Wikipedia

Leigh, Greater Manchester

Leighis a town inGreater Manchester,England, on low-lying land northwest ofChat Moss.

Leigh
Obelisk and Michael Caines bench
Leigh is located in Greater Manchester
Leigh
Leigh
Location withinGreater Manchester
Population41,275[1]
OS grid referenceSD655005
•London169 mi (272 km)SSE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLEIGH
Postcode districtWN7
Dialling code01942
PoliceGreater Manchester
FireGreater Manchester
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester
53°29′51″N2°30′54″W/ 53.4975°N 2.5150°W/53.4975; -2.5150

Within the boundaries of thehistoric countyofLancashire,Leigh was originally the centre of a large ecclesiastical parish covering sixvillsortownships.When the three townships ofPennington,WestleighandBedfordmerged in 1875, forming the Leigh Local Board District, Leigh became the official name for the town, although it had been applied to the area of Pennington and Westleigh around the parish church for many centuries.[2] The town became anurban districtin 1894 when part of Atherton was added.[3]In 1899 Leigh became amunicipal borough.The first town hall was built on King Street and replaced by the present building in 1907.

Originally an agricultural area (noted for dairy farming), domestic spinning and weaving led to a considerable silk industry and, in the 20th century, the cotton industry. Leigh also exploited the underlyingcoal measures,particularly after the town was connected to the canals and railways. Leigh had an important engineering base. The legacy of Leigh's industrial past can be seen in the remaining red brick mills – some of which arelisted buildings– although it is now a mainly residential town, withEdwardianandVictorianterraced housing packed around the town centre. Leigh's present-day economy is based largely on the retail sector.

History

edit

Toponymy

edit

Leigh is derived from theOld Englishleahwhich meant a place at the wood or woodland clearing, a glade and subsequently a pasture or meadow, it was spelt Legh in 1276.[4]Other recorded spellings include Leech, 1264; Leeche, 1268; Leghthe, 1305; Leght, 1417; Lech, 1451; Legh, 16th century. As its name denotes it was a district rich in meadow and pasture land, and the produce of its dairies, the Leigh cheese, was formerly noted for its excellence.[2] Westleigh, the west clearing, was Westeley in 1237, Westlegh in 1238 and Westlay in Legh in 1292.[5] Pennington was recorded as Pininton and Pynynton in 1246 and 1360, Penynton in 1305, Pynyngton in 1351 and 1442 and Penyngton in 1443, the endingtundenotes an enclosure, farmstead or manor in Old English.[6]The ford of Beda, probably through the Pennington Brook gave its name to Bedford which was recorded as Beneford from 1200 to 1221 and Bedeford in 1200 and 1296.[7]

Early history

edit

The earliest signs of human activity in Leigh are evidenced by a Neolithic stone axe found in Pennington and a bronze spearhead from south of Gas Street.[8]A single Roman coin was found at Butts in Bedford.[9]After theRoman departure from Britain,and into thehistory of Anglo-Saxon England,nothing was written about Leigh. However, evidence for the presence ofSaxonsin what was a sparsely populated and isolated part of the country is provided by local township place names that incorporate the Old English suffixleah,such as Leigh,Tyldesley,ShakerleyandAstley.[10]

Townships

edit

In the 12th century theancient parishof Leigh was made up of sixtownships,including Pennington,[11]Bedford,[12]Westleigh,[13]Atherton,Astley, and Tyldesley cum Shakerley. Weekly markets were held by the parish church and a cattle fair held twice-yearly.[14]

