Rossendale

Rossendale is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. The council is based in Bacup and the largest town is Rawtenstall. The borough also includes the towns of Haslingden and Whitworth, along with several villages and surrounding rural areas. The borough is located in and named after the Rossendale Valley, being the upper part of the valley of the River Irwell. The neighbouring districts are Burnley, Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen, Bury, Bolton and Calderdale. Rossendale is twinned with the town of Bocholt in Germany. Toponymy The name Rossendale is first recorded in 1292. A record of the name as Rocendal (1242) suggests Celtic ros "moor, heath", with Old Norse dalr "dale, valley", hence moor valley i.e. the valley of the River Irwell.