River Darwen
Encyclopedia
The River Darwen is a river running through Darwen
and Blackburn in Lancashire
.
The river was seriously polluted with human and industrial effluent during the Industrial Revolution
, up to the early 1970s. The river often changed colour dramatically as a result of paper and paint mills routinely using river water to flush out dye and paint tanks. This has now ceased and the river is relatively clear with the return of trout and small fish.
Rising in Jack's Key Clough at the confluence of two streams from Bull Hill and Cranberry Moss, the river flows through the town of Darwen, continuing into the suburbs of Blackburn past Ewood Park
. The river passes below the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
at Ewood Aqueduct
and is culverted again at Waterfall and near Griffin Park. It is joined by the River Blakewater near Witton Country Park in Blackburn and leaves the mostly urban landscapes of the towns behind, flowing through parklands and valleys. A further tributary, the River Roddlesworth
, joins the Darwen at the bottom of Moulden Brow on the boundary between Blackburn with Darwen
and Chorley
Borough Council (the name Moulden Brow being associated with Moulden Water, an alternative name for this stretch of the river). From there, the Darwen flows past Hoghton Tower
through Hoghton Bottoms and Samlesbury Bottoms, finally combining with the River Ribble
at Walton-le-Dale
.
At Walton-le-Dale, the river was the backdrop to the Battle of Preston
during the Second English Civil War
, a Parliamentarian victory immortalised in John Milton
's poem "To Cromwell": -
In this poem, the river appears to be named "Darwent," giving evidence of its derivation from a Brythonic dialect form similar to the Old Welsh derwenyd (Modern Welsh
derwenydd), meaning "valley thick with oaks".
Darwen
Darwen is a market town and civil parish located within Lancashire, England. Along with its northerly neighbour, Blackburn, it forms the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen — a unitary authority area...
and Blackburn 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...
.
The river was seriously polluted with human and industrial effluent during 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...
, up to the early 1970s. The river often changed colour dramatically as a result of paper and paint mills routinely using river water to flush out dye and paint tanks. This has now ceased and the river is relatively clear with the return of trout and small fish.
Rising in Jack's Key Clough at the confluence of two streams from Bull Hill and Cranberry Moss, the river flows through the town of Darwen, continuing into the suburbs of Blackburn past Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
. The river passes below 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...
at Ewood Aqueduct
Ewood Aqueduct
Ewood Aqueduct is a high embankment carrying the Leeds and Liverpool Canal over the River Darwen near Blackburn, Lancashire, England. It is a Grade II listed building.-References:...
and is culverted again at Waterfall and near Griffin Park. It is joined by the River Blakewater near Witton Country Park in Blackburn and leaves the mostly urban landscapes of the towns behind, flowing through parklands and valleys. A further tributary, the River Roddlesworth
River Roddlesworth
-Course:The source of the river is on the slopes of Great Hill, just above the ruins known as Pimm's, where the infant river is known as Calf Hey Brook...
, joins the Darwen at the bottom of Moulden Brow on the boundary between Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England. It consists of Blackburn, the small town of Darwen to the south of it, and the surrounding countryside.-Formation:...
and Chorley
Chorley (borough)
Chorley is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. It is named after its largest settlement, the town of Chorley.-Creation:...
Borough Council (the name Moulden Brow being associated with Moulden Water, an alternative name for this stretch of the river). From there, the Darwen flows past Hoghton Tower
Hoghton Tower
Hoghton Tower is fortified manor house near the village of Hoghton in the Borough of Chorley to the east of Preston in Lancashire, England. It has been the ancestral home of the De Hoghton family since the time of William the Conqueror. It features a mile long driveway to the main gates...
through Hoghton Bottoms and Samlesbury Bottoms, finally combining with the River Ribble
River Ribble
The River Ribble is a river that runs through North Yorkshire and Lancashire, in northern England. The river's drainage basin also includes parts of Greater Manchester around Wigan.-Geography:...
at Walton-le-Dale
Walton-le-Dale
Walton-le-Dale is a village in the Borough of South Ribble, in Lancashire, England. It lies on south bank of the River Ribble, and the south-side of the city of Preston, adjacent to Bamber Bridge.-Toponymy:...
.
At Walton-le-Dale, the river was the backdrop to the Battle of Preston
Battle of Preston (1648)
The Battle of Preston , fought largely at Walton-le-Dale near Preston in Lancashire, resulted in a victory by the troops of Oliver Cromwell over the Royalists and Scots commanded by the Duke of Hamilton...
during the Second English Civil War
Second English Civil War
The Second English Civil War was the second of three wars known as the English Civil War which refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652 and also include the First English Civil War and the...
, a Parliamentarian victory immortalised in John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's poem "To Cromwell": -
While Darwent Streams with Blood of Scots imbru'd...
In this poem, the river appears to be named "Darwent," giving evidence of its derivation from a Brythonic dialect form similar to the Old Welsh derwenyd (Modern Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
derwenydd), meaning "valley thick with oaks".
Tributaries
- Hennel Brook
- Cockshott Brook
- Many Brooks
- Black Brook
- Hatchwood Brook
- Fowler Brook
- Drum Head Brook
- Gorton Brook
- Mill Brook
- Bank Head Brook
- Drum Head Brook
- Black Brook
- Old Darwen
- Beeston Brook
- Quaker Brook
- Hole Brook
- Huntley Brook (North)
- Huntley Brook (South)
- Alum House Brook
- Arley Brook
- Trout Brook
- River RoddlesworthRiver Roddlesworth-Course:The source of the river is on the slopes of Great Hill, just above the ruins known as Pimm's, where the infant river is known as Calf Hey Brook...
- Finnington Brook
- Stockclough Brook
- Whitehalgh Brook
- Shaw Brook
- Chapels Brook
- Sheep Bridge Brook
- Whitehalgh Brook
- Rake Brook
- Calf Hey Brook
- Ferny Bed Springs
- River Blakewater
- Snig Brook
- Audley Brook
- Little Harwood Brook
- Royshaw Clough
- Seven Acre Brook
- Knuzden Brook
- Scotshaw Brook
- Moss Brook
- Badger Brook
- Higher Croft Brook
- Newfield Brook
- Davy Field Brook
- Flash Brook
- Grimshaw Brook
- Waterside Brook
- Mean Brook
- Sapling Clough
- Hoddlesden Moss Brook
- Far Scotland Brook
- Pickup Bank Brook
- Moss Brook
- Twitchells Brook
- Mean Brook
- Waterside Brook
- Sunnyhurst Brook
- Stepback Brook
- Bold Venture Brook
- High Lumb Brook
- Livesey Brook
- High Lumb Brook
- Kebbs Brook
- Green Lowe Brook
- Bury Fold Brook
- Old Briggs Brook
- Duckshaw Brook
- Old Briggs Brook
- Grain Brook
- Bent Hall Brook
- Deadman's Clough