The land to the south ofAthertonincludes the feudal barony of Atherleigh, created by Queen Elizabeth, and Bedfordmanor,which was mentioned in documents in 1202 when it was held by Sir Henry de Kighley whose family held it until the 16th century, but never actually lived there.[7] The Shuttleworths, landowners from the 14th century, were another prominent Bedford family. Richard Shuttleworth married a daughter of the Urmstons from Westleigh and brought part of the Westleigh inheritance to Bedford. This family lived at Shuttleworth House, or Sandypool Farm as it is also known, which is south of theBridgewater Canalnear to the old manor house,Bedford Hall,which survives today as a Grade II listed building.[7][15]Another prominent Bedford family, the Sales of Hope Carr Hall, had a great deal of influence in Bedford for over 400 years, and owned more land than the Shuttleworths.[7]The family wererecusantsand secretly kept the "old faith" whenRoman Catholicismwas subject to civil or criminal penalties. Hope Carr Hall wasmoatedas was nearby Brick House.[9]

The manor house of Westleigh was at Higher Hall and existed inRichard I's time (1189–1199).[5]In 1292 Sigreda, the heiress of the manor, married Richard de Urmston, and the manor passed to the Urmston family and remained there until the last of the male Urmstons died in 1659.[5]It was later abandoned because of miningsubsidenceand Westleigh Old Hall became the manor by repute. The Ranicars and the Marsh families lived here.[5]Westleigh Old Hall was another Leigh hall that had a moat.[9]

The Pennington family owned Pennington Hall from about 1200 until they were replaced by the Bradshaw or Bradshaighs in 1312.[6]The Bradshaws held the manor until 1703 when John, the last of the male line died. Pennington Hall was rebuilt in 1748 by the then-owner Samuel Hilton and in 1807 sold to the Gaskell family of Thornes, Wakefield, who let it to a succession of tenants.[6]Around 1840 James Pownall, a founder member of thesilkmanufacturing firm, Bickham and Pownall, was a tenant. Later occupants were Charles Jackson, a cotton manufacturer, Jabez Johnson, and F.W. Bouth founder of Bouth's Mill in 1862, The last resident was the brewer George Shaw. On 3 December 1919 George Shaw & Co Ltd offered the hall and grounds to the people of Leigh. The gift was accepted and opened to the public on 25 August 1920.[16]The hall was converted to a museum and art gallery in 1928 but was demolished in 1963. The grounds are now Pennington Park.

Civil War

edit

Leigh was divided in its allegiance during theEnglish Civil War,some of the population supporting theRoyalists' cause while others supported theParliamentarians.A battle was fought in the town on 2 December 1642, when a group of Chowbenters, men from neighbouring Atherton, beat back and then routed Cavalier troops under the command ofJames Stanley, the 7th Earl of Derby. Sir Thomas Tyldesleyof Myerscough and Morleys Hall,Astley,was killed on 25 August 1651 at theBattle of Wigan Laneand is buried in the Tyldesley Chapel in Leigh Parish Church.[9] The Earl of Derby passed through Leigh again in 1651, when he spent his last night in the King's Arms, before going on to his execution outsideYe Olde Man & ScytheInn inBolton.[9]

Industrial Revolution

edit
Butts Mill, Leigh

At the end of the 16th century, although agriculture and the dairy industry, particularly the production of Leigh cheese, sometimes known as Leigh Toaster, were important,[17]spinningandweavingbegan to develop as acottage industry.Work was supplied fromManchesterby agents who brought work weekly often to an inn, and where they collected the finished cloth. At first, the work was done to supplement the income of local farmers and their families. The cloth woven in Leigh wasfustian,a sort of roughcorduroy,and by the end of the 17th-century middlemen, fustian masters, were dealing directly with weavers and selling the finished cloth in Manchester.[18] It is a tradition in the town that a local man,Thomas Highs,was the inventor of aspinning jennyand thewater framein the 1760s, the latter invention being pirated byRichard Arkwright,who subsequently made a fortune from thepatentroyalties.[19] These 18th-century improvements to the spinning process meant that handloom weavers were in great demand.[20]but as power looms were introduced in factories in Manchester there was less work for them and there was serious unemployment in the town. In 1827silkweaving began in Leigh, either as the result of a dispute or a labour shortage in theMiddletonsilk industry. William Walker was a middleman who opened the first silk mill in Leigh in 1828, and others quickly followed, including James Pownall and Henry Hilton, whose mill survived until 1926.[21][22] Severalcotton millswere built in Leigh after the mid-1830s, and some silk mills were converted to cotton after 1870.[9]

