Middleton, Greater Manchester

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Middleton
A row of terraced houses in Middleton. The Church of St Leonard appears above the rooftops
Middleton shown within Greater Manchester
Population	45,580 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SD875065
- London	166 mi (276 km) SSE
Metropolitan borough	Rochdale
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MANCHESTER
Postcode district	M24
Dialling code	0161
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
European Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Heywood and Middleton
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Coordinates: 53°33′19″N 2°11′17″W / 53.555185, -2.187953

Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England.^[1] It stands on the River Irk, 5.1 miles (8.2 km) north-northeast of the city of Manchester, and 4.7 miles (7.6 km) south-southeast of Rochdale, and has a population of 45,580.

Historically a part of Lancashire, Middleton took its name from being situated in the centre of several circumjacent settlements. Its early history is marked by its status as an ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford. In 1770, Middleton was a village of 20 houses; during the 18th and 19th centuries it grew into a thiving and populous seat of textile manufacture, so much so that Middleton was granted borough status in 1886.

The Church of St Leonard – a Grade I listed building – has lain at the centre of the community for centuries. The "Flodden Window", in the church's sanctuary, is thought to be the oldest war memorial in the United Kingdom. It memorialises on it the names of the archers of Middleton who fought at the Battle of Flodden Field (1513), the largest battle ever fought between the then kingdoms of Scotland and England.

Middleton today is a predominantly residential area of contrasting affluence; Langley in the north of the town is one of Manchester City Council's overspill public housing estates, whilst Alkrington in the south is a "premium" suburban area having been home to several celebrities.^[2]

[edit] History

The name Middleton first appears in 1194, and derives from the Old English middel-tūn, meaning middle farm or settlement,^[3] probably a reference to its central position between Rochdale and Manchester.^[4] It owes much of its history to the Industrial Revolution, when it was a significant mill town, with links to the silk industry stretching back to the 19th century.

Lord Suffield obtained a Royal Charter from King George III in 1791 to hold a weekly market and three annual fairs in Middleton. Suffield built a market house, warehouses and shambles in the town at his own expense.

The town's local newspaper, the Middleton Guardian has a history going back to Victorian times.

JW Lees houses its brewery at Middleton Junction. The brewery owns several pubs in the Greater Manchester area.

Warwick Mill is a monument to be seen from all around Middleton and was a venue for a workers' Luddite revolt.

In recent times, Middleton has gained the most expensive bus station in the world.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Governance

The coat of arms of the former Middleton Municipal Borough Council, granted by the College of Arms on 28 January 1887. The motto Fortis in Arduis is Latin for Strong in difficulties.

Lying within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire from the early 12th century, Middleton was once an ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford, and in Oldham poor law union.

In 1861 commissioners were established for the improvement of Middleton and Tonge townships or civil parishes. In 1878, the township of Alkrington and parts of the townships of Hopwood and Thornham were added to the area of the commissioners. It was in 1886 this territory was incorporated as a borough, giving it Borough status in the United Kingdom. In 1894 parts of Great Heaton and Little Heaton townships were added to the Municipal borough of Middleton, which was within the administrative county of Lancashire. In 1933 there were exchanges of territory between the borough of Middleton, the City of Manchester and Chadderton Urban District. In the same year, parts of Unsworth were amalgamated with Middleton, whilst part of it was moved to Royton Urban District. In 1974, though it was initially proposed that it become part of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham,^[5] Middleton became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.^[1]

The Middleton parliamentary constituency was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It was abolished in 1918 when Middleton became part of the Middleton and Prestwich constituency.

Today Middleton forms part of the Heywood and Middleton parliamentary constituency, represented in the House of Commons by Jim Dobbin, a Member of Parliament of the Labour Party.

[edit] Geography

Further information: Geography of Greater Manchester

At 53°33′17″N, 2°11′19″W (53.5547, -2.1887) and 166 miles (267 km) north-northwest of London, Middleton stands on undulated land immediately north of Manchester; Chadderton and Royton are close to the east. The town of Rochdale lies to the north-northeast. The town is supposed to have derived its name, Middle-town, from its situation midway between Manchester and Rochdale. It is situated on an ancient road between those places. Middleton town centre is around 100 feet (30 m) above sea level.

Middleton experiences a temperate maritime climate, like much of the U.K., with relatively cool summers and mild winters. There is regular but generally light precipitation throughout the year.^{[citation needed]} Middleton is watered by two confluent streams which have their rise in the immediate district.

Much of Middleton's built environment is characterised by its 19th century red-brick terraced houses, the infrastructure that was built to support these and the town's former cotton mills. The skyline is marked by St. Leonard's Church. The urban structure of Middleton is regular in comparison to most towns in England. Residential dwellings and streets are centred around a central business district in the town centre, which is the local centre of commerce.

There is a mixture of high-density urban areas, suburbs, and semi-rural locations in Middleton, but overwhelmingly the land use in the town is urban. The territory of Middleton is contiguous with other urban areas on its southern and eastern sides, and for purposes of the Office for National Statistics, forms part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area,^[6][7] the United Kingdom's third largest conurbation. The M60 motorway passes to the south of Middleton; the M62 passes to the north. A heavy rail line enters Middleton from Moston and Blackley to the south, and passes to the east of Middleton's town centre before continuing on northwards to Rochdale.

