Phelan
Mike Phelan
Michael Christopher "Mike" Phelan , also known as Mick Phelan or Micky Phelan, is an English football coach, former player, and current assistant manager of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson....
, Assistant Manager of Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
.
Natalie Gumede
Natalie Gumede
Natalie Gumede is an English actress and former dancer. She is best known for playing China in BBC Three's Ideal who, along with her friend Asia , is one of Moz's regular clients. Her character featured in the pilot episode, and was a regular in the first three seasons...
, actress best known for playing China in BBC Three
BBC Three
BBC Three is a television network from the BBC broadcasting via digital cable, terrestrial, IPTV and satellite platforms. The channel's target audience includes those in the 16-34 year old age group, and has the purpose of providing "innovative" content to younger audiences, focusing on new talent...
's Ideal
Ideal (TV series)
Ideal is a British comedy-drama, or dark comedy originally broadcast on digital channel BBC Three, created by Graham Duff and produced by BBC Comedy North and Baby Cow Productions. It stars Johnny Vegas as small-time cannabis dealer Moz....
.
Jeff Smith MBE
Jeff Smith (motorcyclist)
Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE is a former world champion motocross racer.His achievements include two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships , two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations, one Scottish Six Days Trial win...
, motorcyclist known for his two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships (1964–65), two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations, one Scottish Six Days Trial win and eight ISDT Gold Medals.[2] He was a member of the BSA factory racing team.
Steven Burke
Steven Burke
Steven James Burke is a British track and road cyclist who rides for the . He represented Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating his pre-Olympics personal best in the individual pursuit by 11 seconds to take the bronze medal...
, track and road cyclist who won the bronze medal in the individual pursuit
Individual pursuit
The individual pursuit is a track cycling event where two cyclists begin the race from a stationary position on opposite sides of the track.The event is held over 4 km for men and 3 km for women. The two riders start at the same time and set off to complete the race distance in the...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Hannah Hobley
Hannah Hobley
Hannah Hobley is an English actress and classical singer. She is best known for playing Chantelle "Telle" Garvey in ITV's Benidorm Her character featured in the pilot episode, and was a regular for the first 3 seasons before leaving with love interest "The Oracle"...
, actress, best known for playing Chantelle "Telle" Garvey in ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Benidorm
Benidorm (TV series)
Benidorm is an award-winning British television comedy-drama that is produced by Tiger Aspect for ITV and written by Derren Litten, co-writer of The Catherine Tate Show, exploiting the working-class stereotype of this popular tourist destination....
.
Alan Wharton
Alan Wharton
Alan Wharton was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire, Leicestershire and England.-Life and career:Wharton was born in Heywood, Lancashire, England....
, (1923–1993) England Test cricketer who played for Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
and later Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
.
Jessica Forrest, Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
actress who plays fictional character Leanne Holiday.
See also
- Talbot Street bomb-making haulTalbot Street bomb-making haulOn 28 September 2006 two men were arrested in the north of England and charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 for the possession of rocket launchers and a large haul of explosives-making chemicals. The case went virtually unreported in the national press until the trial.The trial began on...
, the largest ever discovery of domestic bomb-making equipment in the UK.