TheLeigth Feighttook place on 14 August 1839. Thechartistshad called for a strike at a time when there was social unrest over the high levels of unemployment and high cost of living. A mob of at least 2,000 gathered in Leigh. About 400–500 workers from Chowbent threatened to burn down Hayes Mill. A detachment of troops fromHaydockwas called out, and special constables sworn in by the local magistrate. TheRiot Actwas read by Squire Thomas Withington of Culcheth Hall and for a while the mob dispersed but reassembled later. Many were injured in the fighting that took place and arrests were made. Those arrested were severely punished, while others ensured that radicalism continued in Leigh, leading eventually to electoral reform and universal suffrage.[23]

The large multi-storey spinning mills came later, and five survive today. Mill complexes were built at Kirkhall Lane and Firs Lane in Westleigh, and in Pennington and Bedford.[9]Leigh Spinners[24]is a Grade II* listed building. Mather Lane Mill close to the Bridgewater Canal is a Grade II listed building.[25]More than 6,000 people were employed in textiles in Leigh in 1911.[9]

Coal mining

edit
Parsonage Colliery in 1980

There had beendrift minesin Westleigh since the 12th century but during the second half of the 19th century it became possible to mine the deeperseamsandcoalbegan to be an important industry andcoal miningbecame the largest user of labour after the textile industry in Leigh.[26]Parsonage Colliery,the last pit to be sunk in Leigh, was one of the deepest in the country, going down to over 3,000 ft (900 m).[27]The extent of mining at Parsonage Colliery increased in the 1960s with the driving of the Horizon Tunnel, which accessed previously inaccessible seams around 6 ft (2 m) high that were easy to work. The seams were wet, and a series of pumps was used to remove the water into underground canals before it was pumped into the canal at Leigh. Thewinding engineat Parsonage was a steam engine, fuelled bymethaneextracted from the workings, while the neighbouringBickershaw Collieryhad a superior electric system. In 1974, the two pits were linked underground, and all coal was wound at Bickershaw, which had better facilities, while Parsonage was used for supplies. The entireLancashire Coalfieldis closed to deep mining, although several open-cast mines are still in operation elsewhere in the county.

Mining disasters in Leigh included theexplosionoffiredampwhich caused the deaths of 38 miners atBedford Collieryon 13 August 1886.[28]There were several accidents at Bickershaw Colliery, but the most serious was in 1932, when 19 men were drowned in the sump at the bottom of the shaft after an overwind of the cage.[29][30]

List of coal mines operating in Leigh

Manufacturing

edit

Other notable industry included thetractorfactory ofDavid Brown Limited,which was in Leigh following the acquisition in 1955 of Harrison, McGregor and Guest's Albion range of farm machinery products.[33]Rope-manufacture was another local industry: Mansley's Rope works on Twist Lane made rope by hand, using arope walk.The factory burnt down in 1912.[34]Anchor Cables had a large works close to the Bridgewater Canal. The company was bought by Callender's Cables, in 1903, later to becomeBritish Insulated Callender's Cables(BICC), part ofBalfour Beatty.[35]Another major 20th century employer was Sutcliffe Speakman, which madeactivated carbonand brick-making equipment.[36]

Governance

edit
The coat of arms of the formerLeigh Municipal Borough Council

Leigh is covered by three electoral wards[citation needed],Leigh Central & Higher Folds, Leigh South and Leigh West, of theMetropolitan Borough of Wigan,although Atherton South does include some properties in Leigh. Each ward elects three councillors to the 75-member metropolitan borough council, Wigan'slocal authority.As of 2009, all nine ward councillors for Leigh, including leader of the council, Lord Smith of Leigh, are members of theLabour Partywho control the council.[37]

Historically, Leigh's townships were in theHundredofWest Derby,a judicial division of southwest Lancashire. Pennington, Westleigh and Bedford were three of the six townships or vills that made up the ancient parish of Leigh. The townships existed before the parish.[2]

