Blackburn

IT Support Blackburn

The name of Blackburn dates from the Dark Ages, and is named after a local stream known for centuries as Blakewater. It lies on the main south-north Roman road which linked Manchester with Ribchester. The township has a very long and distinguished history. Situated as it was in a key position on this road, during Saxon and Viking times, it became an important stopover town of North East Lancashire.
During Norman times it appears in the Domesday Survey of 1086 as the Blackburn Hundred with St. Mary's Church having stood there since 596 AD. In 1926 St Mary's became Blackburn Cathedral when the Diocese of Blackburn was created. The town also has the old Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School which was founded in 1509. It's first Members of Parliament were elected when the town received its Charter of Incorporation in 1851. At this time, Blackburn had undergone extensive industrialisation, like many other Lancashire townships and was a major centre for textile manufacture.
However, the 20th century saw the textile industry in serious terminal decline and other industries like engineering and electronics have gradually replaced them.
In 1974, Local Government reorganisation brought Darwen and surrounding villages into The Borough of Blackburn and in April 1998 the new Unitary Authority of Blackburn with Darwen achieved independence from Lancashire County Council.