Westhoughton

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Westhoughton
Westhoughton (Greater Manchester)
Westhoughton

Westhoughton shown within Greater Manchester
Population 23,056 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference SD652059
Parish Westhoughton
Metropolitan borough Bolton
Metropolitan county Greater Manchester
Region North West
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BOLTON
Postcode district BL5
Dialling code 01942
Police Greater Manchester
Fire Greater Manchester
Ambulance North West
European Parliament North West England
UK Parliament Bolton West
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Coordinates: 53°32′55″N 2°31′26″W / 53.5487, -2.524

Westhoughton is a town and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England.[1] It is 15.5 miles (24.9 km) to the northwest of the city of Manchester, and 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Bolton.[2]

Historically a part of Lancashire, Westhoughton was once a centre for mining, cotton-spinning and textile manufacture. However, today it is predominantly a residential town with a total population of 23,056.[3]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Toponymy

The name Westhoughton is derived from the Old English words "halh" (dialectal "haugh") for a nook or corner of land, and "tun" for a farmstead or settlement - meaning a "westerly settlement in a corner of land".[4][5][6][7]

The town has been spelt various ways, often the "West-" affix was omitted. In 1210 it was spelt as Halcton, 1240 as Westhalcton, 1292 as Westhalghton, 1302 as Westhalton, and in the 16th century as Westhaughton and Westhoughton.[5][6][7]

The people of Westhoughton are known as "Keawyeds" (cow heads) and the town is known as "Keawyed City". There are two local stories how this name came about. In one tells that in 1815 a celebration was held to mark the end of the Napoleonic Wars and that an ox's head was roasted, which was mounted on a pole and was fought over by two opposing factions in the town. The victors were dubbed "Keaw-Yeds". In another story tells that a farmer in Westhoughton found his cow had got its head stuck in a five barred gate (or fence), and rather than cut the gate, the farmer cut the cow's head off, since the cow cost less than the gate.[8][9]

[edit] Civil War

During the English Civil War, a battle was fought on Hart Common in 1642 between Lord Derby's forces on the one side and Parliamentarians on the other. Later in the war, it is believed that Prince Rupert of the Rhine to have gathered his troops in Westhoughton prior to the attack and ensuing massacre at Bolton in 1644.[6]

[edit] Luddites

On the 25 March 1812 a group of Luddites torched a Westhoughton mill, owned by Wray & Duncroff, in one of the first major terrorist acts in Britain. Twelve people were arrested on the orders of William Hulton, the High Sheriff of Lancashire. Four of them, James Smith, Thomas Kerfoot, John (or Job) Fletcher and Abraham Charlston, were sentenced to death for taking part in the attack. The Charlston family claimed Abraham was only twelve years old but he was not reprieved. They were publicly hanged outside Lancaster Castle on the 13 June 1812. It was reported that Abraham cried for his mother on the scaffold. Five others arrested were transported to Australia.[10][11][12][13]

[edit] Coal mining

Westhoughton has the sad distinction of having had one of the worst coal-mining disasters in the United Kingdom. In December 1910, 344 men and boys lost their lives at the Pretoria Pit.[14] The Pretoria Pit Disaster was the third worst in British mining history, after the 1866 Barnsley Oaks Disaster in Yorkshire (361 deaths),[15] and the 1913 Senghenydd Colliery Disaster in Glamorgan (439 deaths).[16]

[edit] Parish Church

In 1870, St. Bartholomew’s Parish Church was completed. Its beauty and grandeur was known both locally and nationally, especially for its elegant east window, which depicted the Twelve Apostles. On the Wednesday before Advent Sunday, 28th November 1990, the church was sadly gutted by fire, but luckily the church tower was saved.[17]

St. Bartholomew's Parish Church.
St. Bartholomew's Parish Church.

A new church was designed by architects Dane, Ashworth & Cottam. Laing North West built the church with Bradshaw Gass & Hope as project managers and structural engineers, at an approximate cost of £1 million.[18]

The new church was consecrated on 28th October 1995. The procession led from the top of Wingates into the church grounds, ready for the Right Reverend Christopher Mayfield, Bishop of Manchester to enter and bless the doorway.[19] Having a new church meant having a new organ. 'Nicholsons' of Malvern were brought in to build, erect and test a brand new 2 manual organ. There are 1,256 pipes ranging from 1/2 inch to 16 feet. They are constructed of tin, spotted metal and hammered lead.[20]

Today the church's Organist and Director of Music is Mr. Edward McHale. As well as leading Sunday worship he also manages the churches choir, with the help of Assistant Organist, Ryan Battersby. The Current Rector since 2003 is Revd. Gary A. Lawson.