Leigh Town Hall

Under the terms of thePoor Law Amendment Act 1834the townships formed part of LeighPoor Law Union,established on 26 January 1837 and responsible for an area covering the whole of the ancient parish and part ofWinwick.Workhousesin Pennington, Culcheth, Tyldesley and Lowton were replaced byLeigh Union workhouseat Atherleigh in the 1850s.[38]In 1875 LeighLocal Board of Healthwas established, covering the areas of the former Bedford, Pennington and Westleigh Local Boards of Health. In 1894 the area of the Local Board, together with part of Atherton township, became LeighUrban District,which was granted honorificborough statusin 1899 becoming theMunicipal Borough of Leigh.

In the early twentieth centuryLeigh saw continued activismforwomen's suffrage,with local activity by theWomen's Social and Political Union,theNational Union of Women's Suffrage Societies,theNorth of England Society for Women's Suffrage,the Leigh Women's Liberal Association and local branches of theWomen's Labour League.

In 1969 there was an exchange of very small areas withGolborneUrban District. Following theLocal Government Act 1972,the Municipal Borough of Leigh was abolished and its territory included as part of theMetropolitan Borough of Wigan,a local government district of Greater Manchester.[39]In 1998, an area (Lately Common) was further ceded to theBorough of Warrington– one of the few parts of England to have been in three different counties since the mid-20th century[citation needed]:Lancashire, then Greater Manchester, then Cheshire.

Andy Burnhamrepresented the parliamentary seat forLeighfor the Labour Party from2001 general election.Between 10 June 2009 and the 2010 general election he was Secretary of State at the Department of Health.[40]At the2010 general electionBurnham retained the Leigh seat with 24,295 votes and a majority of 15,011, representing 51.3% of the vote.[41]Burnham was re-elected MP for the Leigh constituency in 2015 with 24,312 votes which was 53.9% of the total vote cast.[42]He stepped down in 2017 to stand as a candidate for the position ofMayor of Greater Manchester.Jo Platt,representing Labour, was elected in2017with 26,347 votes which was 56.2% of the total votes cast.[43]Jo Platt was defeated in the2019 General Election,byJames Grundy:the first ever Conservative representative for Leigh. [44]

Geography

edit
Further information:Geography of Greater Manchester
Leigh
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
70
8
2
70
8
2
50
10
3
63
13
5
51
16
8
58
19
10
54
21
12
69
21
12
63
18
10
88
14
7
82
10
4
79
7
2
█Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█Precipitation totals in mm
Source:[45]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
2.8
46
36
2.8
46
36
2
50
37
2.5
55
41
2
61
46
2.3
66
50
2.1
70
54
2.7
70
54
2.5
64
50
3.5
57
45
3.2
50
39
3.1
45
36
█Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█Precipitation totals in inches

Leigh is low-lying; land to the south and east, close toChat Moss,is 50 feet (15 m) above mean sea level.[2]The highest land, to the north and west, rises gently to 125 feet (38 m).Astley and Bedford Mossesare fragments of the raised bog that once covered a large area north of theRiver Merseyand along with Holcroft andRisley Mossesare part of Manchester Mosses, aEuropean UniondesignatedSpecial Area of Conservation.[46]The area is in the River Mersey Basin; drained into the Mersey by several streams, including the Westleigh and Pennington Brooks that join others flowing through Bedford to form theGlaze Brook.[2]The southeast of the town hasalluvialand peaty soils,[7]but the rest is loam overlaying sandstone, or coal measures in the north.[5][7]Magnesian limestoneoccurs in Bedford and neighbouring Astley.[2][47]Mining subsidence and flooding have caused the formation of "flashes" to the south and west of the town, the largest of which is south of theLeeds and Liverpool Canalin Pennington.Pennington Flash Country Parkis a 490-acre (200 ha) country park and nature reserve with a 170-acre (69 ha) flash or lake.[48]

Leigh is crossed by theBoltontoSt HelensRoad high road,[2]an oldpackhorseroute that became aturnpike roadin 1762.[20]The A579 road bypasses the town centre using the line of theBolton and Leigh Railway.The Bridgewater Canal and the Leigh Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal cross the town west to east, the canals meeting at Leigh Bridge just south of the town centre.[6][49] In the 1930s theA580 "East Lancashire Road"was built crossing to the south of the town.

