Darwen Town Trail part 2 – Darwen Heritage Centre

WHAT TO SEE IN DARWEN

Darwen Town Trail part 2

: 25 From the Spitfire Sculpture move up the hill onto Borough Road and to the left you will find another statement piece. Opened in 1901 this was the home of the Darwen and County Gazette Co. Ltd. Once acknowledged as being amongst the best fitted-up publishing works in the North of England. The Darwen and County Gazette was the only Conservative newspaper in the district.

: 26 Walk down Borough Road towards the Circus and cross to your left to the Market Street Pharmacy. This was once the proud home of Burton’s Tailoring. Stanley Howard Burton and his wife actually came to Darwen in 1930 to open their store personally. He laid a stone on the West side of the building and she did the same on the East side. The stones can be seen at ground level. The Heritage Centre has lots of photos which show Burton’s in its heyday.

: 27 The stone laid on the West side of the building. There is another in the corresponding place on the East side.

: 28 Next you should cross the road to the Post Office. A very stylish building with curved frontage to follow the line of Borough Road. The Post Office was formerly in Union Street and moved to new premises here in 1926. From here go down the left hand side of the Post Office through the alley.

: 29 On the left hand side as you go into the alley you will find a small car park space. In the back left corner of the car park you will find these steps. Climb the steps where you will be turning right at the top to get to Belgrave Square. But first, at the top of the steps take a moment to look at the grave stones which date back to the 18th Century and are thought to come from the Centenary Chapel which stood on this site.

: 30 One of the gravestones – Betty Haydock who departed this life, June 6th 1797. She was a loving and affectionate Wife, a good Neighbour and a sincere Christian.

: 31 Turning away from the gravestones you will be faced by Belgrave Congregational Chapel which is Grade II listed. Opened in 1847 the Chapel has long been closed and is now in use as private apartments.

: 32 Entering Belgrave Square you will be at the right hand side of these two former tram waiting rooms. Follow the railings around the back of the garden and turn left down the bottom part of Belgrave Road. These waiting rooms are Grade II listed as is the South Africa War Memorial which stands in the centre. The right hand building was the male waiting room and the left hand one was for ladies. Underneath there used to be public toilets affectionately named ‘White City’ because of the white tiling. The ladies had to enter the waiting room to access the toilets, but the gap in the front railings is where the steps used to be for access to the gents. When they were first built the Council paid a family an income to be the caretakers. The weighing machine from here is now in the Market Hall. Opened in 1903 they lasted until 1988 when the toilets were finally closed. The waiting rooms are now let out as retail units.

: 33 Look for this Commemorative plaque on the side wall of the Ladies Waiting Room. Darwen had the first steam tram system operating in this country for public use, started in 1881. Just behind this waiting room is a gate through which you can access the South Africa War Memorial and the Stevenson Memorial.

: 34 In between the tram shelters can be found the South Africa War Memorial. The lion is a replacement paid for by the Rotary Club of Darwen after the original was stolen in 1988, the same year that the toilets were closed.

: 35 On the floor around the South Africa War Memorial is a series of tiles which chart the loss of over 1,300 Darwen men and women who lose their lives in the Great War. This tribute which provides a historical record of all those who perished between 1914 and 1919 was produced by Brent Stevenson Memorials of Blackburn. Besides the names of the fallen there are maps which chart the location where the conflict occurred.

: 36 The tiles show in year order and by location of the Commemoration the names of those who lost their lives.

: 37 From the tram waiting rooms cross the Circus to the building on the corner of Market Street and Church Street. Built in 1897 this was the home of the Manchester and County Bank originally, and latterly was the Nat West Bank until it closed. Take a moment to look at the amazing work of the stonemasons in the carvings – especially around the main door. There is still evidence of the acid etched lettering in some of the downstairs windows of the letters M.C. The same letters appear twice in this photo.