[edit] Local Government

[edit] Civic history

Until the 19th century, Westhoughton was a chapelry and township in the ecclesiastical parish of Deane, in the Salford hundred of Lancashire.

In 1837, Westhoughton joined with other townships (or civil parishes) in the area to form the Bolton Poor Law Union and took joint responsibility for the administration and funding of the Poor Law in that area.[21]

In 1872, a Local Board of Health was established for the township, and was superseded in 1894 when Westhoughton became an Urban District of the administrative county of Lancashire. In 1898 most of Over Hulton became part of the Urban District.[22] Under the Local Government Act 1972, Westhoughton Urban District was abolished in 1974 and its area became a civil parish of the newly created Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester.[23]

Today, Westhoughton has six councillors who are elected in two borough wards - Westhoughton North & Chew Moor ward and Westhoughton South ward - and they represent the area on the metropolitan borough council of Bolton.[24]

Westhoughton civil parish, with town council status, has eighteen town councillors who are elected in six town council wards - Central, Chequerbent, Daisy Hill, Hoskers & Hart Common, White Horse, and Wingates.[25] Each year, Westhoughton Town Council elects a Town Mayor who as the town's First Citizen represents at various functions and events.

For many years the Westhoughton constituency represented the town until it was abolished in 1983 and became part of the Bolton West constituency.

[edit] Demography

Census population of the chapelry/civil parish of Westhoughton
Year 1801 1811 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891
Population
3,059
3,810
4,211
4,500
4,527
4,547
5,156
6,609
9,197
11,077
Sources: (a) Pauline Tatton: Local population statistics.[26] (b) Westhoughton USD: Total Population.[27]
Cenus population of the urban district of Westhoughton
Year 1901 1911 1921 1931 1939 † 1951 1961 1971
Population
14,377
15,046
15,592
16,018
14,636
15,004
16,260
17,761
Source: Westhoughton UD: Total Population.[28]

† The 1939 population is estimated from the National Registration Act figures.[29] The 1941 census did not take place because of the Second World War.

[edit] Education

School Type/Status Ofsted Website
Eatock Primary School, Daisy Hill Primary 105202 Official site
Sacred Heart R.C. Primary School Primary 105243 Official site
St George's C.E. Primary School Primary 131038 Official site
St James C.E. Primary School, Daisy Hill Primary 105209 Official site
St Thomas' C.E. School, Chequerbent Primary 105234 Official site
The Gates Primary School Primary 133926 Official site
Washacre Primary School Primary 105199
Westhoughton Parochial C.E. Primary School Primary 105237
Westhoughton Primary School Primary 105180 Official site
Westhoughton High School Secondary
& Sixth form		 105252 Official site

The long established County Primary schools at Wingates and Fourgates were closed in 2004.

[edit] Community services

[edit] Local Council

  • Westhoughton Town Hall, Market Street, Westhoughton.

[edit] Libraries

  • Westhoughton Library is located in Library Street (behind Westhoughton Town Hall), which includes Carnegie Hall on the first floor. The Hall contains a licensed bar and kitchen area.

[edit] Health

  • Peter House Surgery, Park Road, Westhoughton.
  • Rowlands Pharmacy, Market Street, Westhoughton.
  • Stable Fold Surgery, Church Street, Westhoughton.
  • Westhoughton Clinic, Market Street, Westhoughton.
  • Numark Pharmacy, Church Street, Weshoughton.

[edit] Police

Westhoughton's police post is based in Pavilion Square (off Cricketers' Way), which is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm. The nearest police station is Horwich Police Station on Burnden Way at the Middlebrook complex, which is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm and 11am to 4pm on Sundays. It is closed on Bank Holidays and has disabled access.[30]

Westhoughton's former police station, situated opposite the Red Lion Pub in Wigan Road, has been turned into a PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) to assist pupils with behavioural issues, underachievement and other problems.

