# Rossendale Valley

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{{short description|River valley in Lancashire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name           = Rossendale Valley
| image          = Stone slab fence - geograph.org.uk - 293756.jpg
| image_alt      = The Rawtenstall end of the valley
| image_caption  = The Rawtenstall end of the valley
| image_size     = 
| iucn_category  = 
| map            = Lancashire#United Kingdom Borough of Rossendale
| map_alt        = Rossendale Valley shown within Lancashire
| map_caption    = Location within Lancashire##Location within Rossendale
| relief         = yes
| location       = [Rossendale, Lancashire](/source/Borough_of_Rossendale)
| nearest_city   = [Manchester](/source/Manchester), England
| coordinates    = {{coord|53.698|N|2.281|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref     = <ref>[https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/rossendale-valley-rossendale Ordnance Survey]</ref>
| area_km2       = 
| established    = 
| governing_body = 
}}
The '''Rossendale Valley''' is in the [Rossendale](/source/Borough_of_Rossendale) area of [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire), England, between the [West Pennine Moors](/source/West_Pennine_Moors) and the main range of the [Pennines](/source/Pennines). The area includes the steep-sided valleys of the [River Irwell](/source/River_Irwell) and its [tributaries](/source/tributary) (between [Rawtenstall](/source/Rawtenstall) and [Bacup](/source/Bacup)), which flow southwards into [Greater Manchester](/source/Greater_Manchester). The rivers cut through the [moorland](/source/moorland) of the Rossendale Hills, generally characterized by open unwooded land, despite the ancient designation of "forest".<ref name=Irwell>{{Citation|url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapecharacass/charcarea8.asp|title=Settled Valleys Irwell|publisher=[Lancashire County Council](/source/Lancashire_County_Council)|access-date=26 September 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140415144416/http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/landscape/landscapecharacass/charcarea8.asp|archive-date=15 April 2014}}</ref>

== History ==
One of the earliest sites of historical interest in the valley is that of the dykes at [Broadclough](/source/Broadclough), which are associated with the [Battle of Brunanburh](/source/Battle_of_Brunanburh).

In late [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages), the valley was part of the [Royal](/source/Royal_forest) '''Forest of Rossendale'''. The original medieval meaning of 'forest' was similar to a 'preserve', for example land that is legally kept for specific purposes such as royal hunting. So 'forests' were areas large enough to support species such as wolves and deer for [game hunting](/source/Game_(hunting)) and they encompassed other habitats such as heaths, open grassland and farmland, so not necessarily extensively wooded.<ref>Woodland Trust blog/2018/03/difference-between-wood-and-forest</ref> Initial settlement would have been in "booths" or farmsteads and encroachment into the forest would have developed them into small [hamlets](/source/Hamlet_(place)).<ref name=Irwell/> Rossendale was governed by a constable nominated by principal landowners who held the position of "The Greave of The Forrest" which after 1515 became a quasi-hereditary position held by the Whitacker family at the only ancient hall in the district: Broadclough Hall.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8bJCAQAAMAAJ&q=broadclough+history&pg=PA276 | title=History of the County Palatine and the Ducht of Lancaster | last1=Baines | first1=Edward | year=1836 }}</ref>

In 1507 the land in the Forest of Rossendale was demised to [copyhold](/source/copyhold) farmers and [a new church](/source/St_Nicholas_Church%2C_Newchurch) was established on the hillside at Seatnaze around 1511, presumably considered a convenient location for the population at that time.<ref name=VCH>{{citation |editor-last1=Farrer |editor-first1=William |editor-last2=Brownbill |editor-first2=John |title=The Victoria History of the County of Lancaster Vol 6 |series=Victoria County History |publisher= – [Constable & Co](/source/Constable_%26_Robinson) |year=1911 |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp437-441 |pages=437–441|oclc=832215477}}</ref>

