WHAT TO SEE IN DARWEN
Darwen Town Trail Page One
The trail covered in these photos covers the same area and follows a similar route to the one which you will find in the leaflet ‘Darwen Town Centre Heritage Trail 1’ available from the Visit Blackburn website. On the original trail Purple Plaques were fixed to the features outlined and some of these will be seen as you follow the route outlined below. Since the original trail was produced there have been many changes, not least of which is the renovation of the Market Square and this is where the new trail begins.
More photographs and further information can be found on visiting the Darwen Heritage Centre at the end of the Trail. The first photograph shows the original outline map and is only there for general street directions.
There is also a Darwen Town Centre Local History Walk leaflet which was created as a Heritage Week Walk available from the Darwen Heritage Centre.
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- 1. Start your Darwen Town Centre Trail from the newly refurbished Market Square outside the Market Hall. Completed in 2019 there are places to sit and contemplate or take a coffee and cake from one of the services on the front of the Market Hall. This is the place where the town’s festivals are held: Darwen Live Music Festival, 1940s Day, Food Festival, Christmas Market etc. Check the Darwen Town Council website for a list of Events. https://darwen-council.co.uk/events/
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- 2. Around the perimeter of the Market Square you will find a series of metal sculptures. Whilst not intended to be a historical record of the WW1 Roll of Honour, the names cut into the metal are those men and women from Darwen who gave their lives in the Great War. Some of the names do not seem to make sense as they are reversed, but at night when illuminated the names can be read on the surrounding walls. Doves of peace can be made out flying across the names.
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- 3. Darwen Municipal Building was finished in 1882 and houses the Darwen Town Council Offices to the left, and the Market Hall in the centre. The Clock was added later and was a gift from Dr J T Ballantyne who was living at the time in Holker House which is now home to the Darwen Heritage Centre. There is a small copper plaque fixed to the wall on the left hand side of the Market hall entrance which commemorates his gift. Before going inside the Market Hall you may wish to go into the foyer of the Council Offices where you will find an official record of the WW1 Roll of Honour.
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- 4. The official WW1 Roll of Honour stands on a plinth created especially for the purpose. Visitors can look through the pages to find relatives. Tony Foster, responsible for the research and creation of the Roll and Chair of the Darwen Heritage Centre Trustees is seen with the Roll. Before leaving the Reception area, look on the wall opposite the reception desk where you will find the Foundation Stone of the Municipal Building.
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- 5. After leaving the Town Hall take a moment to admire the work of the stonemasons above the Market Hall entrance
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- 6. As you enter the Market Hall, glance to the left and you will see the plaque which recognises the gift from J T Ballantyne. Created by James Smithies of Wilmslow. Note the thistle which marks his origins as a Scotsman and the Lancashire Rose for where he lived most of his life and gave his service.
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- 7. Once inside the Market Hall, take time to browse through the stalls. Before you leave through the opposite door take time to look up at the impressive, decorative ironwork which supports the roof.
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- 8. As you leave the Market Hall by the back entrance, glance up above the doorway to see the date of completion with a horn of plenty on either side, the fruits of the Market spilling out
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- 9. On leaving the Market Hall turn right up School Street and on the end of the Asda building you will find this Blue Plaque. The very impressive Industrial Co-operative Building which housed two magnificent Halls in the upper floors was situated here
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- 10. At the top of School Street you will find the Library. This is a Carnegie Library and was opened by Andrew Carnegie in person, in 1908. This building, including the Library Theatre and associated Railings is Grade II listed. If you glance over the railings to the left of the door you will see the Foundation Stone.
