| Bacup | |
|---|---|
 Yorkshire Street, Bacup | |
  Bacup Shown within Rossendale Show map of the Borough of Rossendale | |
| Population | 13,323 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SD868231 |
| • London | 175 mi (282 km)SSE |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BACUP |
| Postcode district | OL13 |
| Dialling code | 01706 |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Bacup (/ˈbeɪkəp/BAY-kəp,[1]/ˈbeɪkʊp/) is a town in theRossendale Borough inLancashire, England, in theSouth Pennines close to Lancashire's boundaries withWest Yorkshire andGreater Manchester. The town is in theRossendale Valley and the upperIrwell Valley, 4 miles (6.4 km) east ofRawtenstall, 6 miles (9.7 km) north ofRochdale, and 7 miles (11 km) south ofBurnley. At the2011 Census, Bacup had a population of 13,323.[2]
Bacup emerged as a settlement following theAnglo-Saxon settlement of Britain in theEarly Middle Ages. For centuries, it was a small and obscure centre of domestic flannel and woollen cloth production, and many of the original weavers' cottages survive today as listed buildings. Following theIndustrial Revolution, Bacup became amill town, growing up around the now covered over bridge crossing the River Irwell and the north–south / east-west crossroad at its centre. During that time its landscape became dominated by distinctive and large rectangular woollen andcotton mills. Bacup received acharter of incorporation in 1882, giving it municipalborough status and its own elected town government, consisting of a mayor, aldermen and councillors to oversee local affairs.
In 1974, Bacup became part of the borough of Rossendale.[3] Bacup's historic character, culture and festivities have encouraged the town to be seen as one of the best preserved mill towns in England.[4][5]English Heritage has proclaimed Bacup town centre as a designatedprotected area for its special architectural qualities.
The name Bacup is derived from theOld Englishfūlbæchop. TheOxford Dictionary of British Place Names translates this as "muddy valley by a ridge"; thefūl- element, which meant "foul" or "muddy" was used in the earliest known reference to the area, in a charter by Robert de Lacey, around the year 1200, as used in theMiddle English spellingfulebachope.[6] The prefixful- was dropped from the toponym.[6] The-bæchop element is less clear, possibly meaning "ridge valley",[6] or else "back valley" referring to the locale's position at the back part of theIrwell Valley.[7][8]
Bacup and itshinterland has provided archeological evidence of human activity in the area during theNeolithic.[9][10]Anglo-Saxons settled in theEarly Middle Ages. It has been claimed that in the 10th century the Anglo-Saxons battled againstGaels andNorsemen atBroadclough,[11] a village to the north of Bacup.[12][13][14] From the medieval period in this area, the River Irwell separated the ancient parishes ofWhalley andRochdale (in thehundreds ofBlackburn andSalford respectively). The settlement developed mainly in the Whalleytownship ofNewchurch but extending into Rochdale'sSpotland.[15]
The geology and topography of the village lent itself to urbanisation and domestic industries; primitiveweavers' cottages, coal pits and stone quarries were propelled by Bacup's natural supply ofwater power in the Early Modern period. The adoption of thefactory system, which developed into theIndustrial Revolution, enabled the transformation of Bacup from a small rural village into amill town, populated by an influx of families attracted by Bacup'scotton mills, civic amenities and regional railway network. Locally sourced coal provided the fuel for industrial-scale quarrying, cotton spinning and shoemaking operations, stimulating the local economy. Bacup received acharter of incorporation in 1882, giving it honorificborough status and its own elected town government, consisting of a mayor, aldermen and councillors to oversee local affairs.
Bacup's boom intextile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution resulted in the town developing into a prosperous and thickly populatedindustrial area by early-20th century. But theGreat Depression and the ensuingdeindustrialisation of the United Kingdom largely eliminated Bacup's textile processing sector and economic prosperity.