Demography

edit
Leigh Compared
2001 Census Leigh Wigan MB GM Urban Area England
Total population 43,006 301,415 2,240,230 49,138,831
White 98.3% 98.7% 90.3% 90.9%
Asian 0.8% 0.4% 6.2% 4.6%
Black 0.2% 0.2% 1.3% 2.3%
Source: Office for National Statistics[50][51]

At the time of theUnited Kingdom Census 2001,according to theOffice for National Statistics,the Urban Subdivision of Leigh[52]was part of theGreater Manchester Urban Areaand had a total resident population of 43,006, of which 20,990 (48.8%) were male and 22,016 (51.2%) were female, with 18,270 households.[53]The settlement occupied 884 hectares (3.41 sq mi), compared with 858 hectares (3.31 sq mi) in the 1991 census. Its population density was 48.65 people per hectare compared with an average of 40.20 across the Greater Manchester Urban Area.[54]The median age of the population was 37, compared with 36 within the Greater Manchester Urban Area and 37 across England and Wales.[55]

The majority of the population of Leigh were born in England (95.92%); 2.10% were born elsewhere within the United Kingdom, 0.95% within the rest of the European Union, and 1.47% elsewhere in the world.[56]

Data on religious beliefs across the town in the 2001 census show that 85.5% declared themselves to beChristian,7.6% said they held no religion, and 0.6% reported themselves asMuslim.[57]

Most of Leigh is within theWarrington&Wigantravel to work area(TTWA), whilst part of the eastern side of the town is within theManchesterTTWA.[58]The entire town is within the Manchesterlarger urban zone.[59]

At the time of the 2001 Census, there were 19,051 people (44.3%) in employment who were resident within Leigh. Of these, 18.36% worked within the wholesale and retail trade, including repair of motor vehicles; 21.60% worked within manufacturing industry; and 11.99% worked within the health and social work sector.[60]45.16% of households owned a single car or van, with 30.77% owning none. The average car ownership per household was 0.98, compared with 0.93 across the Greater Manchester Urban Area.[53]

Population change

edit
Population growth in Leigh from 1801 to 2001
Year 1801 1811 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891
Population no data no data 18,372 20,083 28,568 5,206 10,621 no data no data 28,708
Year 1901 1911 1921 1931 1939 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Population 40,001 44,103 45,532 45,317 45,458 48,728 46,174 no data 42,929 43,150 43,006
Parish 1821–1861[61][62][63]

• Urban Sanitary District 1891[64]• Urban District 1901–1961[65]• Urban Subdivision 1981–2001[66][67][68]

Economy

edit
Leigh Library, [1971], also houses Turnpike Gallery & Derby Room

Leigh has a traditional town centre with daily outdoor and indoor markets.[69]Part of the town centre ispedestrianisedand there are local independent and multiple retailers. The Spinning Gate Centre in the centre of town has about thirty retail units.[70] Aretail parkdeveloped on the old Parsonage Colliery site is within walking distance of the town centre.[71]

Opened in 2008Leigh Sports Villagehas an 12 ,000-capacity stadium (anchored byLeigh Leopardsand shared with the reserves ofManchester United), an athletics arena for Leigh Harriers, facilities for Leigh East Rugby League Club, a college campus, hotel, leisure retail and business facilities for the community.[72]In 2011 a Morrisons store opened at the sports village.[73]Additionally, Manchester United's main women's team began to play home games at the stadium in 2018.

