Clitheroe Poor Law Union, Lancashire

History
A parliamentary report of 1777 recorded township workhouse at: Bolton by Bowland (10) Aighton also opened a town workhouse in 1817.

The Clitheroe Poor Law Union was formed on 14th January 1837. For many years, Clitheroe Union resisted the building of a new workhouse and made use of the existing parish workhouses at Aighton and Bolton by Bowland. It was criticized for provision and in response to these criticisms planned a new replacement.

The new workhouse, for 200 inmates, together with a 36-bed hospital, was erected in 1870-73 at the south side of Chatburn Road in Clitheroe. The building was designed by Jonas J Bradshaw and was officially opened on 21st April, 1873. After 1930, the workhouse site became Coplow View Public Assistance Infirmary. After 1948, it became part of the National Health Service and is now Clitheroe Community Hospital.

Parishes of the Union
The union included several Yorkshire parishes. Constituent parishes include:

Aighton Bailey and Chaigley, Chatburn, Chipping, Clitheroe, Downham, Little Bowland with Leagram, Mearley, Pendleton, Thornley with Wheatley, Twiston, Whalley, Wiswell, Worston. West Riding of Yorkshire: Bashall Eaves, Bolton by Bowland, High Bowland Forest, Low Bowland Forest, Easington, Gisburn, Gisburn Forest, [Great] Mitton, Grindleton, Horton, Midhope [Middop], Newsholme, Newton, Paythorne, Rimington, Sawley, Slaidburn, Waddington, West Bradford. Chatburn, Lancashire Chipping, Lancashire Clitheroe, Lancashire Clitheroe Castle, Lancashire Clitheroe St James, Lancashire Downham, Lancashire Fence-in-Pendle, Lancashire Gisburn, Yorkshire Grindleton, Yorkshire Houghton, Yorkshire Hurst Green, Lancashire Lane Bridge, Lancashire Mitton, Lancashire Mitton, Yorkshire Newchurch in Pendle, Lancashire Newchurch in Rossendale, Lancashire Pendleton Hall, Lancashire Slaidburn, Yorkshire Waddington, Yorkshire Whalley, Lancashire Whitewell, Yorkshire

Records
• Lancashire Record Office, Bow Lane, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 2RE. Holdings include: Guardians' minutes (1837-1902, 1905-30); Births (1867-1913); Deaths (1866-1914); Creed register (1914-34); Register of mechanical restraint (1901-48); etc. Bibliography • Keepers of the House by Frank Lofthouse (Hudson History, 2001)

Websites
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/index.html?Clitheroe/Clitheroe.shtml