By Tim Lambert
The town of Burnley in Lancashire was not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1066. The first mention of a settlement was in the year 1122. In 1294 Burnley was given the right to hold weekly markets and annual fairs. The little town grew in size and importance through the centuries. By the middle of the 16th century it probably had a population of about 1,200. Burnley Grammar School was founded in 1559.
Like many other towns in the North of England Burnley was transformed by the Industrial Revolution, which began in the late 18th century. By 1801 the population of Burnley was almost 4,000 and it grew rapidly. By 1851 it was almost 21,000. The town thrived on cotton manufacturing.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which went through Burnley opened in 1816. Burnley Railway Station was built in 1849. Improvements in transport contributed to the town’s growth.
There were other improvements in Burnley. It gained gas light in 1823. Electric light was introduced in 1890. Meanwhile, Burnley College began in 1834. Burnley Town Hall opened in 1888.
Towneley Park was laid out in the late 18th century. It became a public park in 1902. The first public library in Burnley, the Marshall Library opened in 1914. A new public library was built in 1930.
During the 19th century the cotton industry in Burnley boomed. However it went into decline in the early 20th century. From the Middle Ages there was also a coal industry in Burnley. It thrived during the 19th century but also declined in the 20th century. The last colliery in Burnley closed in 1982. Coal mining was a dangerous job and many men were killed. In 1990 Miners Memorial was unveiled in Burnley.
A police station opened in Burnley in 1954. Burnley War Memorial was erected in 1997. Charter Walk Shopping Centre opened in 2001. Burnley College moved to a new building in 2009. Today the population of Burnley is 82,000.