THE
thriving Pennine town of Littleborough,
nestling into the slope of Blackstone Edge,
has a history of both wool and cotton weaving.
The parish was made up of five townships and
the small community of Littleborough was located
within the township of Blatchinworth and Calderbrook.
It sat beside the River Roch at the point where
the early pack-horse road began its ascent over
the moors to Halifax.
Before the industrial revolution Littleborough
was nothing more than a number of small hamlets,
but the 19th century saw the development of
the modern centre at the junction of a number
of roads at Church Street. The Rochdale Canal
and the new railway formed the heart of the
town as new industry based itself around these
trade routes.
Littleborough retains its village atmosphere
and character built from the last two centuries.
The stone-built heart of the town, now a conservation
area, looks much as it did 100 years ago with
many fine buildings, including the Coach House
Heritage Centre, the old Falcon Inn and the
circular Wheatsheaf building. All serve as a
reminder today of Littleborough's importance
as a crossroads to trade, at the junction of
two ancient turnpike Pennine routes.
Source :
www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk
71 Church St, Littleborough 
