Blacko

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.869
longitude= -2.217
population= 595 (2001 Census)
official_name= Blacko
shire_district= Pendle
shire_county = Lancashire
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Pendle
post_town= NELSON
postcode_district = BB9
postcode_area= BB
dial_code= 01282
os_grid_reference= SD856415
london_distance=

Blacko is a village and civil parish within the Pendle district of Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 595.

The village is on the old turnpike road to Gisburn (A682). The village enjoys views towards Boulsworth Hill to its south east, the former cotton town of Nelson, about two miles to its south and Pendle Hill to its west.

Overlooking the village is Stansfield Tower (also known as Blacko Tower), which was built around 1890. A local grocer, Jonathan Stansfield, built this circular rough stone tower to provide himself with a view over Ribblesdale from the top, but the height fell somewhat short. A Bronze Age axe, believed to be 3,500 years old, was found near the tower in 1952.

Blacko is set on a hill overlooking Pendle Water and in 2002 was the winner of the Lancashire Best Kept Village competition. Blacko was runner-up in the competition in 2005, being beaten by the village of Wrea Green.

Blacko was the childhood home of Lancashire comedian Jimmy Clitheroe (1921-1973), famous for his BBC radio series "The Clitheroe Kid", who lived there from 1922 to 1935. Jimmy went to school in Blacko and appeared in many amateur concert party entertainments in the village's Methodist chapel, before turning professional in 1936.

Also during the 1930s it was the home of the comedian Tommy Trafford, who played many summer seasons in the Lancashire seaside resort of Southport between the 1960s and 1980s, so many in fact that he was affectionately known in Lancashire as 'Mr Southport'.

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/image_galleries/blacko_gallery.shtml BBC Sunday Stroll in Blacko]