Burnley

Town in Lancashire, northwest England, on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, at the confluence of the Calder and Brun rivers, 19 km/12 mi northeast of Blackburn; population (2001) 89,500. The town is situated in the Calder valley while its suburbs lie on the northern side of the Rossendale upland. Formerly a cotton-manufacturing town, its industries include aerospace and light engineering, the manufacture of textiles, plastics, vehicle components, and footwear. In June 2001, the town was the site of race riots between Asian and white communities.

Burnley prospered during the Industrial Revolution with the growth of cotton-weaving. Numerous mills were established beside the Calder and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and by the end of the 19th century the town was the centre of Lancashire's cotton-textiles industry. Since the decline of coalmining and cotton manufacture, Burnley's industries have diversified, and redevelopment of the town centre and areas of poor industrial housing have modernized the town's landscape.

The Weavers' Triangle is an example of a Victorian townscape and contains weaving sheds, weavers' cottages, foundries, and mills. The Queen Street Mill Museum displays the local tradition of steam-powered weaving. Burnley's industrial history is illustrated at the Canal Toll House Heritage Centre. The town is also home to Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum which are located in a 14th-century domestic building.