Bacup is a town in Lancashire, England, in the South Pennines near to Lancashire's border with West Yorkshire. The town is in the Forest of Rossendale and the upper Irwell Valley, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Rawtenstall, 6.4 miles (10.3 km) north of Rochdale, and 21 miles (34 km) east of Preston. In line with the 2011 Census, Bacup has a permanent resident population of approximately 13323 inhabitants. Bacup emerged as a settlement following the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain in the Early Middle Ages. For a long time, it was a little and obscure centre of domestic flannel and woollen cloth manufacturing, and many of the original weavers' cottages survive as listed buildings. Following the Industrial Revolution, Bacup transformed into a mill town, growing around the now covered over bridge which crosses the River Irwell and the North-South / East-West crossroad at its centre. For the duration of that time, its landscape was dominated by unique and big rectangular woollen and cotton mills. Bacup received a charter of incorporation in 1882, which gave it municipal borough status and its own elected town government, comprising a mayor, aldermen and councillors to oversee local affairs. During the late 20th century, Bacup became part of the borough of Rossendale. Bacup's historic character, culture and festivities have encouraged the town's suburbanisation and redevelopment as a more cosmopolitan commuter town for Manchester along with other North West towns and cities. Nonetheless, English Heritage has named Bacup as the most preserved cotton town in England, and its town centre is designated as a conservation area for its distinctive architectural qualities. For all your house improvement projects, ensure that you use reputable specialists in Bacup to ensure you get the top quality service.