[3] Its wet and damp climate are ideally suited to the development of watermills, and later to the mechanisation of the wool and cotton spinning and weaving industries in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In the middle of the 19th century a felt industry developed, and from this the manufacturing of slippers so that footwear also became a major employer in the area.

[5] There was large-scale immigration from Ireland to find work building the railways and in the mills, which led to several instances of serious civil disturbances between the two communities.

Michael Davitt, the Irish republican leader was among these immigrants, settling in Haslingden, where he received his education after losing an arm at the age of 11 in a mill accident.

The Whitworth Doctors were local surgeons and bone setters in the late 1700s and early 1800s whose reputation spread far and wide, so that they treated patients from throughout the country.

Rawtenstall has Fitzpatricks Herbal Health, this is the last remaining functioning temperance bar in England, that makes and sells its own non-alcoholic drinks, such as sarsaparilla, black beers and blood tonic.

[13] The new district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor.

[27][28] Prior to 2009 the council was based at Rawtenstall Town Hall at the corner of Bacup Road and Lord Street.

There was once a rail link south to Manchester via Bury, but this was closed in 1966 as part of cuts following the Beeching Report.

These provide regular services to Burnley, Blackburn, Accrington, Bolton, Bury, Manchester and Rochdale as well as Todmorden and other local destinations.

[34] Rossendale is the home to a large community of artists with several painters' studios, many of which are centred on the area around Waterfoot.

In the 18th and 19th centuries the Larks of Dean were an unusual group of working class musicians whose music-making at the Baptist Chapel in Goodshaw Fold became an important local feature.

[35] Local poets have included Andrew Houston (The Rossendale Bard), Walter Hargreaves (Shepster) and Clifford Heyworth (Bill o' Bows).

The Halo is an artwork in the form of an 18m-diameter steel lattice structure supported on a tripod overlooking Haslingden, positioned to be clearly visible from the M66 and A56 approach to Lancashire.

It, and the adjacent landscaped area at Top o'Slate, was opened to the public in September 2007, and was designed by John Kennedy of LandLab and engineered by Booth King Partnership.

Notable players such as Daniel Collins, Dave Wood and Tim Fourie now play at the valley side.

The area's other major non league side Rossendale United, who played their home games at nearby Newchurch near Rawtenstall, folded in 2011.

The only other semi-pro team from the Rossendale area are Ramsbottom United who play in the Northern Premier League Division One North.

The popular comedy series, The League of Gentlemen, is apparently based upon Rossendale (and perhaps Bacup in particular), playing upon stereotypes and exaggerations of the area.

[37] Various towns within the Rossendale Valley were used for filming scenes of the BBC TV series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates during the 1990s.

[40] In the 2001 census the population of Rossendale was 65,652,[41] spread between the towns of Bacup, Haslingden, Whitworth and Rawtenstall; the villages of Crawshawbooth, Edenfield, Helmshore and Waterfoot; and as well as Britannia, Broadclough, Chatterton, Cloughfold, Cowpe, Irwell Vale, Loveclough, Newchurch, Shawforth, Stacksteads, Stubbins, Turn and Weir.

The Accrington/Rossendale built-up area extends from the towns of Rawtenstall and Bacup to Accrington which takes in parts of the boroughs of Hyndburn and Rossendale.

[18] For notable past residents see individual towns and villages Rossendale Borough Council is twinned with:[44]