[edit] Present day

[edit] Culture

As well as the central town area, Westhoughton is made up of several "villages" which have (or at least had) their own distinctive character, sports traditions, amenities including railway stations, these include: Wingates (famous for its Brass Band), Whimberry Hill, Four Gates, Cooper Turning, Marsh Brook, Hilton House, Chequerbent (which was all but totally destroyed by the building of a motorway), Snydale, Hart Common, Daisy Hill and Dobb Brow.

[edit] Events

Traditionally, Westhoughton hosted an annual summer show and carnival called Westhoughton Show, consisting of brass bands, Rose Queens, parades and a funfair. The Carnival was however not held for the first time in 2006 due to lack of funding, and popularity in previous years. It is expected though that there will be petitions and fund raising campaigns to ensure the show is not forgotten.

[edit] Shopping

Market Street is the main shopping area in the town, which includes various retail shops and supermarkets, and other small businesses. On Thursdays, Westhoughton Market is open for the public to buy and sell goods,

There is also Pavilion Square which hosts a few shops such as:

[edit] Restaurants

Westhoughton has several restaurants, including:

  • Casa Nostra, 2-4 Church Street
  • La Scala, 49 Chorley Road, Wingates
  • The Nawab, 47 Market Street
  • India Gate (Four Gates), Chorley Road
  • The Chinese Pavilion, 17 Pavilion Square

[edit] Pubs

Westhoughton has also a good number of public houses:

  • The Bridge Inn, 405 Wigan Road
  • The Brinsop Country Inn, 584-592 Chorley Road
  • The Commercial Hotel, 222 Church Street
  • The Cross Guns, 25 Bolton Road
  • The Daisy Hill Hotel, 3 Lower Leigh Road, Daisy Hill
  • The Grey Man, 88-90 Hindley Road, Daisy Hill
  • The Greyhound, 1 Manchester Road, Wingates
  • The Hart Common Hotel, 490 Wigan Road
  • The Howfener, 222 Bolton Road
  • The Red Lion, 4 Wigan Road
  • The Robert Shaw (JD Wetherspoon), 30-40 Market Street
  • The Rosehill Tavern, 321 Leigh Road
  • The Royal Oak, 480 Chorley Road
  • The Three Crowns, 152 Lower Leigh Road, Daisy Hill
  • The Victoria, 27 Market Street
  • The Wheatsheaf, 106 Market Street
  • The White Horse Tavern, 259 Bolton Road
  • The White Lion, 2 Market Street
  • The Windmill, 112 Chorley Road, Wingates

[edit] Parks

  • Central Park, located behind the town hall and library, includes bowling greens, tennis courts and a children's playground.
  • Hall Lee Bank Park is located to the east of the town centre on Park Road. It is a Site of Biological Importance (SBI) and Local Nature Reserve (LNR).[31][32][33][34]

[edit] Sport

  • Daisy Hill Football Club
  • Daisy Hill Cricket Club
  • Westhoughton Golf Club
  • Hart Common Golf Club
  • Westhoughton Leisure Centre
  • Westhoughton Cricket Club
  • Westhoughton Lions Amateur Rugby League Club

[edit] Transport

[edit] Roads

Westhoughton is located south of junction 5 of the M61 motorway. The main roads which run through the town are the A58 (Park Road/Cricketers Way/Wigan Road), and the A6 (Manchester Road/Chorley Road). The secondary roads are the B5236 (Church Street), the B5235 (Bolton Road/Mill Street/Leigh Road), and the B5239 (Dicconson Lane).

[edit] Railways

There are two railway stations in the town. Westhoughton railway station, is on Church Street, and Daisy Hill railway station, is on Leigh Road. Both stations are served by Northern Rail and run between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester - trains from Westhoughton to Manchester Piccadilly run via Bolton, trains from Daisy Hill to Manchester Victoria run via Atherton. In the past there were stations at Chequerbent (closed 1952: http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/c/chequerbent/index1.shtml) and Hilton House (closed 1956), that area now served by Horwich Parkway station.

In the late 1980's Westhoughton very nearly had a new third station at Dobb Brow and planning went so far as the proposed station to appear on railway maps as may open during the course of this timetable. Sadly, at the last moment plans were shelved:

http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2000/10/28/708192.html

Lostock (Junction) and Horwich Parkway, on the fringes of the North of Westhoughton also serve the town.

