Blackburn is a large industrial town in Lancashire, England.

Blackburn is bounded to the south by Darwen, with which it forms the unitary authority area of Blackburn with Darwen.

A former mill town, textiles have been produced in Blackburn since the middle of the 13th century, when wool was woven in people's houses in the domestic system.

The most rapid period of growth and development in Blackburn's history coincided with the industrialisation and expansion of textile manufacturing.

Blackburn's textile sector fell into a terminal decline from the mid-20th century.

It lies to the north of the West Pennine Moors on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, 8.9 miles (14.3 km) east of the city of Preston, and 21 miles (34 km) north-northwest of the city of Manchester.

At the time of the UK Government's 2001 census, it had a population of 105,085.

Flemish weavers who settled in the area during the 14th century helped to develop the woollen cottage industry in the region.

It was a boomtown of the Industrial Revolution, and amongst the first industrialised towns in the world.

It has subsequently faced similar challenges to other post-industrial northern towns, including deindustrialisation, economic deprivation and housing issues.