Clitheroe

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A base for the Bowland loops

Clitheroe’s compact centre makes it an ideal launchpad for the series of circular walks that stitch through the Forest of Bowland. After a brief train ride into town, cyclists can hop onto the Ribble Valley Railway trail, then branch onto quiet laneways that thread past ancient dry stone walls and peat‑blanketed fells. The trick is to time the return via the old railway sidings at Chatburn, where a small café serves locally‑sourced scones—perfect fuel before the final ascent to Ingleborough. Staying the night in a family‑run B&B rather than a chain hotel gives you a chance to hear stories of the historic lead‑mining families that once serviced the same routes.

Beyond the market: weekly food swaps

Every second Thursday, the town’s market square transforms into a cooperative food‑swap, where growers from the Ribble Valley bring surplus heirloom carrots, artisan cheese and small‑batch cider. It’s a low‑key alternative to the more tourist‑focused stalls, offering a glimpse of the region’s seasonal rhythms. Visitors who bring a jar of homemade jam or a loaf of sourdough can trade for a tin of locally smoked ham, creating a small network of exchange that reflects the area’s long‑standing communal ethos. The swaps are informal, but arriving early ensures you can chat with the producers and perhaps secure a recipe for the famous Lancashire hotpot.

Rail nostalgia on the Ribble Valley line

The heritage railway that runs from Clitheroe to Hellifield is more than a nostalgic ride; it offers a practical link to the Yorkshire Dales without the traffic of the motorways. Booking a seat on the vintage steam service allows you to linger over the countryside’s changing palette—wet heather in spring, golden hayfields in late summer. The train’s timetable aligns with the market day, so you can disembark, explore the historic high street, then re‑board for a sunset return. Remember to check the seasonal timetable, as winter services are reduced but still provide a cosy, wood‑smoked carriage experience.

Governance and representation

[edit] Mayor James Thomson (from Clitheroe Castle Museum) The town elected two members to the Unreformed House of Commons. The Great Reform Act reduced this to one. The parliamentary borough was abolished under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and remained a municipal borough, based at Clitheroe Town Hall, until the Local Government Act 1972 came into force in 1974, when it became a successor parish within the Ribble Valley district. Since 1991, the town of Clitheroe has elected at least 8 out of the 10 Liberal Democrat borough councillors on Ribble Valley Borough Council, while Clitheroe Town Council has been Liberal Democrat-controlled for that period too. Likewise, since 1993, the town has elected a Liberal Democrat County Councillor to Lancashire County Council. Clitheroe was one of earliest seats to elect a Labour MP, when David Shackleton won the 1902 Clitheroe by-election for the Labour Representation Committee. He was the first Labour MP to win a by-election, and the third ever elected. He was returned unopposed, but easily won the subsequent 1906 general election, at which he was challenged by an Independent Conservative. Shackleton was General Secretary of the Textile Factory Workers Association, and at the time, there were a large number of mill workers living locally. Labour lost the seat at the 1922 election, and did not regain it until their 1945 landslide victory. The Conservatives won the seat back at the next general election, in 1950, and held it from then until 1983, when the constituency was abolished due to boundary changes. From 1885 to 1983, when the seat existed, the boundaries covered areas outside Clitheroe itself, including parts of Burnley and Colne. As part of the Ribble Valley constituency, Clitheroe has been represented by a Conservative Member of Parliament for many years, with the exception of Michael Carr, who won a by-election in 1991 for the Liberal Democrats, but who lost the seat at the general election a year later. The incumbent MP is Jonathan Hinder, a Labour MP first elected in 2024. Hinder is the first Labour candidate to have won in the Clitheroe area since the 1945 general election.

