Our two old and new bus station building sites in the town centre have one thing in common. They both have the River Blakewater flowing underneath them. This has brought out a few talking points about Blackburn’s hidden river. The main issue is should it be open or should it remain covered as it flows through the town centre?
Strangely enough, the Blakewater is a mysterious watercourse to many people. It seems to be out of sight to most of us throughout its journey from a trickle at Guide to its confluence with the River Darwen at Witton Park. Also not many Blackburners even realise a river flows through the town centre, or indeed other areas of the town.
Interestingly enough, this river – the Black Burn – which our town is named after, actually has three names. It starts off from its source, up Guide, as the Knuzden Brook. It skims round Shadsworth, down to Intack, where for a short stretch it is known as Abbott Clough. But Whitebirk is where its familiar River Blakewater name comes into use.
Here is Blackburn’s other, albeit less well known, aqueduct. Our river flows underneath the Leeds Liverpool canal on its way through Greenbank, Cob Wall, Bastwell and Brookhouse, before going underground on Brookhouse Lane itself. From here to where it emerges on Bridge Street could be classed as one of Britain’s widest bridges.
I can remember the river flowing open to Blakewater Street, near the lowest point of what is now Barbara Castle Way. My great aunt lived on nearby Anvil Street. Sadly the river at the time was polluted and was used as a dumping ground by all and sundry. Unfortunately this should prove to be a warning to those harbouring the romantic idea of opening up the river as it flows through the town centre. Even after all the culverting and drainage work on the river, it still floods in some places. Darwen Street traders will endorse this.
But the one place it doesn’t flood is where it has been covered over in the town centre. Perhaps some plan could be thought up to enhance the use of the river as a tourist attraction. A branch of the canal, incorporating the river, from Whitebirk to Witton is not as far-fetched as some of the original canal ideas.
But after exploring Liverpool’s fascinating Williamson Tunnels, maybe something could be done to try and link up the underground river and its tributaries with our town’s Victorian sewers. Maybe then the council could organise boat trips down Blackburn’s own Tunnel of Love.