▁It ▁is ▁ ▁north ▁east ▁of ▁Manchester ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 1 5 , 4 8 1 . ▁ ▁Tod m orden ▁is ▁at ▁the ▁confl u ence ▁of ▁three ▁ste ep - s ided ▁P enn ine ▁valle ys ▁and ▁is ▁surrounded ▁by ▁mo or lands ▁with ▁out cro ps ▁of ▁sand blast ed ▁g rit stone . ▁ ▁The ▁historic ▁boundary ▁between ▁York shire ▁and ▁Lanc ash ire ▁is ▁the ▁River ▁Cal der ▁and ▁its ▁trib ut ary , ▁the ▁W als den ▁Water , ▁which ▁run ▁through ▁the ▁town . ▁The ▁administrative ▁border ▁was ▁alter ed ▁by ▁the ▁Local ▁Government ▁Act ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁placing ▁the ▁whole ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁within ▁the ▁West ▁R iding . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁is ▁served ▁by ▁ ▁and ▁ ▁railway ▁stations . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Top onym y ▁The ▁name ▁Tod m orden ▁first ▁appears ▁in ▁ 1 6 4 1 . ▁The ▁town ▁had ▁earlier ▁been ▁called ▁Tot tem er den , ▁Tot m ard ene , ▁Tot mer eden ▁or ▁Tot mer den . ▁The ▁generally ▁accepted ▁meaning ▁of ▁the ▁name ▁is ▁T otta ' s ▁boundary - val ley , ▁probably ▁a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁valley ▁running ▁north - west ▁from ▁the ▁town . ▁Altern ative ▁suggestions ▁have ▁been ▁proposed , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁spec ulation ▁" maybe ▁f anc iful ly " ▁that ▁the ▁name ▁der ives ▁from ▁two ▁words ▁for ▁death : ▁tod ▁and ▁mor ▁( as ▁in ▁mort