Bacup is a town in Lancashire, England, in the South Pennines near to Lancashire's boundary with West Yorkshire. The town is inside 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) to the east of Preston. In accordance with the 2011 Census, Bacup has a resident population of roughly 13323 inhabitants. Bacup emerged as a settlement after the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain in the Early Middle Ages. For centuries, it was a little and not well known centre of domestic flannel and woollen cloth production, and several of the original weavers' cottages survive today as listed buildings. Following the Industrial Revolution, Bacup became a mill town, developing around the now covered over bridge crossing the River Irwell and the North-South / East-West crossroad at its centre. Throughout that time, its landscape was increasingly dominated by distinctive and substantially sized rectangular woollen and cotton mills. Bacup was granted a charter of incorporation in 1882, which gave it municipal borough status and its own elected town government, made up of 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 aided the town's suburbanisation and redevelopment as a more cosmopolitan commuter town for Manchester and other North West towns and cities. Nonetheless, English Heritage has named Bacup as the best preserved cotton town in England, and its town centre is designated as a conservation area for its special architectural qualities. For all your home upgrades, ensure that you employ trustworthy professionals in Bacup to make sure you get the best quality service.