The earliest turnpike trust enacted by Parliament to affect Rossendale was the Rochdale to Burnley Road Act 1755<ref>[28 Geo. 2](/source/28_Geo._2). c. 53</ref>. In 1789 an act authorised the construction of new [Turnpike trust](/source/Turnpike_trust) roads through the district, connecting [Bury](/source/Bury%2C_Greater_Manchester) and [Haslingden](/source/Haslingden) with [Blackburn](/source/Blackburn) and [Whalley](/source/Whalley%2C_Lancashire), with a junction at Haslingden to [Todmorden](/source/Todmorden) via Oakenheadwood, [Newchurch](/source/Newchurch%2C_Lancashire), [Stacksteads](/source/Stacksteads) and [Bacup](/source/Bacup). In 1826, the Haslingden and Todmorden trust built another new road along the valley bottom, from Stacksteads through Thrutch, [Rawtenstall](/source/Rawtenstall) and Newhall Hey.<ref>{{citation |author=G. H. Tupling |title=The Turnpike Trusts of Lancashire |year=1952 |pages=5, 9}}</ref> By 1848, several woollen and [cotton mill](/source/cotton_mill)s had been established along the river.<ref name=OS1848>{{Cite map |publisher=[Ordnance Survey](/source/Ordnance_Survey) |title=Lancashire and Furness |series=County Series |scale=1 : 10,560 |edition=1st |year=1848}}</ref> And by the late 19th century, it was the valley bottom that had become the population centre.<ref name=VCH/>

In 1889, the short-lived Rossendale Valley Tramways Company was established to operate a route between Bacup and [Crawshawbooth](/source/Crawshawbooth) via Rawtenstall. In 1908 the route was taken over by [Rawtenstall Corporation Tramways](/source/Rawtenstall_Corporation_Tramways).<ref>{{citation |title=Rossendale Valley Tramways Co Ltd |url=http://lths.lutsociety.org.uk/library/PDF-046-1.pdf |publisher=Local Transport History Society |year=2016 |pages=3–4}}</ref>

== Geography ==
The Forest contains two [Marilyns](/source/List_of_Marilyns_in_the_British_Isles); [Hail Storm Hill](/source/Hail_Storm_Hill) and Freeholds Top, as well as the summit of [Great Hameldon](/source/Hameldon_Hill). Geographically, it is sandwiched between the [West Pennine Moors](/source/West_Pennine_Moors) to the west and the [South Pennines](/source/South_Pennines) to the east.

The [Irwell Valley](/source/Irwell_Valley) in Rossendale is characterised by the steep sided valley of the [River Irwell](/source/River_Irwell) and its tributaries which dissect the moorland of the Rossendale Hills. In the valley bottom, urban settlements grew up at river crossing points between [Rawtenstall](/source/Rawtenstall) and [Bacup](/source/Bacup) and today form a contiguous urban and industrial development. [Textile mills](/source/Textile_manufacturing) and chimneys and gritstone [terraced house](/source/terraced_house)s are the dominant buildings and roads are concentrated in the narrow valley.<ref name=Irwell/> The river has its source on Deerplay Moor in [Cliviger](/source/Cliviger) near [Burnley](/source/Burnley), heading south to Bacup, where it turns to the west past [Stacksteads](/source/Stacksteads). The valley narrows at Thrutch, and the Irwell collects [Whitewell Brook](/source/Whitewell_Brook) shortly afterwards at [Waterfoot](/source/Waterfoot%2C_Lancashire). It flows onward to [Rawtenstall](/source/Rawtenstall) where it is met by [Limy Water](/source/Limy_Water) and then turns back to the south. Collecting the [River Ogden](/source/River_Ogden) at [Irwell Vale](/source/Irwell_Vale) it continues into [Greater Manchester](/source/Greater_Manchester).<ref>{{cite map|title =Blackburn & Burnley |map =103 |year =2006 |scale =1:50,000 |series =Landranger |publisher =[Ordnance Survey](/source/Ordnance_Survey)|edition =C2 |isbn =978-0-319-22829-6}}</ref>

The geology of the area is layers of [gritstone](/source/gritstone), coal and [glacial deposits](/source/Till) of sand and gravel. These rocks were cut by fast flowing rivers, the Irwell and its tributaries, to form steep valleys with sides typically {{convert|200|m}} high and a narrow valley floor. Tree cover on the steep slopes includes remnants of ancient woodland but most areas are more recently planted.<ref name=Irwell/>

== Notable people ==
<!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦---> 
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
* [Jeff Whalley](/source/Jeff_Whalley) (1952–2018), professional [footballer](/source/Association_football) who played in the [Football League](/source/English_Football_League) as a [left winger](/source/Midfielder).<ref>{{Hugman|20841|access-date=8 March 2021}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Rossendale}}

Category:Geography of the Borough of Rossendale
Category:Mountains and hills of Lancashire
Category:Moorlands of England
Category:Valleys of Lancashire

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rossendale Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossendale_Valley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossendale_Valley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.