Rochdale, Administrative town in Greater Manchester, England
Rochdale is a town in Greater Manchester, England, positioned at about 450 feet elevation near the South Pennines and crossed by a network of urban streets. The terrain rises gently and opens to semi-rural areas with fields and hills at the town's edge.
The textile industry shaped the place during the Industrial Revolution and made it a center for cotton processing. The canal opened in 1804 to move raw materials between Lancashire and Yorkshire.
The name comes from the River Roch and connects with a long cooperative movement tradition that began here in the 19th century. Visitors still see red brick buildings along the streets that recall the workers' societies of that time.
Direct rail connections run to Manchester and Leeds, and the M62 motorway sits nearby for journeys to other northern cities. Most facilities concentrate in the center and are within walking distance.
The waterway contains 91 locks over a stretch of about 32 miles, making it one of the most densely locked canals in northern England. Walkers and cyclists follow the towpath along the bank and watch the lock gates open and close.
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