Chorley

Chorley sits in the heart of Lancashire, England, roughly midway between Preston and Wigan, at the western edge of the West Pennine Moors where the River Yarrow runs through. Originally a market town with medieval roots, it expanded rapidly during the Industrial Revolution on the back of cotton and coal and still shows that history in its red-brick terraces and the grand house and grounds of Astley Park with Astley Hall nearby; the moors and the famous Rivington fells give the town easy access to countryside walks.

Today Chorley blends a lively town centre and regular markets with light industry and a growing commuter population travelling to Manchester and Preston. It retains a strong local identity - known for things like the traditional Chorley cake - and hosts community events in its parks and cultural venues, while green spaces and nearby reservoirs make it popular for outdoor leisure as well as town-centre shopping and social life.