| Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 53.786°N -2.408°W |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 224.752NaN2 |
| Population: | 10,800 |
| Population Ref: | (2011) |
| Official Name: | Great Harwood |
| Shire District: | Hyndburn |
| Shire County: | Lancashire |
| Region: | North West England |
| Constituency Westminster: | Hyndburn |
| Post Town: | BLACKBURN |
| Postcode District: | BB6 |
| Postcode Area: | BB |
| Dial Code: | 01254 |
| Os Grid Reference: | SD737318 |
| Static Image Name: | Great Harwood.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | Town Hall Square with clock tower and the Town Hall just visible behind (on the right of the picture) |
| Pushpin Map: | United Kingdom Borough of Hyndburn |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Shown within Hyndburn |
Great Harwood is a town in the Hyndburn district of Lancashire, England, located 5miles north east of Blackburn and adjacent to the Ribble Valley. Great Harwood is part of the "Three Towns" conurbation along with the towns of Clayton-le-Moors and Rishton.[1] In 2001, the town had a population of 11,220,[2] which decreased to 10,800 at the census of 2011.
Great Harwood is a town with an industrial heritage. The Mercer Hall Leisure Centre in Queen Street, and the town clock, pay tribute to John Mercer (1791–1866), the 'father' of Great Harwood, who revolutionised the cotton dyeing process with his invention of mercerisation.[3] The cotton industry became the main source of employment in the town, and by 1920, the Great Harwood Weavers' Association had more than 5,000 members.[4]
The town was once on the railway line from Blackburn to Burnley via Padiham – The North Lancs or Great Harwood Loop[5] of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The last passenger train ran in November 1957 and goods traffic in 1964. The Martholme Viaduct on the line remains about one mile north east.
Public transport links were further curtailed in 2016, when the direct bus link to Manchester was axed by Harrogate based Transdev.
Great Harwood used to have a lively and bustling market around the town clock in the main square.
Great Harwood has three supermarkets: Aldi, which opened in November 2010, Tesco, which opened in December 2011, and Morrisons, which was previously Co-Op, which originally opened in June 2001, which also opened in 2010. There are two petrol stations, run by Texaco, as well as Morrisons.
In July 2016, Domino's Pizza announced plans to open in Great Harwood, as well as Accrington.[6]
A retained fire station is also located in the town, having opened in 1972.
The town football team, Great Harwood Town, closed in July 2006.Great Harwood Cricket Club, was a member of the Ribblesdale Cricket League, winning the senior division in 2008, and has seven teams, ranging from under-9s through to senior level. In 2016, the club accepted an invitation from the Lancashire League, and played in that league from the season of 2017.
In 1954, and again in 1957, the Great Harwood team won the Roller Hockey National Cup.
Great Harwood is also home to Great Harwood Agricultural Show, an annual show, established in 1857 and held on Spring Bank Holiday Monday. It moved to its present site at the junction of Harwood Lane and Whalley Road in 2009.[7]