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- 11. Inside the impressive entrance hall there is a plaque built into a decorative plaster casting which confirms the official opening of the Library by Andrew Carnegie. Photographs of that official opening can be found at the Darwen Heritage Centre. Andrew Carnegie was presented with a silver gilt casket and scroll bestowing the Freedom of the Borough and this can be seen at the Carnegie Institute in Scotland. Similar caskets and scrolls can be viewed at the Heritage Centre
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- 12. Whilst in the Library you will find many sources of information in the Reference Section, and both the staff and the Friends of Darwen Library are on hand to help you find what you need. Take time to admire the collection of paintings by local artist J H Morton. At the time of the Great War Morton was in his prime and had exhibited his works at the Royal Academy in London. Sadly, his career was cut short when he was killed in action just days before the end of the war. Another impressive painting in the library is the Battle of Jutland, by Charles Dixon. Exhibited in the Royal Academy in 1916, this was donated to the people of Darwen anonymously, but thanks to the Heritage Centre you can now read about the likely donor.
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- 13. On leaving the Library, turn left down Knott Street where you will find the former Technical School which was once the Darwen Grammar School. Opened in 1894, the carving above the South door reads School of Art, and this is where Morton learnt his craft. Fortunately, when the last school here closed, and the building fell into disrepair a property developer saw its potential and it has now been converted into apartments. The original external features have been retained.
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- 14. At the bottom end of the Technical School, across from the main entrance on Union Street, you will find one of Darwen’s Green Spaces. Shorey Bank has been created on land which was formerly the Town’s Electric Works, Weaving Sheds and Refuse Destructor. If you have time, take a stroll along the River Darwen here before continuing over the bridge on Union Street.
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- 15. This bridge crosses the River Darwen outside the old Technical School at a point where the river was crossed by a ford in earlier times. William Snape was the first Mayor of the Borough after Incorporation in 1878. You can get down to the edge of the river from where you will see that the River Darwen actually flows under the former School. In fact it also flows underground through the Centre of Darwen until it reaches Sainsbury’s on the opposite side of the Town Centre having been covered over in many stages.
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- 16. Further along Union Street is the former Civic Health Centre. Opened in 1942, at the time it was at the height of Health development, offering a range of services with up to date equipment and treatments. Here you could have Ultra Violet Ray treatment, or get immunised against tetanus whooping cough, diphtheria and polio. Home also to the school dentist. Now it has been replaced by a modern Health Centre behind the town’s Leisure Centre.
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- 17. Opposite the former Civic Health Centre is the Police Station. Outside the Police Station stands this relic of the former Police Station which used to be on Duckworth Street. This was taken off the old building and reconstructed here when the new building was erected. This carved stone is well over a century old and apart from the fact that someone decided it would look better in colour, it retains all the original features.
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- 18. The former Police Station, now demolished, which stood on Duckworth Street. The stone was above the doorway and I only ever remember it being white.
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- 19. At the top of Union Street turn left into Market Street. Look out for this plaque on the wall next to Santander.
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- 20. Cross Market Street where you will find the town’s Millennium Globe. The Town motto can be read around the base, Absque Labore Nihil (Nothing Without Labour) and the Borough Arms are carved into the inner segments.
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- 21. Amongst the trees planted around the Millennium Globe is one in particular, planted in 2009 to celebrate 60 years of the NHS in Darwen.
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- 22. Through the trees you can see the new Leisure Centre with the original frontage from the ‘New Baths’ opened in 1933 retained and looking almost insignificant when compared to the size of the new complex. Walk up to the top of the slope for a better view.
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- 23. At the top of the slope and facing the Leisure Centre is a former private residence which later became the United Services Club. It is believed that this building is standing on top of the foundations of the original Manor House for Darwen. Outside the front and side of the building there are still some of the original stone setts or cobbles which many people remember, though not necessarily fondly.
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- 24. Across the road you will now be able to see the Spitfire Sculpture which was created by WEC Group Ltd of Darwen. It represents the Spitfire purchased by the people of Darwen in 1941 in response to the need for more aircraft after the Battle of Britain.
You are now half way through Darwen Town Centre Trail. If you wish to continue please click on the button to take you to Darwen Town Centre Trail Page Two.
What To See In Darwen
Listed Buildings in Darwen & Hoddlesden
Blue Plaques
Green Trail
Tower & Moors
Industrial Heritage Trail
Listed Buildings in Tockholes