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| Oswaldtwistle | |
|---|---|
 The Parish Church of Immanuel | |
  Oswaldtwistle Location in Hyndburn Show map of the Borough of Hyndburn | |
| Area | 0.93 sq mi (2.4 km2) [1] |
| Population | 10,815 (2021)[2] |
| • Density | 11,629/sq mi (4,490/km2) |
| OS grid reference | SD740275 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ACCRINGTON |
| Postcode district | BB5 |
| Dialling code | 01254 |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Oswaldtwistle (/ˈɒz(w)əl.twɪzəl/ "ozzle twizzle") is a town in theHyndburn borough ofLancashire, England, 3 miles (5 km) southeast ofBlackburn, contiguous withAccrington. The town has a rich industrial heritage, being home toJames Hargreaves, inventor of thespinning jenny, andRobert "Parsley" Peel of calico printing fame. TheLeeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the town and was responsible for the export of much of the area's cotton produce.
At the2011 census, it had a population of 11,803.[1] In 2021 the population had decreased to 10,815[3]
The name is derived from "Oswald" and "Twistle". The word "twistle" is an old English word meaning "brooks meet". Legend has it thatSaint Oswald, King ofNorthumbria passed through, giving the area its full title of Oswald's Twistle, which in time came to be Oswaldtwistle. However, it is more likely derived from the name of theAnglo-Saxon who farmed the land.
Robert Peel was born at Peelfold (within the township) in 1723, and laid the family fortunes by innovations incalico printing.[4] A particularly successful pattern featured a sprig of parsley, so Robert Peel became known as "Parsley Peel".[4] Robert Peel went into business with his Brother-in-law, Jonathan Haworth in 1760, establishing the Brookside Mill Calico Works, the remnants of which are still visible in Bury Meadow Nature Reserve.[5]
The soubriquet helps distinguish him from his son alsoRobert Peel, who was born at Peelfold in 1750 and went on to become a successful cotton mill owner (with large works atBury andBurton on Trent), a very rich man, an MP and a Baronet.[6]
Sir Robert's son (Parsley Peel's grandson), born at Bury, was yet another Robert Peel and in due courseSir Robert Peel; he was a full-time politician, founder of the Metropolitan Police, and rose to bePrime Minister.[7] Another historical figure associated with the textile industry wasJames Hargreaves, inventor of theSpinning Jenny.
The people of Oswaldtwistle were involved in the power loom riots of 1826. Themechanisation of the textile industry (with the introduction of looms powered by steam engines from the 1820s onwards) resulted inredundancies, low wages, and hunger. On 26 April, a large number of cotton workers attacked the factory in White Ash (Brookside Mill) in Oswaldtwistle, about a mile from Hargreaves' workshop, destroying looms and other equipment. The riots went on for three days, extending to all cotton towns in central Lancashire.[8]
Oswaldtwistle is part of theBurnley Coalfield and had a number of coal mines such as Aspen Colliery53°45′07″N2°24′00″W / 53.752°N 2.400°W /53.752; -2.400 (Aspen) next the canal and theEast Lancashire line, having both acanal basin and railway siding. Mining here is thought to have commenced in the early 19th century and the colliery closed in 1930. The remains of the site which includes two stone-built engine beds and a bank of 24 beehive type coke ovens are protected as ascheduled monument.[9][10]
Others in the hills to the south, include: Broadfield Colliery53°44′13″N2°22′52″W / 53.737°N 2.381°W /53.737; -2.381 (Broadfield Colliery) which in the 1840s had a surface tramroad connected to the printworks at Foxhill Bank via Moscow Mills;[11] Sough Lane Colliery53°43′48″N2°25′44″W / 53.730°N 2.429°W /53.730; -2.429 (Sough Lane Colliery) which had a tramroad connecting it to Knuzden;[12] And Town Bent Colliery53°44′10″N2°23′49″W / 53.736°N 2.397°W /53.736; -2.397 (Town Bent Colliery).[13]
DuringWorld War II, a number ofPoWs (particularlyItalians) wereinterned in camps near Oswaldtwistle.[14][15]
Oswaldtwistle was once atownship in the ancient parish of Whalley, covering Oswaldtwistle Moor in the south and with Knuzden Brook forming the boundary with Blackburn, and as far as the village ofBelthorn. The township became acivil parish in 1866.[16]
Between 1894 and 1974, the area was administered by anurban district.[17] It has since become anunparished part of the borough ofHyndburn.Oswaldtwistle Town Hall was completed in 1891.[18]
It is important to note the contribution of Alfred N. Waterhouse in Oswaldtwistle. In the 1940s, he created what became Shopfitters Lancashire Ltd and in the 1950s, the firm moved from Accrington to Rhyddings Mill, Oswaldtwistle. He was a very successful entrepreneur, manufacturing commercial fit-out for retailers. At its peak in the 1960s, Shopfitters (Lancashire) Ltd employed over 80 salesmen nationally, and had an annual turnover measured in millions, in an age when a new house cost about £3,000. The firm closed in the 1980s.[citation needed]
The town centre is home to a number of high street multiples. There are a number of independent businesses in the town. Other stores include an appliance repairs/sales, numerous takeaways, numerous barbers, estate agents, off licences, bakers, butchers, funeral directors and many more shops. There are severalBoys' Brigade/Girl's Brigade groups in the town, along with groups forScouts,Beavers andCubs. Additionally,Hyndburn Comets, a group ofmajorettes, exists in the town.[citation needed]
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Oswaldtwistle Moor (adjacent toHaslingden Moor) is an extensive area ofmoorland to the south of Oswaldtwistle, withHaslingden Grane bordering the moor's southern edges, Belthorn to the west andHaslingden to the east. The area forms part of theWest Pennine Moors.