Bacup followed the regional and national trend ofdeindustrialisation during the early and mid-20th century; a process exacerbated by the closure ofBacup railway station in 1966. Bacup also experiencedpopulation decline; from 22,000 at the time of the United Kingdom Census 1911, to 15,000 at the United Kingdom Census 1971. Much of Bacup's infrastructure became derelict owing tourban decay, despite regeneration schemes and government funding. Shops became empty and some deteriorated. The houses along the main roads endured as the original terraces from Bacup's industrial age, but behind these, on the hillsides, are severalcouncil estates.[3][16][17]
Records in 2005 show Bacup to have some of the lowest crime levels in the county,[18] and the relative small change to Bacup's infrastructure and appearance has given the town a "historic character and distinctive sense of place".[3] In 2007, themurder of Sophie Lancaster attracted media attention to the town and highlighted its urban blight and lack of amenities and regeneration.[16][19][20]
In 2013 it was announced that Rossendale Borough Council was successful in securing £2m funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a 5-year regeneration project, to be delivered by the Bacup Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI). The project focuses on the redevelopment and restoration of Bacup's unique built and cultural heritage whilst providing training in traditional building skills and to facilitate activities and events for local people.[21] The injection of funds has significantly contributed to growing property prices in the area[22] with the investments in the area being cited as one of the major reasons why the area is becoming increasingly attractive to people commuting to larger conurbations such asGreater Manchester.[23]
Due to the success of the Bacup THI and following public research and consultation, in 2019 the Rossendale Borough Council announced the development of the Bacup 2040 Vision and Masterplan.[24] Bacup 2040 sets out a new vision for Bacup,[25] aiming to capitalise on the gains made through the THI scheme whilst redeveloping aspects of the town to make it fit for a high-street model less reliant on retail and more suited to the needs of visitors and local residents alike. In order to realise the scheme, the council considered multiple bid options and the Bacup 2040 Vision was used as the basis of its bid for a share of the £1b Future High Street Fund.[26] The Bacup 2040 Board was established in 2019[27] and is made up of representatives from across Bacup, including local residents, business owners, community organisations, charities, councillors, council officers. The board is chaired by a local business owner[28] and has 6 sub-group committees, chaired by representatives of different community organisations,[29] reviewing the various aspects of the vision and plan.[30] The role of the board is to "inform, challenge and validate the scope and proposals for the redevelopment of Bacup."[31]
The Bacup 2040 plan for the £11.5m redevelopment of Bacup's core, including the Market Square, was reported on in February 2020 and later announced by the local council in June 2020.[32][33]
The first stages of the commencement of the Bacup 2040 work was announced in June 2020, with the £1m redevelopment of the long-time derelict Regal Building.[34]
In the 2023 budget, it was announced that Rossendale would receive a grant of £17.9m, of which £8.3m would be dedicated to the Bacup Market regeneration scheme[35] of which the Chair of the Bacup 2040 Board commented: "At the heart of Temple Court will be an innovative two-storey, brand-spanking new market hall building, designed to be bustling with life. The ground floor will be a treasure trove of local produce, crafts and a varied array of food and drink – where market days and events will come to life - and where visitors will be encouraged to relax and enjoy the surroundings, both during the day and into the evening. The upper floor will introduce a cycle hub and makers’ spaces, championing creativity and discovery."[36]
Lying within thehistoric county boundaries ofLancashire since theHigh Middle Ages, Bacup was achapelry linked with the parishes ofWhalley andRochdale, and divided between thetownships ofNewchurch andSpotland in thehundred of Blackburn.[37]
Bacup's firstlocal authority was aLocal board of health established in 1863;[38] Bacup Local Board of Health was a regulatory body responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation in the BacupUrban Sanitary District. The area of the sanitary authority was granted acharter of incorporation in 1882, giving it honorificborough status and its own elected town government, consisting of a mayor, aldermen and councillors to oversee local affairs.[12][14][38][39] The Municipal Borough of Bacup became a local government district of theadministrative county of Lancashire under theLocal Government Act 1894, meaning it shared power with the strategicLancashire County Council.[39] The council was based atBacup Town Hall.[40] Under theLocal Government Act 1972, the Municipal Borough of Bacup was abolished, and since 1 April 1974 Bacup has formed anunparished area ofRossendale, a local government district of thenon-metropolitan county ofLancashire.[39]
From 1992 until 2010, Bacup was represented in theHouse of Commons as part of theparliamentary constituency ofRossendale and Darwen, byJanet Anderson, aLabour PartyMember of Parliament (MP).[41] Bacup had previously formed part of theRossendale constituency. In the general election of 2010, the seat was taken byJake Berry of the Conservative Party, and in 2024 it was taken byAndy MacNae of Labour.
At53°42′14″N2°11′56″W / 53.70389°N 2.19889°W /53.70389; -2.19889 (53.704°, −2.199°), 15 miles (24.1 km) north-northeast ofManchester, 17 miles (27.4 km) southeast ofBlackburn and 26 miles (41.8 km) southwest ofBradford. Bacup stands on the western slopes of theSouth Pennines, amongst the upper-Irwell Valley. TheRiver Irwell, a 39-mile (63 km) long tributary of theRiver Mersey, runs southwesterly through Bacup towards Rawtenstall from its source by the town's upland outskirts atWeir.[42] The Irwell is mostlyculverted in central Bacup but it is open in the suburbs. In 2003 there was a proposal to use plate glass for a section of the culvert in the centre of the town however the culvert was eventually replaced with concrete.[42] Bacup is roughly 1,000 feet (305 m) abovesea level;[43] the Deerplay area of Weir is 1,350 feet (411 m) above sea level;[42] Bacup town centre is 835 feet (255 m) above sea level.[12]
Bacup is surrounded by open moor and grassland on all sides with the exception of Stacksteads at the west which forms a continuous urban area withWaterfoot andRawtenstall.[44][45] The towns ofBurnley andAccrington are to the north and northwest respectively;Todmorden,Walsden and the county ofWest Yorkshire are to the east;Rochdale and the county ofGreater Manchester are to the south;Rawtenstall, from where Bacup is governed, is to the west. Areas and suburbs of Bacup includeBritannia, Broadclough, Deerplay, Dulesgate,Stacksteads andWeir.[3][12][13][37]
Bacup experiences atemperatemaritime climate, like much of theBritish Isles, with relatively cool summers, yet harsh winters. There is regular but generally light precipitation throughout the year.
