page_title: Blackburn
section_title: Parks
hierarchical_section_title: Blackburn / Landmarks / Parks
caption_attribution_description: English: The main lake in Queens Park, Blackburn, Lancashire, England.
context_page_description: Blackburn is a large industrial town located in Lancashire, England, north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, 8 miles east of Preston and 20.9 miles NNW of Manchester. Blackburn is bounded to the south by Darwen, with which it forms the unitary authority of Blackburn with Darwen; Blackburn is its administrative centre.
  At the 2001 census, Blackburn had a population of 105,085, whilst the wider borough of Blackburn with Darwen had a population of 148,850. Blackburn had a population of 117,963 in 2011.
  A former mill town, textiles have been produced in Blackburn since the middle of the 13th century, when wool was woven in people's houses in the domestic system. Flemish weavers who settled in the area in the 14th century helped to develop the woollen cottage industry. The most rapid period of growth and development in Blackburn's history coincided with the industrialisation and expansion of textile manufacturing.
  Blackburn's textile sector fell into decline from the mid-20th century and subsequently faced similar challenges to other post-industrial northern towns, including deindustrialisation, economic deprivation and housing problems.
context_section_description: Corporation Park, to the northwest of the town centre, was built on 20 hectares (50 acres) of land purchased from Joseph Feilden, lord of the manor, for £50 per 1 acre (0.40 ha) in 1855. The park officially opened on 22 October 1857, with shops and mills closing for the day, church bells ringing, and flags flying from public buildings. Railway companies claimed 14,000 people travelled to the town for the opening. A conservatory was opened in the park on 16 May 1900. Within Corporation Park is the Blackburn War Memorial which commemorates people who lost their lives in World War I and World War II. The town's annual Armistice parade concludes at the war memorial.
  The town's Queen's Park was opened in June 1887, having been laid out at a cost of £10,000 on land acquired by Blackburn Corporation from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners in 1882. It originally had two bowling greens, two tennis courts, a lake of over 1.2 hectares (3 acres), a children's paddling pool, a bandstand, and a refreshment room. Two additional bowling greens and a pavilion were added in 1932.
  Witton Country Park is a 190-hectare (480-acre) space to the west of the town. The land was purchased in 1946 and was the ancestral home of the Feilden family. It is larger than all the town's other parks and playing fields put together. Witton Park High School is located within the park, as are three astroturf football pitches and a full-size athletic track, which is home to the Blackburn Harriers. The Blackburn model aircraft club also use the park for flying radio controlled aircraft. Pleasington cemetery and crematorium are located on the park's outer edges.
  Roe Lee Park, in the north of the town, was opened on Wednesday 30 May 1923 and was intended to commemorate the visit of George V. It was originally a 6.5-hectare (16-acre) site with five tennis courts and three bowling greens. The borough council's website describes the park as a 7-hectare (17-acre) "urban fringe park with bowling greens, kick around area and children's playground". In 2007, all four parks described above were winners of Green Flag awards.
caption: The main lake in Queen's Park.
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