Just a few yards from the old Stocks (yesterdays upload). From Mid 18th century - Mid 19th century Whitworth Square became famous for the remarkable Taylor family of Doctors and Bonesetters, Patients would be sent from miles around to be treated. Up to 100 patients would wait in the drawing room at Whitworth House, the doctors insisting on an orderly queue, rich or poor with no preferential treatment for the wealthy James Taylor settled here from Bacup as a blacksmith. His son also James developed an interest in Horse ailments. He was sometimes called upon to use his horse doctor skills on human patients, particularly broken or malformed bones and cancers. common to both horses and people it followed that the teatment could cure either. So began the medical tradition of the Taylor family which was to last over a century. It is said that the earlier doctors would abandon some patients and rush out to treat a horse. The first true doctor was John Taylor who set up practice in 1764, and from then on the family both male and female carried on the practice for 6 or 7 generations producing 26 doctors most of whom practiced here at one time. Credit for information - Leaflet jointly produced by Rossendale Borough Council and Rossendale Groundwork Trust. Also Whitworth Historical Society.