On the banks of the River Chor, in the heart of the Lancashire countryside, Chorley and its surrounding villages boast a wealth of history. In over 200 photographs, Jack Smith brings to life the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution upon an area rich in natural beauty and resources. Once a medieval market town, Chorley was transformed by changes in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Cotton mills were built for spinning, weaving and bleaching; coal mining and quarrying were carried out nearby, while canal and railway links helped to increase Chorley’s prosperity. In this book, images of streets, buildings and people are seen together to create a fascinating record, not only of the physical development of the town, but also of changes in costume and custom, transport and trading, sport and entertainment. Chorley and its twenty-three villages are all illustrated in this book, which will captivate anyone interested in this part of Lancashire.