Plaque 3

The Rookery

Awarded a Blue Plaque in 2018

Built about 1805 by John Cockshott (son of the John Cockshott who lived at 88 Main Street) this development comprised two blocks of back-to-back cottages to house hand-loom weavers. Inside were some good stone fireplaces. Across the end of the blocks (on the right below) was a first-floor loomshop though only half of this still exists and the cottages have now been knocked-through.

The name ‘Rookery’ comes from the fact that many people lived close together, like rooks in a rookery!

The Rookery on Bolton Road in the 1960's