: 38 On the opposite corner of Church Street is the Millstone Hotel, built around 1896. The small balcony above the doorway is where Sir John Rutherford MP gave his victory speech after being re-elected in 1896. The square at the top of the building above the balcony used to house a square clock which may have come from the shop on the corner which was demolished to make way for the Hotel. The most famous landlord of the Millstone was one Fergus Suter who was probably the first professional footballer having been signed for Darwen in 1878 from Patrick Thistle.

: 39 After the Millstone Hotel enter Bridge Street and look out on your left hand side for this stained glass over a doorway. ICI developed their plastics industry in Darwen and during the Second World War many Darwen women were involved in creating cockpit canopies for Spitfires at the ICI works in Orchard Mill on Duckworth Street. At one time this building was the home of the Almond Academy of Dancing where Edwardian Darweners learnt the subtle arts of ballroom dancing from the Past President and Technical Instructor of the British Association of Dancing Masters, Mr T. Almond. Continuing up Bridge Street you will see Sainsbury’s Store across the road. It was in the streets now covered by Sainsbury’s Car Park in October 1940 that a lone German bomber took the lives of six people in the second of only two raids on the town.

: 40 Walk to the end of the block and on the corner try to imagine the excitement of those who witnessed the first Hoddlesden tram coming down the steep slope of Sudell Road. On the corner where you are standing is where an accident occurred when one of those trams came off the rails and ran into the billiard hall opposite. Enter Sudell Road and take the first street on the left – Victoria Street, opposite the Darwen Aldridge Community Academy.

: 41 On the right hand side as you enter Victoria Street you will find a Blue Plaque. Sir David Shackleton moved to Darwen in 1894 where he became the Secretary of the Weavers, Winders and Warpers Association. He was also elected to the Borough council the same year. In 1902 in a by-election he became only the third Labour MP to be elected, representing Clitheroe.

: 42 At the end of Victoria Street turn right and climb the hill to the steps of St Peter’s Church. Turn round to view Hawthorne House. Built in 1868 this impressive house was once home to Belgian refugees when they were evacuated to England during World War 1. Thankfully, the present owners have recognised its potential and have retained the external features intact.

: 43 St Peter’s Church was opened in 1829 and named as Holy Trinity. There used to be a graveyard attached where over 1000 burials took place before 1861 when the public cemetery opened. It was re-dedicated as St Peter’s in 1972 after merging with the parishes of St George and St John. St Peter’s Church is Grade II* listed.

: 44 If the Church is open to visitors when you call it is well worth a visit. Inside you will find an impressive Reredos created as a token of remembrance for those who died in the Great War and a range of artefacts brought from the former churches of St John and St George. War Memorials from the three original parish churches are held in St Peter’s. Stained glass windows, mostly Victorian filter the light in, complemented by a new stained glass window created to mark the 175th Anniversary of the church.

: 47 Behind you on the corner is the Darwen Heritage Centre which occupies Holker House. Built for Dr Hindle in the early 1870s, it was then home to Dr J.T. Ballantyne from 1888 until his death in 1917. Since then it has been the Education Offices for Darwen, a site for adult learning and a business centre before the Livesey Foundation purchased it as the current home of the Darwen Heritage Centre.

: 48 Before going into the Darwen Heritage Centre walk a short distance up Railway Road to find the former Railway Road Wesleyan Chapel which was opened in 1866. Another Grade II listed building, now operating as Wetherspoons who are to be congratulated for retaining many original features.

: 49 Finally, cross Railway Road to find this strange little building which is now the offices of the MP for Darwen and Rossendale. The building dates back to 1888 when it housed the sixty foot escape ladder which was used by the local Fire Service. This was in use until 1905 since when it has seen many uses including a sit-in cafe extension to Hargreaves Bakery which was the shop next door. Finish your visit with a call into the Darwen Heritage Centre where you can find lots more photos and information on what you have seen so far.

What To See In Darwen

Listed Buildings in Darwen & Hoddlesden

Blue Plaques

Tower & Moors

Industrial Heritage Trail

Town Centre Trail

Listed Buildings in Tockholes

Parks