Chorley

by James Pigot  (1821)

Chorley is situated near the centre of the county of Lancaster, on the great west road from London to Glasgow and Edinburgh; distant about 23 miles from Manchester and 9 from Preston. The church is an ancient building, supposed of Saxon structure; there are also other places of worship; a grammar-school, Sunday-schools, &c. The town has increased much of late years, several new streets having been recently built. The population, according to the last census, is 6.017. The cotton manufacture in its various branches, is here carried on to a considerable extent, while bleaching and printing flourish in the neighbourhood, which abounds in mines of coal, cannel and lead in beds of gravel, sand and marl and in quarries of stone, flag, slate, ashlar and mill-stone and at Anglezark, a short distance from the town, carbonate of barytes is found in great abundance. The market-days are Tuesday and Saturday. Fairs March 26, May 5 and August 20, for horned cattle and September 5, for cloth, smallwares, toys, &c.