Divisions and suburbs of Middleton include Hollin, Boarshaw, Hebers, Langley, Stanycliffe, Rhodes, Bowlee, Alkrington, Middleton Junction, Moorclose and Tonge.

[edit] Economy

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

Industrial polymer, thermoplastics and nonwovens producer The Vita Group have a registered office in Middleton.^[8]

Bluebird Bus and Coach is a travel company based in Middleton.^[9]

[edit] Landmarks

A row of buildings in Middleton's town centre, including one (second from the left) by local born architect Edgar Wood. Several buildings in the town are by Wood.

Several of Middleton's buildings were designed by Edgar Wood, a local-born influential architect of his day. Several in Middleton are landmarks and are notable.

Middleton has a busy leisure centre and also a civic centre. There are plans to re-develop both places to improve the area in which they are situated and the services they currently offer.

[edit] St. Leonard's Church

The Church of St Leonard is a Norman, Grade I listed building.

The Parish Church of St Leonard was completed in 1524, incorporating two stone arches made of stonework from an earlier Norman church. A wooden Saxon church is believed to have occupied the site long before the Norman church was built, in about 1100.^[10]

The present church was built by Sir Richard Assheton, in celebration of the knighthood granted to him by Henry VIII for his part in the Battle of Flodden Field, the largest battle ever fought between England and Scotland. The Flodden Window, in the sanctuary, is thought to be the oldest war memorial in the UK. It memorialises on it the names of the Middleton archers who fought at Flodden Field in 1513. The church also has one of the finest collections of monumental brasses in the area, including the only brass in the UK of an English Civil War officer in full armour, Major-General Sir Ralph Assheton.^[10]

The church was designated a Grade I listed building in 1957.^[11]

[edit] Old Boar's Head Inn

Situated below the parish church, on Long Street, this was originally a coaching inn on the road between Chester and York. It is said to date from at least 1632.

[edit] Tonge Hall

Tonge Hall was a Tudor structure destroyed by an arson attack in 2007.[1]

[edit] Sports

Middleton is also host to many local clubs for various sports, one of which is Middleton Cricket Club who are currently playing in the Central Lancashire Cricket League. Three golf clubs are within easy reach of the town centre; North Manchester GC, Manchester GC and Heaton Park GC.

[edit] Transport

In 2005, the new Middleton Bus Station was opened to replace the old one, next to the Middleton Arndale shopping centre. The bus station is purported to have been (at time of construction) the most expensive in Europe.^{[citation needed]}

Middleton is located close to junction 19 of the M62 motorway and junction 21 of the M60 motorway .

The nearest railway station is Mills Hill railway station, in nearby Chadderton.

[edit] Education

See also: List of schools in Greater Manchester

Almost every part of Middleton is served by a school of some kind, some with religious affiliations. According to the Office for Standards in Education, schools within the town perform at mixed levels.^{[citation needed]}

What is presently the Middleton Campus of Hopwood Hall (a college of further education), was, from 1946 to 1989, a De La Salle Catholic College of Higher Education affiliated to the Victoria University of Manchester. Originally founded as a teacher training college, the chapel, designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd, was the architectural prototype for the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. The chapel still exists but its spire is no longer topped with a cross. Hopwood Hall College benefits from its extensive grounds and leisure facilities which were developed over many years by the De La Salle College.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Notable people

People from Middleton are called Middletonians,^{[citation needed]} though "Moonraker" is a nickname sometimes given to people from the town. (Moonraker refers to the legend of poachers who, upon seeing the local constabulary, would throw their catch into a pond and begin raking the reflection of the moon on the water, giving the excuse that they were trying to recover the 'green cheese').^[12] Middleton has been the birthplace and home to notable people, of national and international acclaim. Amongst the most notable persons of historic significance from the town include Thomas Langley (born in Middleton in 1363) who served as Bishop of Durham, Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Lord Chancellor of England, and as England's first de facto Foreign Secretary. Samuel Bamford was a radical writer and politician. He led the Middleton contingent to the meeting at St. Peter's Fields in August 1819, pressing for parliamentary reform, which ended in the Peterloo Massacre.^[13]

Steve Coogan, John Richmond, Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets,Brendan, and Martin Coogan all attended the local Cardinal Langley School. Bernard Manning (1930-2007), Manchester-born (Ancoats) comedian, lived in Alkrington.[16]

Local band The Courteeners, all hailing from the Alkrington area, shot to national prominence in 2006 and released their debut album "St Jude" in 2008

Notable sportsmen connected with Middleton include Manchester United F.C. (and former England national football team) Paul Scholes (Salford-born but educated at Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School) and locally-born Mark Allott the Oldham Athletic midfielder.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] External links

• Brief history of Middleton
• Historical Middleton by John Dean
• General information on Middleton
• Historical and genealogical information relating to Middleton
• A wealth of predominantly genealogical with other miscellaneous information relating to Middletonians.
• A Poem; Old Middletonians