Almost 300 towns in the North of England formed the heartland of the Industrial District. In each part of the cotton district, around the principal towns such as Manchester, Liverpool, Oldham, Preston, Blackburn, Bolton, Stockport and Ashton, were grouped a large number of towns of varying sizes, many of which made a considerable contribution to the North West cotton industry. A quick reading of Worrall's Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' Directory will reveal the huge number of towns and villages with a cotton mill or weaving shed, or some other connection with the industry.

The articles attached below cover some of the many towns that produced cotton or supported cotton production in nearby towns. TAMESIDE: Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley, Mottram and Stalybridge; OLDHAM: Chadderton, Crompton, Failsworth, Lees, Royton, Saddleworth and Shaw; ROCHDALE: Heywood, Middleton, Littleborough and Milnrow; BURY: Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Prestwich, Tottington and Whitefield; ROSSENDALE VALLEY: Bacup, Haslingden, Rawtenstall, Whitworth and Helmshore; BLACKBURN: Darwen and Accrington; BURNLEY: Nelson, Padiham and Colne; PRESTON: Clitheroe, Longridge, Chorley; WIGAN: Round and about Wigan.

For further information, consult Worrall's "Cotton Spinners and Manufacturers Directory", or John Mortimer's excellent survey of the Cotton District: "Industrial Lancashire: Some Manufacturing Towns and Their Surroundings," amongst many other titles available complete on Spinning the Web.


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