Chorley Old Rd is one of the oldest radial roads
in the town.
For a great number of years it was the only main road to Horwich,
Chorley and Preston, for Chorley New Rd was not planned until 1824.
When Turnpike Trusts were established for the upkeep of roads from
the proceeds of tolls bars, it was taken over by the Bolton and Nightingale
Trust.
It's toll-bar at Doffcocker existed until 1877, when the Trust was
abolished.
The road remained very sparsely populated until the second half
of the 19th century, when the cotton industry developed rapidly, mills
were built, and horses were needed for the workers.
The houses at Park Hill, at the Crofters end which
were demolished in the 1930s for the extension of the frontage to St
Barnabas Church, were amongst the oldest on the road.
At what is known as the Victory stood a group of cottages which
were known as Cooke's in the 1830s, and a bowling green was behind the
Inn and the quaint old cottages.
In those early days Doffcocker was the notable habitation along
the whole road having developed mainly as a handloom weaving community.
