Chatburn, ENG - Postcode - BB7 4AX

Description of Chatburn

In the Ribble Valley in East Lancashire, England, sits the village, civil parish, and electoral ward of Chatburn. At the time of the most recent census in 2011, the civil parish was home to 1,102 people. Located in a dip between two ridges to the north-east of Clitheroe, close to the A59 road and not far from Pendle Hill to the south-east of the town. The westernmost quarry, called Lanehead, can be found where Chatburn Old Road finally ends. At 240 metres above sea level, Ribble Lane descends to the River Ribble, which is located north of the village. The highest point on Downham Road is 150 metres higher.

Parochial Grindleton is adjacent to Parochial Sawley, Parochial Rimington, Parochial Downham, Parochial Worston, Parochial Clitheroe, and Parochial West Bradford in the Ribble Valley.

History of Chatburn

The village, as well as the street immediately below it (known as St. Chad's Avenue), takes its name from one of the most prominent figures in Anglo-Saxon history: St. Chad. The village is situated on a brook (or burn), hence the name. This village has never been a part of the ancient Lordship of Bowland because it is located beyond the Bowland Forest.

The spire of the parish church, which was built in the early 1800s, stands out in the rural area. Lightning destroyed the steeple in 1854, but it was rebuilt the following year. Several mills operated in Chatburn over the years, and the site where one with a massive brick chimney once stood is now occupied by homes on either side of Ribble Lane. There was a watermill there in the early 15th century.

Even before Dr. Beeching's report came out, in 1962, the Chatburn train station had already been shut down.

Located across the railroad from the Pendle trading estate, the former Pendle Hotel, and the other side of the road from the old telephone exchange building, the Bold Venture lime works, gas works, and quarry employed a large number of locals for many years. From 1837 on, it was owned by Dixon Robinson, who also established the nearby Pendle Hotel and Black Bull. Dixon owned a significant amount of land and constructed roughly 20 homes in the community. There were three limekilns—big, small, and farm—at Quarry Farm, to the left of Ribble Lane. The three can be found on Yates' map from 1786. One could be found at the extreme easternmost point of Park Avenue.

The Chatburn Post Office, located in the centre of the village, was severely damaged when bombs fell on the building during World War II.

Before the existing Chatburn to Clitheroe road was cut in 1826/7, Chatburn Old road was the primary route from Liverpool to Skipton. After the opening of the Clitheroe bypass and Downham road cutting around 1971, this section of road served as the primary A59 route.

The village and surrounding area appeared in the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind, starring Hayley Mills, Alan Barnes, Diane Holgate, and children from Chatburn Primary School.

Historically, the township of Chatburn was part of the parish of Whalley. In 1866, it was officially recognised as a civil parish, and from 1894 to 1974, it was included in the Clitheroe Rural District.

Also named after Chatburn is a section of Ribble Valley Borough Council that encompasses the neighbouring communities of Downham and Twiston. In 2001, 1,324 people called this ward home, but by 2011, that number had dropped to 1,316. There is only one council member for the ward, and the current one is Conservative Party member Gary Scott.