Bacup

Bacup

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.704
longitude= -2.199
official_name= Bacup
population = 12,763 (2001 Census)
shire_district= Rossendale
region= North West England
shire_county = Lancashire
constituency_westminster= Rossendale and Darwen
post_town= BACUP
postcode_district=OL13
postcode_area=OL
dial_code= 01706
os_grid_reference= SD868231
static_

static_image_caption=Yorkshire Street, Bacup
london_distance=

Bacup is a town within the Rossendale borough of Lancashire, England. It is located between Burnley, Todmorden, Rochdale and Rawtenstall, near the border with West Yorkshire. According to the 2001 census, Bacup had a population of 12,763.

Having previously been a mill town of the Industrial Revolution, Bacup was once described by English Heritage as the best preserved cotton mill town in England. [ rossendale.gov.uk - Rossendale Tourist Board 2007 ]

History

Early history

Bacup is mentioned in a charter by Robert de Lacey in 1200 where a small village named "Fulebachope" is described. The Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names translates this as "muddy valley by a ridge", which remains a recognisably accurate description. It makes it one of the oldest settlements in the Rossendale Valley. Another, oft quoted (although grossly unreliable) explanation for the name is that farmers from the nearby Deerplay Farm would order the deer 'backup' the hill from Bacup (which is, however, pronounced 'bay-cup'). Deerplay is now the name of a pub, and the source of the River Irwell.

Bacup was a small settlement throughout the Middle Ages and only began to grow during the Industrial Revolution when, along with the rest of the East Lancashire area, it grew in size as the textile industry developed rapidly and many cotton mills and associated houses were built in the area.

Recent history

Bacup began to decline during the 20th century as an industrial settlement, a process not helped by the closure of its rail link. The population of Bacup declined from 22,000 in the 1911 census to 15,000 in the 1971 census. [ Census of England & Wales 1911. Return for Bacup CP 22,318; 1971 return for Bacup MB 15,115 ] There are on-going attempts to halt the decline with substantial government/EU inspired investment and development schemes.

Governance

Bacup was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1882.

In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Bacup became part of the Rossendale Borough along with Rawtenstall, Haslingden, Whitworth and Waterfoot.

Geography

In terms of altitude, Bacup is the highest town in east Lancashire (835'/250m above sea level).Fact|date=October 2008

Description

Bacup is home to the convert|17|ft|abbr=on long Elgin Street which held the record for 'shortest street in the world' until November 2006, when it was surpassed by Ebenezer Place, Wick, Caithness, Scotland. [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Street measures up to new record | work = | publisher = BBC News | date = 1 November 2006 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6101968.stm | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-08-09]

The Bacup Natural History Society was formed in 1878. The work of the society is carried out by a group of volunteers who have a base in the Bacup Natural History Museum which contains an idiosyncratic collection. Open only on Easter Saturday and Thursday evenings from 7.30pm.

Britannia Coco-Nut Dancers

Bacup is home to one of the few remaining English folk dance troupes who wear blackened faces - the Britannia Coco-Nut Dancers, or 'Nutters'. They are also the only genuinely old traditional team in existence, 'the most astounding dance occasion in the entire Custom Calendar'. [National Trust Guide to Traditional Customs of Britain pp.45; Brian Shuel; Webb & Bower 1985; ISBN 0-86350-051-X] Their origin is uncertain, although Moorish, pagan, medieval, mining and Cornish roots - often in combination - have been suggested. Their dancing is very distinctive and colourful, and the key date in the calendar is Easter Saturday, when they process around Bacup, starting at the Travellers Rest pub, and accompanied by the Stacksteads Silver Band. Their two dances are the "Garland Dance" and the "Nut Dance". The 'nuts' are wooden discs, which are worn on the dancers' hands, knees and belts and are struck in time to the music. [Once a Year, Some Traditional British Customs pp. 40-41; Homer Sykes; Gordon Fraser, London 1977; ISBN 0 900406 68 2]

Notable people

The professional English footballer, Marc Pugh was born in Bacup and he is currently playing for Shrewsbury Town in the English Football League 2. The internationally renowned fashion designer Betty Jackson was also born in Bacup, as was opera singer Sean Ruane.

Literary critic and writer Terry Eagleton.

In 2007, the murder of Bacup resident Sophie Lancaster attracted media attention to the town.

Cultural references

Bacup has been used as a filming location for the 1980s BBC TV police drama "Juliet Bravo", "Hetty Wainthropp Investigates", parts of "The League of Gentlemen" and much of the film "Girls' Night". Elements of the BBC TV drama "Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit" were also filmed on location in Bacup.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.bacuptimes.co.uk Bacup Times history website]
* [http://www.bacupbanter.co.uk Bacup Banter]
* [http://www.rossendaleonline.co.uk Rossendale Online]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Bacup — (spr. bäcköp), Stadt (municipal borough) in Lancashire (England), 10 km südlich von Burnley, am Irwell, inmitten der als Rossendale Forest bekannten Heidehügel, mit Baumwollindustrie, Eisengießereien, Steinbrüchen, Steinkohlengruben,… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Bacup — (spr. bäcköpp), Stadt in der engl. Grafsch. Lancashire, (1901) 22.505 E.; Kohlengruben …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Bacup — Recorded as Bacop, Bacup, and the apparently late southern spellings of Bakeup and Bateup, this is an English surname. It is locational from the small town of Bacup, north of Manchester, in Lancashire. This place, which has been the subject of… …   Surnames reference

  • Bacup — Original name in latin Bacup Name in other language State code GB Continent/City Europe/London longitude 53.70336 latitude 2.2007 altitude 257 Population 13047 Date 2010 05 24 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Bacup Cricket Club — Bacup Cricket Club, based at Lanehead in Bacup, Lancashire, are a cricket club in the Lancashire League.The club started in 1892 when the Lancashire League was formed. Their professional for the 2006 season was Chris Cairns. Their captain for the …   Wikipedia

  • Bacup railway station — served the town of Bacup in Rossendale, Lancashire, England, from 1852 until closure in 1966.References*Lost Railways of Lancashire by Gordon Suggitt (ISBN 1 85306 801 2) …   Wikipedia

  • Bacup Shoe Company — The Bacup Shoe Company is a footwear company based in the village of Stacksteads, near Bacup, Lancashire, England. The Bacup Shoe Co. was founded and incorporated in 1928 by Ernst Goodwin [ [http://www.natureform.co.uk/index.php?xmain=static… …   Wikipedia

  • Bacup Borough F.C. — Football club infobox clubname = Bacup Borough fullname = Bacup Borough Football Club nickname = The Borough founded = 1875 (as Bacup) ground = The Brian Boys West View Stadium, Bacup capacity = 3,000 chairman = Kenneth Peters manager = Brent… …   Wikipedia

  • Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School — Infobox UK school name = Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School size = 200px latitude = 53.6934 longitude = 2.2482 dms = motto = Fide et Labore motto pl = established = 1913 approx = closed = c approx = type = foundation grammar religion =… …   Wikipedia

  • Bacup Britannia Coconut Dancers —    The Coconut Dancers (or Nutters) parade the Lancashire mill town of Bacup, every *Easter Saturday, performing their dances to the sound of the local silver band. There are eight male dancers, plus a whipper in who helps to control the traffic …   A Dictionary of English folklore

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”