Sport

[edit] Clitheroe F.C. Football Ground Clitheroe Skate Park Clitheroe F.C. play in the Northern Premier League Division One North, playing home games at the Shawbridge Stadium. The first club from the town, also called Clitheroe, played in the FA Cup in the 1880s. There is also a youth football club, Clitheroe Wolves, founded in 1992. Cricket has been played in Clitheroe since the 1800s, with Clitheroe Cricket Club being formed in 1862 as an amalgamation of two sides, Clitheroe Alhambra and the local Rifles Corps. Based at Chatburn Road and members of the Ribblesdale League since its inception, the club won the league title and both the Ramsbottom and Twenty-20 cups in the 2006 season. The Clitheroe Golf Club was founded in 1891, and originally the course was at Horrocksford on land now quarried away. The current course was designed by James Braid, and play began in the early 1930s. It is located south of the town in the neighbouring parish of Pendleton. Clitheroe Rugby Union Football Club, formed in 1977, play at Silcock Park (formerly Littlemoor Park) on Littlemoor Road in the town and run two adult mens rugby teams, one adult ladies team and have a thriving junior section. In August 2005, a cycle race, the Clitheroe Grand Prix, took place in the town, with Russell Downing finishing ahead of Chris Newton. In August 2006, Ben Greenwood won, with Ian Wilkinson second, but in April 2007, the council decided not to support another event, citing poor attendance. The town was also the start point of the second stage of the 2015 Tour of Britain. Public sports facilities are available at Edisford, with the Ribblesdale Pool and Clitheroe Tennis Centre located there, along with a number of football pitches and netball courts. The site is shared with the Roefield Leisure Centre, developed and operated by a registered charity whose supporters began fund-raising in 1985. In April 2006, Clitheroe Skatepark officially opened in the Castle grounds, built and funded by the Lancaster Foundation charitable trust. In June 2016, Clitheroe-raised mixed martial artist, Michael Bisping, won the UFC Middleweight Championship, by defeating Luke Rockhold by way of knockout in the first round of the fight. On 5 July 2019 he was inducted into The UFC Hall of Fame. He is the first English fighter to be inducted.

Notable Clitheronians

[edit] See also: Category:People from Clitheroe Captain James King, 1782 former Parachute Regiment officer, John Pettinger, 2022 Robert de Cliderhou (died. 1339?), clerk in the Court of Chancery and pastor. Richard Shuttleworth (c.1613–1648), politician, MP for Clitheroe between 1640 and 1648. James King (1750–1784), Royal Navy officer, was with James Cook on his last voyage around the world. Dixon Robinson (1795–1878) Steward of the Honour of Clitheroe, Blackburn lawyer and major landowner and employer in Clitheroe and Chatburn. Built the Pendle Hotel. Owned the Bold Venture Kiln and Quarry from 1837 to 1878. Lived at Clitheroe Castle. John Brogden (1798–1869), a railway industrialist, formed John Brogden and Sons with four of his five sons. James Oddie (1824–1911) was an Australian merchant, banker, landowner, scientist, astronomer, patron of the arts, and philanthropist. Sir William Dunn, 1st Baronet, of Clitheroe (1856–1926), Tory Party politician and 589th Lord Mayor of London. Dame Ellen Musson (1867–1960), Chair of the General Nursing Council for England and Wales. Arthur Joseph Wrigley (1902–1983), obstetrician and gynaecologist, designed the Wrigley forceps Jimmy Clitheroe (1921–1973) a comedian well known for his radio show The Clitheroe Kid, was born in the town and raised locally. Jeff Nuttall (1933–2004), poet, actor, teacher, painter, sculptor, jazz musician, anarchist and social commentator Sir Derek Spencer (1936–2023), barrister and politician; MP for Leicester South from 1983 to 1987 and for Brighton Pavilion from 1992 to 1997 when he was also Solicitor General for England and Wales. Ian Sharp (born 1946), film and TV director, he directed Who Dares Wins (1982) and the action sequences of the James Bond film GoldenEye (1995). Peter Hargreaves (born 1946), co founder of Hargreaves Lansdown plc., he owns three racehorses. Pattie Coldwell (1952–2002), TV and radio presenter and journalist. John Pettinger (born 1953), awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the Falklands War (1982) Sport[edit] Jon Schofield, 2013 Cyril Washbrook (1914–1999), cricketer, who played 592 First-class cricket matches and 37 Test cricket matches Bill Slater (1927–2018), footballer who played 352 games including 310 for Wolves Jim Furnell (born 1937), football goalkeeper, who played 430 games, mainly for Arsenal & Plymouth Argyle John Lund (born 1954), Eight-time BriSCA Formula 1 Stock Cars World Champion. Simon Westwell (born 1961), former professional footballer, played 63 games for Preston North End Michael Bisping (born 1979), former UFC World Middleweight Champion, now sports commentator and actor. Jon Schofield (born 1985), canoeist, lives locally, won bronze and silver at the 2012 & 2016 Summer Olympics Samantha Murray (born 1989), a modern pentathlete, silver medallist at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Adam Barton (born 1991), professional footballer, played about 380 games, starting with 50 for Preston North End Jess Simpson (born 2005), professional footballer, plays for Manchester United

Clitheroe

From Wikipedia

A base for the Bowland loops

Beyond the market: weekly food swaps

Rail nostalgia on the Ribble Valley line

Introduction

History

Governance and representation

Climate

Economy

Demographics

Religion

Landmarks

Transport

Sport

Culture

Media

Education

Health

Twin town

Notable Clitheronians

Media gallery

Arms