Another regeneration project on the site of the former Bickershaw Colliery complex which closed in 1992 will redevelop the site and canal side with a country park and housing.[74] In 2011 "The Loom" a £50million retail development opened on the north side of the Bridgewater Canal with a seven-screen cinema, Tesco Extra store,Nando'sandFrankie and Benny's.[75]

Landmarks

edit

Major landmarks in Leigh are the red sandstone parish church and across the civic square,Leigh Town Halland its associated shops on Market Street. The Grade II listedObeliskthat replaced the originalmarket crossis also situated here.[76]Many town centre buildings including the Boar's Head public house[77]are inred RuabonorAccrington bricks,often withgablesandterracottadressings.[9]There are several large multi-storeycotton millsbuilt along the Bridgewater Canal that are a reminder of Leigh's textile industry but most are now underused and deteriorating despite listed building status.[78]Leigh's War Memorial by local architectJ.C. Prestwichis at the junction of Church Street and Silk Street and is a Grade II listed structure.[79]St Joseph's Church and St Thomas's Church on opposite sides of Chapel Street are both imposing churches using different materials and styles.

Transport

edit

Historically, Leigh was well connected with local transport infrastructure but, with the closure of the railway in 1969, this is no longer the case. Leigh became, and remains, one of the largest towns in Britain without direct access to theNational Railnetwork. Public transport in the area is co-ordinated byTransport for Greater Manchester.

Buses

edit
Leigh bus station

There are bus services operated byFirst Greater Manchester,Diamond Bus North West,Stagecoach Manchester,Warrington's Own Buses,Arriva North West,Vision Bus and Tyrers fromLeigh bus stationto many local destinations includingWigan,Bolton,Warrington,ManchesterandSt Helens.[80]There had been suggestions to reopen the railway via Tyldesley to Manchester, but aguided busway[81]scheme was chosen for the route; this decision was not universally popular.[82]Construction commenced in 2012[83]and theLeigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transitopened on 3 April 2016.[84]

Canals

edit

TheBridgewater Canalwas extended fromWorsleyto the middle of Leigh in 1795.[85][86]In 1819 the fifth Leeds and Liverpool Canal Act was passed for the construction of the Leigh Branch and by 1820 the Leigh branch canal was cut from theLeeds and Liverpool Canalat Poolstock, Wigan to meet the Bridgewater at Leigh Bridge, giving access from Leigh to all parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire and the Midlands.[87]

Railways

edit

The nearest railway station to Leigh is atAtherton,3 miles (5 km) to the north; it provides regular services betweenWiganandManchester,operated byNorthern.This leaves the bus station as Leigh's only public transport link.

Leighwas the southernterminusof the 7.5-mile-long (12 km)Bolton and Leigh Railway;George Stephensoncarried out the survey for the line. It opened between Bolton and William Hulton's coal mines at Chequerbent for freight on 1 August 1828 and to the terminus at the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Leigh in March 1830.[88]Passengers were carried from 13 June 1831. The first locomotive on the line was an0-4-0called theLancashire Witch.The railway station was atWestleigh.[89]Later the line was extended southwards to Pennington.[90]Atherleighopened in 1935. The line was closed to passenger traffic on 29 March 1954, and later closed completely.[91]

In 1861, theLondon and North Western Railwayrevived powers granted to theLancashire and Yorkshire Railwayto build a railway fromManchesterviaEcclesandTyldesleytoWiganwith a branch toKenyon Junctionon the Liverpool to Manchester Line via Leigh andPennington.[92]The station, originally namedBedford Leighserved the town. The railway crossed the town on a viaduct which has since been largely demolished;[93]it closed in May 1969. After the reopening ofMansfieldandCorby railway stations,Leigh is now one of the largest towns in Great Britain without a railway station. Numerouscollierylines crossed the town but, with the closure of the collieries, these were no longer required.

