Burnley Barracks

Burnley Barracks was a military installation at Burnley in Lancashire, England. Built for cavalry, but later used for infantry and storage, military activities at the barracks declined in the late 19th century.

The time of the French Revolutionary Wars was comparatively prosperous for Lancashire workers as although technology had reduced the importance of some traditional jobs, overall there was plenty of work and wages were high. During the Napoleonic Wars that closely followed, exports diminished but this did not cause great hardship locally. However the peace led to a period when prices remained high but wages continuously fell. Although Manchester and surrounding towns had been effected by the Luddite riots, it was not until 1818 that disturbances are recorded in Burnley. In September a Lancashire-wide strike of spinners and weavers saw large crowds on the streets and the magistrates called troops from Manchester to disperse them. A few days later a mob attacked the constable and "broke open" the prison to release those arrested. Alarmed by the situation, the local authorities in 1819 not only constructed a new prison, but took the decision to station troops in the town with temporary barracks established at Lane Bridge. A protest meeting in early August subsequently saw the only speaker arrested, whereas a similar one two weeks later in Manchester is remembered as the Peterloo Massacre.

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