There is evidence of cotton yarn being spun in Horwich in Henry VII's reign. Being a rural community, spinning, weaving and bleaching were cottage industries, operating in farms and cottages where water was plentiful for driving wheels and bleaching textiles, Wilderswood in particular provides early evidence of these activities.

In 1777, the Ridgway family leased the Wallsuches site and within a few years their bleachworks employed the majority of people from Horwich as well as from Blackrod and Adlington. The town grew rapidly from 300 people when the Ridgways arrived to 3,500 in 1831. From the family home at Ridgmont, the Ridgways chaired many local bodies for the benefit of the community. They built Holy Trinity Parish Church and School and helped with the provision of workers' housing. The latter was through the lease of Chapel Field on which employees who joined a building club were allowed to build their own houses. The streets running off Church Street are still known as the Club houses. Wallsuches Bleachworks closed in 1933 but the site is still in industrial use. Plans are under consideration to redevelop the area for hotel and leisure use.

There were coal mines in the area mentioned in the 16th century documents, with many more developing in the 19th century. As well as coal, seams of dry clay were drawn and supplied works making bricks, and sanitary ware. Crankshaw's pipeworks, whose mine was known as Klondyke, closed down in 1961. A new housing development now stands on the site, Montcliffe Colliery closed in 1966, but there are still two large stone quarries to the north of the town.

1884 signalled the most momentous event in Horwich's industrial history, with the decision of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company to build the locomotive works. New houses, schools, shops, hospitals, churches and leisure facilities were built to cope with the influx of workers as the population grew to 13,000 by the turn of the century.

During both World Wars, Horwich Locomotive Works manufactured tanks and munitions. Employees who died in World War I were honoured on a memorial in front of the works. The Railway Works was eventually closed in 1983, and the site is now in use for various industrial and commercial purposes, and is in the process of being refurbished.

In 1937 the De Havilland factory was built, following a visit from Cobham's Flying Circus, who were looking for sites to build aircraft. It was of major importance during World War II. The factory subsequently became Hawker Sidley, then British Aerospace and is now Matra Dynamics.

Horwich has been fortunate to attract a great many new industries and commercial outlets to add to our varied range of employers.

In 1995 the pitch was laid for the new Bolton Wanderers Stadium at Middlebrook. Excavation of the site and construction of the stadium followed, in preparation for the first match at the beginning of the 1997/98 season. The site has also attracted industrial and commercial uses, including a Hitachi factory which has generated jobs in the town to replace those lost from the Loco works and British Aerospace. The area is also home to the magnificent Bolton Arena, which is not only a tennis centre but also boasts a conference centre, fitness suite, running track and several multi use games areas.

Horwich has a history of interesting and varied shopping. The first Co-operative shop opened on Lee Lane in 1862. It soon flourished and branches opened all over Horwich. There is still a Co-operative store in Horwich although the original buildings have mainly passed into other uses. There is a large Tesco and Asda store at the Lostock end of the town and Aldi and Iceland have stores on the edge of the town centre. There are many small specialist shops in Horwich town centre. The history of many of these is documented by the Horwich Heritage Group. European grants have recently been made available towards new shop fronts in traditional styles and many traders have taken advantage of these to improve their properties. Horwich has a market which is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays

The town centre now has the benefit of a Closed Circuit TV scheme to help make it safer and more secure. This has been provided by Horwich Town Council.

The town has Christmas lights in the shopping centre and a Civic Christmas Tree on the Crown roundabout. Another Christmas Tree is provided at the Beehive roundabout to welcome visitors to the town.