D  a  r  w  e  n    T  o  w  e  r

     Photo Submitted by, and Copyright of :- Richard Cutts of Bolton.

Between Blackburn and Bolton you will find the old cotton town of Darwen, and above it on the moor keeping a vigil over the surrounding area is Darwen Tower.
This area first came to prominence when it was the scene of a legal dispute over whether local people were allowed to cross the moorland. The Landowner the Reverend William Duckworth, who incidentally lived at the other end of the country at Orchardleigh in Somerset, decided that anyone using the moor was trespassing, and some local men were subsequently taken to court. Common sense ruled however and the Reverend Duckworth lost his case.

Queen's Jubilee
The outcome of the court case coincided with the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, and a tower was suggested as a means of celebrating both events.
A competition was set up for the design with a David Ellioson providing the winning entry, and so on Jubilee day itself in June 1897 work commenced on the tower.
A little over a year later Darwen Tower - sometimes known as Victoria Tower - was finished, it consisting of an octagonal stone tower on an arched base, the total height being 86 foot. As the tower stands at over 1200 feet above sea level, a fine view is ensured after you have climbed the stone steps and iron stairwell inside.


Double Standards
The total cost of the project was £770 and how much of this came from the landowner who started the legal case is not known, however it seems he was happy to have his name on the tower`s inscription, even though he was unhappy at having the thought of people walking on his land to view it!

Repair
In 1972 the tower was re-opened after a refurbishment which included the fitting of a new dome, the original being blown off in a gale in 1947.
Shortly after the re-opening, the tower very nearly suffered the fate of London Bridge and the Queen Mary liner, when an offer was received from America for the purchase of the tower.
Like in the earlier court case, common sense ruled once again, and the offer was thankfully declined.

     Photo Submitted by, and Copyright of :- Richard Cutts of Bolton.

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