CHORLEY

chorley, a market town and municipal borough in the chorley parliamentary division of lancashire, england, on the river yarrow, 202 m. n.w. by w. from london and 22 m. n.w. from manchester, on the lancashire & yorkshire and london & north-western railways and the leeds & liverpool canal. pop. (1891) 23,087; (1901) 26,852. the church of st lawrence is of perpendicular and earlier date, largely restored; it contains fine woodwork and some interesting monuments. cotton spinning and the manufacture of cotton and muslin are extensively carried on, and there are also iron and brass foundries and boiler factories. railway-wagon building is an important industry. the district contains a number of coal-mines and stone-quarries. close to the town is the beautiful elizabethan mansion of astley hall, which is said to have sheltered oliver cromwell after the battle of preston (1648). the corporation consists of a mayor, 6 aldermen and 24 councillors. area, 3614 acres.