Darwen Heritage Centre

COMMUNITY | HERITAGE | ARTS

In the1870s Dr George Hindle built Holker House on Railway Road to the design of George Wightman of Darwen, He named it after Holker House, which comes from the family home of the Hindles in Hoddlesden which was built in 1591.
Doctor James T Ballantyne later owned Holker House when he became Mayor in 1898.
To celebrate his Mayoral term, he presented the town with our town hall clock which still lets us know the time today.
Subsequently it became the Divisional Education Office for Darwen Division until 1974, when it became the Area Education Architects' Office. From 1985 until 2005 it was used by Blackburn College. Unfortunately, it was abandoned by the College and allowed to fall into disrepair until acquired in late 2007 by Steven Milligan who meticulously renovated the building. It was used as office space until 2015.
In February 2016 The Livesey Foundation charity bought the house with intensions to make it available to the people of Darwen for a variety of community projects.
Our intention is to make it available to the town for a variety of community purposes such as Charity /social meetings and events, exhibitions, venue for councilors, tourist information and much more.
But most importantly it will become home to The Darwen Heritage Centre where we will be able to display to the world the history, culture, past and present of our amazing town!
Holker House will be not-for-profit and will become a major attraction and community focal point for the town.
If you would like to contribute to this exciting project, please contact us……. .