Colorectal cancer is an important public health issue in the UK, accounting for over 16,000 deaths each year. This study used death registration data to examine trends in colorectal cancer mortality by geographic location and socio-economic deprivation over a 20-year period in England and Wales. Mortality rates declined rapidly over the study period with the lowest rates observed among the least deprived group, particularly for men. The spatial pattern in colorectal cancer mortality was not as clear as that for all-cancers combined, however, some clusters of high and low colorectal cancer mortality were identified.