HASLINGDEN, a market-town and chapelry in that
part of the parish of WHALLEY which is in the lower division
of the hundred of BLACKBURN, county palatine of
LANCASTER, 40 miles (S.E.) from Lancaster, 17 (N.) from
Manchester, and 203 (N.N.W.) from London, containing
6595 inhabitants. This place, which is situated in
the midst of a mountainous district on the border of
the Forest of Rossendale, probably took its name from
the abundance of hazel trees which formerly grew in
its vicinity. The town originally stood on the declivity
of a hill, but the modern buildings have been erected at
its base; and many old houses of mean appearance have
been replaced by new and substantial edifices, which
contribute much to the uniformity of the whole. The
improvements which have taken place since the beginning
of the present century have been greatly facilitated
by the abundant supply of stone for building at-.
forded by the neighbouring mountains of granite, and
the slate and flags furnished by the quarries of Hutchbank
and others. Coal is plentifully produced from
mines in the neighbourhood. The woollen manufacture
formerly constituted almost the sole occupation of the
Inhabitants, and it is still carried on to some extent 5
but the cotton trade has in a great degree superseded
it, and the numerous mills on the banks of the Swinnel
are principally in the occupation of the manufacturers
of cotton goods. The market day has been changed
from Wednesday to Saturday, to prevent its interfering
with the market of Blackburn 3 and fairs are held,
-February 2nd, on Easter Tuesday, May 8th, July 4th,
and October 3d; the Easter fair is for the sale of horses,
and the others chiefly for cattle. An act of parliament
was passed in the 34th of George III., for making a
navigable canal from Bury, by Haslingden, to Church
Town, to join the Bury, Bolton, and Manchester canal
6n the south, and the Leeds and Liverpool canal on
the north, but the projected undertaking has not been
executed. Here are a public news-room and two subscription
libraries. Races were formerly held on Lound-
Hey, near the town, but the ground has .been recently
enclosed for cultivation. The living is, a perpetual curacy,
with that of Goodshaw, in the archdeaconry and
diocese of Chester, endowed with £600 private benefaction,
£400 royal bounty, and £ 1600 parliamentary grant,
and in the patronage of the Vicar of Whalley. The church,
dedicated to St. James, and standing on an eminence at
the north end of the town, is a substantial edifice, rebuilt
of stone .about fifty years ago, except the tower, which belonged
to the preceding church, erected in the reign of
Henry VIII.: it has lately received an addition of five
hundred and eighteen sittings, of which four hundred
and sixty-two are free, the Incorporated Society for the
enlargement of churches and chapels having granted
-£450 towards defraying the expense. There are places
of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyan Methodists,,
Sandemanians, and Swedenborgians. A free
grammar school was founded in 1749, for the education
of ten poor boys, and subsequently endowed with pro-
perty,producing about £18 per annum.