About Todmorden in West Yorkshire
Todmorden is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, on the border with Lancashire, and at the confluence of the River Irwell and the River Roch. Todmorden is 10 miles (16 km) east of Burnley, 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Halifax and 28 miles (45 km) west of Leeds. The town had a population of 15,351 at the 2011 Census.
Todmorden first appears in history in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the name of "Totmardene". It was then a small agricultural settlement in the wapentake of Staincliffe, in the large ancient parish of Halifax. In 1157, a chapel was built in Todmorden for the convenience of the people who lived in the scattered hamlets and farms in the area. This chapel was consecrated by Walter de Gray, Archbishop of York.
The first recorded use of the name "Todmorden" is in a charter granted by King Henry III to his son, Edmund, in 1226. In this charter, Edmund gives his brother-in-law, William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, permission to build a castle at Todmorden. William de Ferrers built a motte-and-bailey castle on Castle Hill, overlooking the town.
The castle was destroyed by Parliamentarian troops during the English Civil War in 1643. The site of the castle is now a public park.
Todmorden became an important market town in the 18th century. The market was held in the Market Place, which is still the main town square. The Shambles, a covered market hall built in 1744, stands on the north side of the Market Place. The Shambles was used as a livestock market until 1887 when it was converted into a fruit and vegetable market. The market hall was demolished in 1966 but the stone façade was retained and incorporated into a new building which now houses shops and offices.
The Industrial Revolution brought great changes to Todmorden. The construction of the Rochdale Canal and the Manchester and Leeds Railway in the early 19th century made Todmorden an important link in the transport network between Manchester and Leeds. The canal and railway brought new industries to Todmorden, such as textile mills and engineering works. The population of Todmorden grew rapidly, from 1,812 in 1801 to 11,877 in 1851.
The 20th century saw further changes in Todmorden. The railway line was closed in 1966 and the canal was filled in during the 1970s. The textile mills closed down one by one until there were none left operating in Todmorden by the end of the 20th century. However, new industries have moved into Todmorden and there are now many small businesses operating in the town.
Todmorden is twinned with two towns: Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray in France and Schongau in Germany.