Trams and trolley buses

edit

In 1900, a Bill authorising theSouth Lancashire TramwaysCompany to construct over 62 miles (100 km) oftramwayin southern Lancashire was given Royal Assent.[94] However, by November 1900 the South Lancashire Electric Traction and Power Company had acquired the shares. The first section of tramway opened on 20 October 1902 betweenLowtonand Four Lanes Ends via Leigh and Atherton. The company got into financial difficulty and in turn became Lancashire United Tramways laterLancashire United Transport.On 16 December 1933, the last tram service ran from Leigh to Four Lane Ends and the next day trolley buses took over.[95] An Act of 4 August 1920 authorised Leigh Municipal Borough to run buses. A garage built on Windermere Road was soon outgrown and replaced by one on Holden Road. The corporation had a fleet of 70 vehicles duringWorld War II.[96]

Education

edit
Former Leigh Grammar School for Girls
Further information:List of schools in Wigan

LeighGrammar Schoolexisted in 1655 but its foundation is unclear. The building was next to the churchyard,[97]but the school moved to Manchester Road in 1931. Leigh Girls' Grammar School was established in 1921,[97]but both schools were abolished by the then Secretary of State for Education,Shirley Williams,in the 1976 Education Act. Leigh high schools includeBedford High School,[98]andThe Westleigh School.[99]Pupils also attend schools in Atherton, Lowton, Golborne and Astley.Wigan and Leigh Collegeprovides post-16 education.

Religion

edit
See also:List of churches in Greater Manchester
Door of Church of St Mary the Virgin

St Mary the Virgin's Churchhas been in existence since the 12th century and probably much earlier.[9]It was once known as the Church of St Peter at Westleigh in Leigh, and straddles the boundary between the old townships of Westleigh and Pennington, the nave and churchyard, in Westleigh and the chancel in Pennington. Its early history is connected with the Westleigh and Urmston families. Its dedication changed to St Mary the Virgin in the 14th century.[2]The church tower, said to have been built in 1516, is all that remains of the medieval structure, which was replaced by the present church after becoming unsafe.Paley and AustinofLancasterdesigned the present church, the foundation stone was laid in 1871 and the church consecrated in 1873. The church is built in red sandstone it is a Grade II* listed building.[100]

Parish churches have been built in each of the former townships. The first St Thomas's Church in Bedford was consecrated in 1840 and replaced by the present church in 1909. It is built of Accrington red brick with Runcorn red sandstone facings, to designs byJ. S. Crowther.[101]Christ Church, Pennington,designed by architectE. H. Shellard,was built in Yorkshire stone and was consecrated in 1854. The site to the south of the canal was a rapidly growing area at this time. It is Grade II listed.[102]Westleigh St Paul, founded in 1847 is on Westleigh Lane. Westleigh St Peter, a Grade II* listed building by Paley and Austin, built in brick with red sandstone dressings, was founded 1881 is on Firs Lane.[103]

The first Catholic chapel was built in Bedford on the corner of Mather Lane and Chapel Street in 1778 and this lasted until it was replaced in 1855 bySt Joseph's Churchby architectJoseph Hansom.[104]A growing Catholic population in the area led to the building of Our Lady of the Rosary in Plank Lane in 1879, Twelve Apostles in 1879 and Sacred Heart in 1929. Other denominations catered for include Wesleyan, Independent, Primitive, Welsh and United Methodists. There are also Unitarian, Baptist and Jehovah's Witness places of worship in the town.[105]

Sport

edit
Leigh Sports Villagestadium under construction in May 2008

Leigh has a professionalrugby leagueteam –Leigh Leopards[106]– whose main claim to fame is beatingHull KR17-16 in the 2023Challenge Cupfinal atWembley Stadiumfor the third time. The club play in theSuper League.Leigh has several amateur clubs, includingLeigh EastandLeigh Miners Rangers.

The town had a semi-professionalfootballteam,Leigh Genesis(formerly Leigh RMI),[107]which ceased operations at a senior level in June 2011. The most successful amateur club is Leigh Athletic,[108]which currently plays in theManchester Football League.

