Reconstructing the late nineteenth century landscape and natural habitats of south west Accrington using the artwork of Thomas Frederick Worrall (1872–1957)

In the late nineteenth century, the south western edge of Accrington in Lancashire was mainly rural with a few pockets of industrial activity. Using contemporary paintings and sketches by semi-professional artist Thomas Frederick Worrall and other primary sources including maps, censuses and newspaper reports, the author uses microhistorical techniques to recreate the landscape. These reveal that rich and multifarious habitats for wildlife were present but comparisons with later sources show that many of those features have gone. A depleted environment has been left which could be restored to an extent by using the findings here as a template. The article is a new approach to landscape analysis that adds to the nature writing of authorities including Richard Mabey, Mark Cocker and Robert McFarlane.