Historic Blackburn
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Blackburn from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover Blackburn's listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Blackburn's most significant historic sites, curated from the National Heritage List for England.
Corporation Park
Blackburn
A public park laid out by William Henderson and opened in 1857. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Former Blackburn Fire Station including the drill yard wall
Blackburn
Former fire station, 1915-1921, by Walter Stirrup of Blackburn and Manchester. Greek Revival style with Beaux Arts and Baroque influences. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Church of St Silas
Blackburn
Parish church of 1894-1900 by Paley & Austin, with tower added in 1913-14. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Church of St Alban
Blackburn
Roman Catholic Church, 1898-1901 by Edward Goldie of London. Free Decorated Gothic Revival style. The attached presbytery is not included in the listing.
Daisyfield Signal Box
Blackburn
Saxby and Farmer Type 6 signal box built 1873 for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Blackburn Drill Hall
Blackburn
A drill hall for the Rifle Volunteer Corps, opened in 1870 and designed by Stevens and Robinson of Derby, and with later alterations, comprising an armoury block, domestic accommodation and...
Historic Blackburn through time
The National Heritage List for England contains hundreds of details about buildings and places, including the periods in which they were built and the uses they've had over the years. Explore how your local area has changed through time.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Blackburn
Historic aerial photography shows the growth and changes in England's urban and rural landscapes, revealing secrets that are impossible to see from the ground.
Blackburn
Blackburn Railway Station and town centre, Blackburn, 1920
Blackburn
John Greenwood and Sons Flour Mill and the town centre, Blackburn, 1952
Lower Darwen
Lower Darwen Mill, Lower Darwen, 1950
Lower Darwen
Lower Darwen Mill, Lower Darwen, 1950
Ewood
Ewood Mill, Ewood, 1950
Ewood
Ewood Mill, Ewood, 1950
Ewood
The Albion Mill, Ewood, 1950
Ewood
The Albion Mill, Ewood, 1950
Blackburn
The Cherry Tree Machine Works and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Blackburn, 1938
Blackburn
The Cherry Tree Machine Works, Blackburn, 1938
Historic England Archive images of Blackburn
The Historic England Archive holds and cares for over 15 million images, from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Blackburn's past.
John Laing Collection
Shadsworth, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 16 Oct 1968
A view across a field of cows towards blocks of flats on a housing development in Blackburn, built using the 12M Jespersen system
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 1925 - 1939
The Garden of Remembrance in Corporation Park
John Laing Collection
Shadsworth, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 16 Oct 1968
A view from a block of flats on a housing development in Blackburn, looking across a landscaped area to other blocks all built using the 12M Jespersen...
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Revidge, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 1900 - 1906
COLOUR TINTED VIEW SHOWING GENERAL VIEW
John Laing Collection
Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 03 Jul 1969
View of the new Blackburn Town Hall tower block taken from the ground and looking up through some staircase railings
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Revidge, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 1900 - 1930
GENERAL VIEW OF FLOWER BEDS
John Laing Collection
Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 03 Jul 1969
View of a home interiors shop, part of the new Blackburn Town Hall development
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Revidge, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 1903 - 1908
GENERAL VIEW BESIDE STREAM
John Laing Collection
Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 03 Jul 1969
View taken through an archway looking up at the new Blackburn Town Hall tower block
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Revidge, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 1900 - 1901
COLOUR TINTED VIEW SHOWING THE OLD STONE STEPS
John Laing Collection
Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 03 Jul 1969
View of shops and clock tower as part of the new Blackburn Town Hall development
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Revidge, Blackburn, Blackburn With Darwen
Date created: 1900 - 1920
GENERAL VIEW WITH FOUNTAIN IN THE FOREGROUND
Stories about heritage in Blackburn
Historic England publishes news, blogs, videos and podcasts celebrating England's heritage. Discover the stories we have about Blackburn.
Football, Beerhouses and Books: How Victorian Mill Workers Entertained Themselves
Mentions Corporation Park
The lives of Victorian mill workers were far from easy. So what did they do with their spare time?
Mentions Blackburn
Ever wondered who’s behind the intricate terracotta accents on so many historic buildings? Meet the Darwen Terracotta team.
Restoring Historic Terracotta Designs by Hand
Ever wondered who’s behind the intricate terracotta accents on so many historic buildings? Meet the Darwen Terracotta team.
Mentions Blackburn
Textile mills once defined the North of England’s landscape. They were the world's workshop from Bolton to Blackburn, Bradford to Leeds.
Mills of the North
Textile mills once defined the North of England’s landscape. They were the world's workshop from Bolton to Blackburn, Bradford to Leeds. Sadly, the North’s historic mills are rapidly being lost.
11 Remarkable Historic Pubs Given Protection
Mentions Blackburn
A project to save rare historic pub interiors sees 11 remarkable pubs being newly listed, having their listing upgraded or list entry updated.
£15.5 Million Christmas Boost for 140 Heritage Organisations
Mentions Blackburn
The Culture Recovery Fund: Round Three will support organisations as they make plans for financial sustainability in 2022
Explore your social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about heritage in their local area.
Odeon Cinema, Blackburn, Lancashire
Period: 1930s (1930 - 1938)
The Theatre Royal, opened in 1818 was rebuilt several times, becoming the Theatre Royal Super Cinema in 1931.
Odeon Cinema, Blackburn, Lancashire
Imperial Mill, Wallace Street, Blackburn, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This textile mill was built in 1901.
Imperial Mill, Wallace Street, Blackburn, Lancashire
College of Technology and Design, Blakey Moor, Blackburn, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This building was originally a Technical College. It was begun 1888 and opened in 1889. It was designed by Smith, Woodhouse and Willoughby.
College of Technology and Design, Blakey Moor, Blackburn, Lancashire
Blackburn Museum, Museum Street, Blackburn, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This building was built as a library, museum and art gallery. It was built in 1872-4, by Thomas Edward Collcutt of Woodzell & Collcutt.
Blackburn Museum, Museum Street, Blackburn, Lancashire
1-12 Mile End Row, Blackburn, Lancashire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
This terrace of houses is typical of many 19th century workers houses. These were not paid for by a factory owner, but by the workers themselves.
1-12 Mile End Row, Blackburn, Lancashire
Discover more Heritage nearby
Have you got another local place, or somewhere you're planning to visit? Take a look at these other places nearby
Blackburn with Darwen
Local Authority District
Hyndburn
Local Authority District
Chorley
Local Authority District