Littleborough ( ) is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England, in the upper Roch Valley by the foothills of the South Pennines, northeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester; Milnrow and the M62 motorway are to the south, and the rural uplands of Blackstone Edge to the east. According to the 2001 census, Littleborough, and its suburbs of Calderbrook, Shore and Smithy Bridge, had a population of 13,807.
Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, Littleborough and its surroundings have provided evidence of Neolithic, Celtic, Roman and Anglo-Saxon activity in the area. It was focused upon the junction of two ancient routes over the Pennines — one of which may have been a Roman road
History
Evidence of human activity in the area, dating to at least the Neolithic period, exists in the form of ancient flint tool and arrowhead discoveries. Following the end of Roman rule in Britain, the remaining population came under the influence of the Anglo-Saxons.
Littleborough's first local authority was a local board of health established in 1870; Littlborough Local Board of Health was a regulatory body responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation for parts of the then townships of Blatchinworth and Calderbrook, of Wuerdle and Wardle and of Butterworth, with the local board's territory being expanded into further parts of these townships in 1879.
The Littleborough Neighbourhood Forum is now forming as a result of the Localism Act 2011.
Geography
thumb|right|A view towards Littleborough and [[Rochdale from Blackstone Edge.]]
At (53.644°, −2.098°), and north-northwest of central London, Littleborough stands roughly above sea level, on the western slopes of the Pennines, north-northeast of Manchester city centre, in the valley of the River Roch. Blackstone Edge and West Yorkshire are to the east; Rochdale and Milnrow are to the southwest and south.
In Littleborough are the localities and suburbs of Calderbrook, Chelburn, Durn, Featherstall, Gale, Hollinworth, Laneside, Rake, Shore, Sladen, Smithy Bridge, Stansfield, Summit and Whitelees.
Transport
Littleborough is served by the town's two railway stations, Littleborough itself and at Smithy Bridge.
The town is situated on the A58 between Rochdale and Halifax and is the starting point of the A6033 which runs northwards up to Todmorden.
The town is also well provided with buses which connect all districts in the Rochdale area and into the Pennine towns as far as Halifax.
Media
Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada. Television signals are received from the Winter Hill and local relay TV transmitters.
Local radio stations are BBC Radio Manchester, Heart North West, Smooth North West, Hits Radio Manchester, Greatest Hits Radio Manchester & The North West, Capital Manchester and Lancashire and Rochdale Valley, a community based radio station.
The town is served by the local newspaper, the Rochdale Observer and the regional publication which it is part of, the Manchester Evening News.
Notable people
thumb|140px|[[Victoria Derbyshire, 2011]]
thumb|140px|[[Sajid Javid, 2021]]
- Kenneth Howorth (1932–1981), a British army officer and explosives officer, awarded the George Medal for gallantry in 1983.
- Patricia Baird (born 1937), British medical geneticist active in Canada.
- Graham Clark (1941–2023), English operatic tenor
- Air Chief Marshal Sir Malcolm Pledger (born 1948), a retired Royal Air Force officer.
- Andy (born 1959), and Liz Kershaw (born 30 July 1958), radio broadcasters, both born locally.
- Lorna Fitzsimons (born 1967), businesswoman and former politician, MP for Rochdale from 1997 to 2005.
- Victoria Derbyshire (born 1968), journalist, newsreader and broadcaster, grew up locally for a while
- Sir Sajid Javid (born 1969), former politician and minister, MP for Bromsgrove 2010 to 2024.
- Agyness Deyn (born 1983), model and actress, born locally.
- Emma Edmondson (born 1984), TV actress, played Mel Morton in Coronation Street.
Sport
- Queenie Newall (1854–1929), an English archer who won the gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics
- Lees Radcliffe (1865–1928) cricketer, played 50 First-class cricket games
- Bill Williams (born 1960), footballer who played 356 games ending with 156 for Stockport County
- Iain Hesford (1960–2014), footballer goalkeeper who played 448 games beginning with 202 for Blackpool
- Dexter Fitton (born 1965), former cricketer, played 52 First-class cricket games
- Matt Calland (born 1971), International Rugby League player, played 228 games, head coach for Rochdale Hornets 2019–22.
- Chris Lucketti (born 1971), footballer who played 613 games including 235 for Bury & 189 for Preston North End
- Richard Maden (born 1972), breaststroke swimmer, team silver medallist at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
See also
- Listed buildings in Littleborough, Greater Manchester