Darwen Town

Darwen is a town in the borough of Blackburn with Darwen, centered along the valley of the River Darwen. The town grew during the 19th century around cotton mills that still line stretches of the river, and a market and civic buildings mark the main streets. Darwen railway station provides regular services to Blackburn and Bolton, connecting the town to regional rail routes. Local clubs, community centres and small retailers occupy many former industrial sites, and events often use the market square.

To the south the urban area rises onto Darwen Moor and Beacon Hill, where an 85-foot stone tower stands; it was completed at the end of the 19th century to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and can be reached by public paths from the town. Moorland tracks and reservoirs sit within walking distance of the town edge, and the higher ground frames views back over the streets and river. The mix of former mill architecture and accessible open space defines Darwen’s town area.