Oswaldtwistle

Oswaldtwistle
Ossy
Oswaldtwistle  Oswaldtwistle shown within Lancashire
Area	0.830119 sq mi (2.15000 km2)
Population	12,532
– density	15,096/sq mi (5,829/km2)
OS grid reference	SD740275
District	Hyndburn
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ACCRINGTON
Postcode district	BB5
Dialling code	01254
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Hyndburn
List of places UK England Lancashire

Oswaldtwistle (/ˈɒzəl.twɪzəl/ "ozzel-twizzel") is a large village within the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England.

It lies on the course of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, 3 miles (5 km) east-southeast of Blackburn and is contiguous with Accrington and Church.

History

Oswaldtwistle Library (2000)

White Ash Field (1988)

The name is derived from "Oswald" and "Twistle". The word "twistle" is an old English word meaning "brooks meet". Legend has it that St.Oswald, King of Northumbria 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 the Anglo-Saxon who farmed the land.

The Peel family

Robert Peel was born at Peelfold (within the township) in 1723, and laid the family fortunes by innovations in calico printing. A particularly successful pattern featured a sprig of parsley and Robert became known as "Parsley Peel". The soubriquet helps distinguish him from his son also Robert Peel, who was born at Peelfold in 1750 and went on to became a successful cotton mill owner (with large works at Bury and Burton on Trent), a very rich man, an MP and a Baronet. Sir Robert's son (Parsley Peel's grandson), born at Bury was yet another Robert Peel and in due course Sir Robert Peel; he was a full-time politician and rose to be Prime Minister. Another historical figure associated with the textile industry was James Hargreaves, inventor of the Spinning Jenny.

Power-loom riots

Main article: Power-loom riots

The people of Oswaldtwistle were involved in the power-loom riots of 1826. The mechanisation of the textile industry (with the introduction of looms powered by steam engines from the 1820s onwards) resulted in redundancies, low wages, and starvation. On 26 April a large number of cotton workers attacked the White Ash factory (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.

Economy

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 who manufactured the shopfittings. 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. The town centre is home to a number of high street multiples, including: Lloyds TSB, Bargain Booze, Coral, Betfred, Cohens Chemist, Oswaldtwistle Clinic, Travis Perkins, as well as an Co–Op (previously Gateway), which opened in 1980. There is also a Tesco Express, which opened in 2009, built on the site of the former retained fire station, which closed in 2003 and a Spar, which opened in 1991. Other stores include an appliance repairs/sales, numerous takeaways, numerous barbers (M & F), estate agents, off licences, bakers, butchers, funeral directors and many more shops.

There are also Boy's Brigade/Girl's Brigade group in the town, along with Scout, Beavers and Cubs groups. Additionally, a Majorettes group exists in the town.

Governance

Oswaldtwistle was once a township 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 villages of Belthorn, Yate and Pickup Bank. This became a civil parish in 1866. Between 1894 and 1974 the area was administered by an urban district. It has since become an unparished part of the borough of Hyndburn.

Education

Oswaldtwistle is home to Rhyddings Business and Enterprise 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 (a pru), Broadfield Specialist School & White Ash Specialist School.

Landmarks

Oswaldtwistle Moor

Oswaldtwistle Moor (2011)

Oswaldtwistle Moor (adjacent to Haslingden Moor) is an extensive area of moorland to the south of Oswaldtwistle, with Haslingden Grane bordering the moor's southern edges, Belthorn to the west and Haslingden to the east. The area forms part of the West Pennine Moors. Plans were made in 2007 to build a wind farm consisting of twelve wind turbines on the moors. This attracted both support and opposition, but the plan was approved by councillors in 2010. The project was completed in October 2012, and was called the Hyndburn Wind Farm.

Oswaldtwistle Mills

Oswaldtwistle Mills is a notable attraction; a textile 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 largest pear drop, made by Stockley's Sweets.

Civic Theatre

Rhyddings Park (2005)

Also of note is the 474 capacity, recently refurbished, Civic Theatre, known as the "Friendly Theatre" and the brand new Civic Arts Centre. Past performers at the Civic Theatre include: Ken Dodd, Rick Wakeman, Steve Harley, the Houghton Weavers, Marty Wilde & Derek Acorah. The ground floor was refurbished, and in August 2010, it opened as the Civic Arts Centre.

The first production performed at the Arts Centre was Romeo and Juliet, directed by young producer, Joanne Haworth. Since then, there have been many productions, including Roald Dahl Witches, directed by Sophie Fitzpatrick, a local director. 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.

The Civic Arts Centre is involved in local heritage projects, and organises outdoor festivals. Civic Arts Centre From 1 April 2015, the Arts Centre & Theatre merged, and the building is now known as the Civic Arts Centre. It is home to Manford's Comedy Clubs and chosen, above all their other clubs, to host their first birthday party.

Rhyddings Park

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, Map location of Rhyddings Park

Notable people

Oswaldtwistle Fire Station being demolished (2008)

• Mick Duxbury, Ex England international footballer
• Jackie Bray, England international footballer, born in Oswaldtwistle
• Raymond "Ossie" Clark, fashion designer, nicknamed "Ossie" after the town
• Nicholas Freeston (1907-1978), Lancashire poet worked at a cotton mill in Oswaldtwistle
• James Hargreaves, creator of the spinning jenny
• Gordon Birtwistle, Liberal Democrats MP for Burnley from 2010–2015
• Eddie Paynter, England international test cricketer, born in Oswaldtwistle
• Sir John Tomlinson, Opera singer

Twinned town

• Falkenberg, Sweden

See also

• Listed buildings in Oswaldtwistle
• Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• The Friends of Rhyddings Park