The moors are used for annualfell running events: Ossy Moors Fell Race and Stanhill Fell Race, which has been run since 1995.
In May 2007, plans were made to build awind farm consisting of twelvewind turbines on the moors. This attracted both support and opposition, but the plan was approved by councillors in March 2010.[19] In October 2012, the project was officially completed, and was called theHyndburn Wind Farm.[20]
Oswaldtwistle Mills is a notable attraction; atextile mill converted into a craft fair and with an exhibition about life in the mill a hundred years ago. It is also home of the world's largestpear drop, made byStockley's Sweets.
Also of note is the 457 capacity, recently refurbished, Civic Theatre, known as the "Friendly Theatre" and the brand new Civic Arts Centre.[21] The ground floor was refurbished, and in August 2010, it opened as theCivic Arts Centre.
The first production performed at the Arts Centre wasRomeo and Juliet, directed by young producer, Joanne Haworth. Since then, there have been many productions, with something different happening every week. There are workshops, and drama sessions most evenings, plus projects and new plays, being written, and performed, with at least four plays in production, at any one time. The Centre is now home to a number of theatre groups, including ReAct Academy, Dramatic Annie, Sparks, Oswaldtwistle Players and St Mary's Panto among others. The theatre now has a professional production company that produces shows that are toured around Lancashire.
The Civic Arts Centre is involved in local heritage projects, and organises outdoor festivals. From 1 April 2015, theArts Centre &Theatre merged, and the building is now known as the Civic Arts Centre and Theatre. It is home to Manford's Comedy Clubs.Jason Manford andJohn Bishop have both performed there at Manford's Comedy evenings.
Rhyddings Park is the only formal park within Oswaldtwistle. It was originally the grounds of a private house belonging to a local mill owning family. It has been a public park since 1909. More information about Rhyddings Park can be found on the website of its active community group.[22]
The carnival is held every two years. The committee was formed in June 2014, after a sixteen year gap, and the first event was successfully held that summer.
Oswaldtwistle is home toRhyddings (secondary school), Hippings Methodist Primary School, St. Mary's RC Primary School, St. Paul's CE Primary School, Moor End Primary School, St. Andrew's CE Primary School, West End Primary School, Oswaldtwistle School (aPRU), and White Ash Specialist School.
Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC North West andITV Granada. Television signals are received from theWinter Hill TV transmitter and the local relay TV transmitter located in theForest of Pendle.[23][24]
Local radio stations areBBC Radio Lancashire,Capital Manchester and Lancashire (formerly2BR),Heart North West,Smooth North West,Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire, andCentral Radio.[citation needed]
The town is served by the local newspaper,Lancashire Telegraph.
Oswaldtwistle Rovers F.C. were a football team in the late 19th century; they managed to reach the second round of theFA Cup in 1885.
Oswaldtwistle is also the home of Oswaldtwistle Juniors FC, a local junior football club that plays in the ADJFL and ELFA, they play their home matches on a public field by Frederick Street.
In January 2017, theCarnegie Trust UK advertised for towns who wanted to take part in a pilot twin town scheme. Oswaldtwistle was chosen, and paired with Whitburn in Scotland. Initial visits have been made.
