Top of the Sugar Field SD 725 229
A terrace of three cottages of which two have side loornshops lit by pairs of separated windows. Top of the Meadow Farm also appears to have had a ground floor loomshop lit by two square windows.
Scholes Fold SD 723 229
A farmhouse with a range of windows along the rear wall. Each opening is divided by a stone mullion.
Other likely sites in this area include Long Hey Lane where at least one house has an offset window.
By Mike Rothwell
New Houses, Whalley and York Terraces, Tockholes Road SD 666 246
Two short rows of cottages close to the Black Bull Inn, Blackburn. Whalley Terrace is distinguished by keystone arched doors and well cut watershot masonry. Side loomshops, lit by triple windows-can be seen in Numbers 3 and 4.
Number 4, York Terrace is a double-fronted cottage, in which the sills and lintels of an infilled triple window can be identified.
Pickup Brow, Tockholes SD 666 239
A row of three, double-fronted cottages named as Old Wife Hey on the 1848 O.S.Map.
Number 3 has the lintels and sills of infilled windows at either side of the surviving opening. In the adjoining cottage, Number 2, the three loomshop windows have been restored.
Tithe Barn Cottages SD 665 236
One of these cottages retains the sill and lintel of a blocked window. Opposite is Barker Fold, a farmhouse with irregular window spacings.
Tockholes Fold SD 664 238
A group of farm buildings on the slope below Tithe Barn. Attached to the dwelling house is a lower building with a triple light window on the rear wall.
West View Terrace SD 661228
Number 6, which has a datestone possibly indicating restoration in 1842, seems to have had a side loomshop lit by a triple window.
Worsleys SD 666 234
Although this farmhouse has been renovated in recent years, a range of square windows lighting the former loomshop, has been retained on the rear wall.
Close SD 666 232
A farmhouse situated between Tockholes Road and the western slopes of Winter Hill. A loomshop, lit by three windows, is situated between the dwelling and the barn.
Winter Hill End SD 673 234
Two watershot, stone cottages, both of which appear to have had loomshops lit by triple windows. Later alterations have disguised the original design.
Greenhill SD 665 223
A ruined farmhouse off Whinny Brow. The watershot facade retains the blocked triple window of a loomshop.
Shirley Gardens/Crook Row SD 658 229
A terrace of weavers' cottages opposite the Middle Chapel. Number 2, with two lights of its former triple window, presents the clearest physical evidence of handloom weaving. A proposed reconstruction of these houses has been put forward by J.G.Timmins in "Handloom Weavers' Cottages in Central Lancashire: Some Problems of Recognition," Post Medieval Archaeology Vol 13,1979.
To the west of Crook Row are Ivy Cottages, formerly Well Head which display the vernacular qualities associated with handloom weaving.
Moorgate, Engine Brow SD 656 230
An extremely interesting group of handloom weavers' cottages, built with watershot coursing throughout.
The original internal layout of the dwellings was complicated; the two outer cottages had through lit loomshops at each gable end, while the inner dwellings were provided with a long narrow weaving shop at the rear, lit by six windows. Part of this loomshop was placed at the rear of the living rooms of the outer cottages forming an interlocking "L" shaped arrangement. The rear wall of the row was thus equipped with some eighteen windows, most of which survive. The gable end of the house now numbered 5 also has two square windows at ground floor level.
by Mike Rothwell
Queen's Square SD 716 223
The end house of this row has a triple cellar window and two separated openings in the gable end. It seems likely that there were other cellar loomshops in this group.
Nearby is Harwoods Farm which could have had a loomshop between the dwelling and shippon. The rear wall appears to have the remains of infilled windows.
By Mike Rothwell
Two moorland villages which had a high percentage of handloom weavers in 1851. There were important settlements of cottages at Copster and Great Low (Haslingden Road), Little Low (School Lane) and at Guide crossroads. Similarly Belthorn had a large number of weavers' houses, particularly along the main road and at Daisy Green. At least three types of cottage can be observed in the district, a side loomshop lit by two square windows, rear rooms with triple or separated openings and a smaller through lit weaving shop lit by single windows at front and back.
Fancy Row 201-217 Haslingden Road SD 699 265
A group of cottages partially rebuilt in 1899. Census evidence of handloom weaving. The name may also be a pointer to the original function. To the west (151-53) is a pair of cottages in which the smaller has an offset window.
Sudell Nook on the opposite side of the road, large cottages which possibly had rear loomshops. One of these dwellings was formerly a beerhouse. On the south of 330 Haslingden Road the front wall of a terrace of weavers' cottages has been retained as the boundary of the reservoir. Sills, lintels and infilled openings can be seen.
203-201 School Lane SD 713 261
Number 203 has an offset window and may have formed the loomshop of the adjoining house. Further to the west is Little Low. 155 had an offset window prior to modernization. 105-103 and 70 were probably also weavers' cottages.
42-32 School Lane SD 707 259
A watershot terrace with different phases of building shown by straight line joints in the masonry. Number 42 has an offset window and appears to be a conversion of the loomshop of 40. This cottage is not as deep as its neighbour and has been enlarged at the rear.
10-6 School Lane SD 706 258
Two cottages survive largely unaltered and have ground floor loomshops lit by pairs of separated windows. 10 and 8 seem to be a conversion to two dwellings from a weaver's cottage of the same design. Notice the additions at the rear, probably built when alteration occurred. Beyond the King Edward, Haslingden Road, is a terrace of late Victorian houses built on the site of earlier weavers' dwellings. At least two original cottages survive in the row.
Copster, Haslingden Road SD 708 255
A farmhouse and agricultural buildings with two windows in the south gable.
419-425 Haslingden Road SD 708 256
425 and 423 Haslingden Road are double fronted and possibly had small loomshops lit by a single square window.
401-417 Haslingden Road SD 708 256
An altered terrace with features similar to above. The uneven arrangement of the rear windows is revealing.
484-478 Haslingden Road SD 708 256
A row of four cottages, 478 has a triple window to the rear two storey projection. The central window has been made into a door.
Louis William Street SD 709 256
Formerly Great Low. Modernized but retaining vernacular features. The square windows at the rear of 8 suggest rear loomshops.
Guide
Other sites of cottages which may have been used for handloom weaving include 238-220 Blackamoor Road (some are Victorian rebuilds), and 147-153 Blackamoor Road. The datestone refers to a former Sunday School. Number 200 Blackamoor Road is an impressive house with triple lights to all rooms and a keystone arched door. Was the room on the east a loomshop? 198 is a similar style although the masonry suggests a later date. There is Census evidence of handloom weaving at the majority of the farmhouses in this district including Higher House, off Blackamoor Road.
Belthorn
Most of this village is actually situated in Hyndburn and is covered by the Oswaldtwistle volume of this series. The following cottages are on the Blackburn side of Belthorn.
West View, off Belthorn Road SD 717 247
A group of three cottages two of which retain side loomshops lit by pairs of unaltered windows. These are the best preserved weavers' cottages in the village.
West Street, Belthorn Road
Three cottages dated 1817. One has a keystone arched door. There is an offset window on the facade.
Top and Lower Folds, Belthorn Road SD 715 248
Number 29 has infilled windows in the gable end, while 33, with the offset window seems to be a conversion of a loomshop attached to one of the adjoining houses. 15, which is double fronted, has an offset window, and Number 17 retains a weaving shop lit by two separated windows. It is possible that the other cottages at this site had small rear loomshops. On the opposite side of the road (116-112) is Rann Farmhouse. At least one dwelling has a well-lit cellar.
By Mike Rothwell
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