[edit] Buses

Westhoughton is served by several buses, linking the town with Bolton, Wigan and Leigh, Greater Manchester. The most frequent service is the 540 between Bolton and Wigan. The service is run by First Manchester and operates every 10 minutes during the day, Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays. There are additional journeys run by Arriva between Bolton and Daisy Hill. Other bus services in Westhoughton are the 38 Daisy Hill - Walkden (peak mornings only), 516 Leigh - Horwich (Evenings only), 521 Blackrod - Little Lever, 559 Bolton - Hindley, 615 Leigh - Wigan and 715 Bolton - Wigan.

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] Robert Shaw

Born on King Street, in Westhoughton in 1927, he most notably appeared in Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the James Bond film, From Russia With Love. Robert Shaw is fondly remembered as one of the town's sons. A plaque on Westhoughton Town Hall commemorates him and his works. The J. D. Wetherspoon chain of Free Houses has also named its Westhoughton branch on Market Street, situated opposite King Street, after the actor.[35]

[edit] Others

  • Francis Lee - Footballer. Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, Derby County. England (27 caps).
  • Nicky Hunt - Footballer
  • Houghton Weavers a local folk group who had their own BBC TV series in the 1970s entitled Sit thi' Deawn.

[edit] References

  1. ^ A select gazetteer of local government areas, Greater Manchester County. Greater Manchester County Records Office. Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
  2. ^ AA Route Planner. URL accessed 29 May 2007.
  3. ^ Neighbourhood Statistics - Westhoughton CP (Parish). URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  4. ^ English Place Names - The Anglo-Saxons. URL accessed 23 May 2007.
  5. ^ a b Gazetteer of Greater Manchester Placenames - Westhoughton. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  6. ^ a b c Townships: Westhoughton, A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5 (1911), pp. 20-5. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  7. ^ a b Billington, W.D. (1982). From Affetside to Yarrow : Bolton place names and their history, Ross Anderson Publications (ISBN 0-86360-003-4).
  8. ^ Bolton Revisited - Timeline: 1800-1820. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  9. ^ Trouble at' Mill - Keawyed City. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  10. ^ Spatacus schoolnet - The Luddites. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  11. ^ Cotton Times - Luddites: War against the machines - Page 2. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  12. ^ Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerks - Westhoughton Calendar of Events. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  13. ^ Capital Punishment U.K. - Public executions 1800-1827. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  14. ^ The Pretoria Coal Mining Disaster. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  15. ^ www.pitwork.net - Oaks Colliery (near Barnsley). URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  16. ^ The Senghenydd Coal Mining Disaster. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  17. ^ St Bartholomew’s Church, Westhoughton (Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project). URL accessed 26 October 2006.
  18. ^ Bradshaw Gass & Hope website. URL accessed 26 October 2007.
  19. ^ Blessing for church that's risen from ashes. The Bolton Evening News, dated 30 October 1995.
  20. ^ Nicholsons of Malvern - portfolio. URL accessed 26 October 2006.
  21. ^ Bolton Poor Law Union. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  22. ^ Westhoughton UD: Historical Boundaries. Vision of Britain. URL accessed 26 February 2008.
  23. ^ Greater Manchester Record Office - Westhoughton. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  24. ^ Bolton Metropolitan Borough Councillors. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  25. ^ Town Council Election Results 2007 - Blackrod, Horwich, and Westhoughton. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  26. ^ Pauline Tatton, Local population statistics 1801-1986, Bolton Central Library Archives, Le Mans Crescent, Bolton, BL1 1SE.
  27. ^ Westhoughton USD: Total Population. Vision of Britain. URL accessed 22 May 2007.
  28. ^ Westhoughton UD: Total Population. Vision of Britain.URL accessed 26 February 2008.
  29. ^ National Registration Act, 1939. Rootsweb.com. URL accessed 8 June 2007.
  30. ^ Greater Manchester Police - Bolton West. URL accessed 26 May 2007.
  31. ^ The Wildlife Trust - Hall Lee Bank Park. URL accessed 27 May 2007.
  32. ^ Hall Lee Bank Park Local Nature Reserve. URL accessed 27 May 2007.
  33. ^ History: Hall Lee Bank Park. URL accessed 27 May 2007.
  34. ^ People and places around Westhougton. URL accessed 27 May 2007.
  35. ^ Internet Movie Database - Robert Shaw. URL accessed 27 May 2007.
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