Bacup’s economy reflects its industrial heritage and ongoing transition toward a more diversified local base. While traditionaltextile andfootwear manufacturing declined during the late 20th century, the town is now home to a range of small and medium-sized enterprises across sectors such asengineering,plastics,furniture, ande-commerce.
Modern employment sites include Futures Park[46] and New Line Industrial Estate,[47] which support local businesses involved in production, distribution, and services. Companies with operations in Bacup include Orthoplastics, JJO plc, Dale Print, AV.com (a subsidiary ofGear4music), and the Lancashire Sock Manufacturing Company.[48]
Although Bacup forms part of the broader Pennine Lancashire economy, it retains a distinct local employment profile shaped by manufacturing and logistics. The workforce is concentrated in skilled trades, machine operation, and warehousing roles, reflecting the area’s stock of light industrial units and repurposed factory buildings. Business activity in the town also includes niche and specialist manufacturing, supported by regional transport links via the A681 and proximity to the M66 corridor.
The town's parish church is dedicated toSaint John the Evangelist. Aside from just this church, Bacup has many other churches.[12][49][50] The majority of Bacup's culturally significant architecture is in theVictorian period, but there are older buildings of note are Fearns Hall (1696), Forest House (1815) and the 18th-centuryStubbylee Hall.[14] The Bacup Natural History Society Museum was formed in 1878.[51]
Bacup is home to the 17 ft (5.2 m) longElgin Street which held the record as the shortest street in the world until November 2006, when it was surpassed byEbenezer Place, in theScottish Highlands.[52]
Many of the town's historic buildings are set to be renewed in a £2m regeneration scheme.[53]
Bacup railway station was opened in 1852[54] by theEast Lancashire Railway as the terminus of theRossendale line. The Rochdale and Facit Railway was extended to Bacup in 1883. It rose over a summit of 967 feet (295 m) betweenBritannia and Shawforth. The Rochdale line closed to passenger services in 1947,[55] and the station finally closed in December 1966,[54] with the cessation of all passenger services to and fromManchester Victoria via Rawtenstall and Bury.
In June 2014 the police announced they would be monitoring the road betweenWeir and Bacup (which passes throughBroadclough) as it has become an accident blackspot with a high number of accidents which have resulted in serious injury and even deaths.[56]
There have been a large number of road traffic incidents on theA671 as it passes through the small hamlets ofBroadclough andWeir near Bacup including fatalities. Currently police are monitoring the road[56] and there have been calls from local residents, led by County Councillor Jimmy Easton,[57] for the creation of a bypass with the suggestion of utilising elements of Bacup Old Road.
The key date in Bacup's cultural calendar isEaster Saturday, when theBritannia Coconut Dancersbeat the bounds of the town via a dance procession. Britannia Coconut Dancers are anEnglish country dance troupe from Bacup whose routines are steeped in local folk tradition. They wear distinctive costumes and have a custom of blackening their faces. The origin of the troupe is claimed to have its roots inMoorish, pagan, medieval, mining andCornish customs.[58] The Easter Saturday procession begins annually at the Traveller's Rest Public House on theA671 road. The dancers are accompanied by members ofStacksteadsSilver Band and proceed to dance their way through the streets.[58]
Bacup Museum is local history hub and exhibition centre in Bacup. The Bacup Natural History Society was formed in 1878.[59] The work of the society is carried out by a group of volunteers who have a base in the Bacup Museum which contains many domestic, military, industrial, natural history, and religious collections.[60]
Bacup has been used as a filming location for the 1980sBBC TV police dramaJuliet Bravo,Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, parts ofThe League of Gentlemen and much of the filmGirls' Night. Elements of the BBC TV dramaOranges Are Not the Only Fruit were also filmed on location in Bacup.[61] The famous 1961 British filmWhistle Down the Wind starring Hayley Mills also used various parts of Bacup for filming. The comedy dramaBrassic was also largely filmed in Bacup.
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC North West andITV Granada. Television signals are received from theWinter Hill and local relay TV transmitters.[62][63]
Local radio stations areBBC Radio Lancashire on 95.5 FM,Heart North West on 105.4 FM,Capital Manchester and Lancashire on 107.0 FM,Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire on 96.5 FM, andRossendale Radio, a community based radio station which broadcast to the town on 104.7 FM.[64]
The town's news in print is provided by The Rossendale Free Press -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossendale_Free_Press - a newspaper sold in most local retail outlets and nearby communities throughout the Rossendale Valley. The paper's Web site closed in 2023 and the publication's online news is now provided on Lancs Live -https://www.lancs.live/all-about/bacup.
The less widely available local printed newspaper that includes Bacup coverage and which still does maintain a Web site is theLancashire Telegraph.[65]
The Sky TV comedyBrassic is partly filmed in Bacup.[66]
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