Leigh also has an athletics club, Leigh Harriers AC, founded in 1909,[109]and a Rugby Union club, Leigh RUFC, based at Round Ash Park, which gained promotion in 2007, to RFU league North 2 (West), and is current holder of the Lancashire Trophy which it won in May 2008 for the third consecutive year. Attached to the club is acrown green bowlingsection which runs several teams in local bowling leagues.[110]Leigh has two cricket clubs: Leigh Cricket Club play in the ECB Premier League Liverpool Competition,[111]and Westleigh Cricket Club,[112]have two senior and 4 junior teams playing in the Greater Manchester Cricket League.[113]

Media

edit

Local news and television programmes are provided byBBC North WestandITV Granada.Television signals are received from theWinter HillTV transmitter.[114]

The town is served by bothBBC Radio LancashireandBBC Radio Manchester.Other radio stations areGreatest Hits Radio Wigan & St Helens,Heart North West,Smooth North West,XS Manchester,Capital Manchester and Lancashireand Radio M29, a community based station.[115]

Local newspaper is theLeigh Journalwhich publishes on Thursdays. Other regional newspapers that cover the town areManchester Evening NewsandNorth West Enquirer.[116]

Culture

edit

Many of Leigh's old halls have been demolished but the sites of Lilford Park, once the grounds ofAtherton Hall,a gift to Leigh from Lord Lilford in 1914[117][118]and Pennington Park, the grounds of Pennington Hall which was demolished in 1963 after being used as a museum, are open to the public.[119]

Leigh's wealth as an industrial town resulted in many outlets for the entertainment of its population, including theatres, cinemas and public houses. In 1908 the Hippodrome Theatre on Leigh Road was built on the site of Walker's silk mill of 1827, this subsequently became a cinema, first the Odeon, later the Classic.[120]Another theatre, the Theatre Royal, was built on Lord Street which later became the Leigh Casino Club.[121]The Palace Cinema was built in 1913 on Railway Road and the assembly rooms above the Conservative Club, were converted to a cinema known as the Sems in 1908.[122]Brewery Lane is a reminder that there was once a brewery in Bedford belonging to George Shaw & Co.[123] The old Leigh College and Library on Railway Road was built between 1894 and 1896 by the Leigh Literary Society to designs by J. C. Prestwich and J. H. Stephen.[124]The present library was built in 1971 between the parish church and town hall.[125]

Leigh Hackspacewas founded as a UKCommunity interest companyin 2015[126]

Notable people

edit

See also

edit

References

edit

Citations

edit
  1. ^Census 2011: Population and Household Estimates for Wards(PDF),leigh Council,archived(PDF)from the original on 11 June 2016,retrieved19 May2016
  2. ^abcdefghFarrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1907),"The parish of Leigh: Introduction, church and charities",A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3,British History Online, pp.413–421,archivedfrom the original on 21 October 2012,retrieved7 August2009
  3. ^Greater Manchester Gazetteer,Greater Manchester County Record Office, archived fromthe originalon 18 July 2011,retrieved3 June2010
  4. ^Mills (1998), p. 218.
  5. ^abcdeFarrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1907),"Westleigh",A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3,British History Online, pp.421–426,archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2012,retrieved28 July2009
  6. ^abcdFarrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1907),"Pennington",A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3,British History Online, pp.426–431,archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2012,retrieved28 July2009
  7. ^abcdefFarrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1907),"Bedford",A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3,British History Online, pp.431–435,archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2012,retrieved28 July2009
  8. ^25 things you never knew about Leigh(PDF),Wigan Council, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2 February 2012,retrieved31 January2011
  9. ^abcdefghijLeighTownTrailPart1(PDF),Government of the United Kingdom, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 22 September 2013,retrieved14 August2009
  10. ^Mills (1998), p. 405.
  11. ^Pennington Township Boundaries,GENUKI,archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2012,retrieved9 August2009
  12. ^Bedford Township Boundaries,GENUKI,archivedfrom the original on 25 October 2007,retrieved9 August2009
  13. ^Westleigh Township Boundaries,GENUKI,archivedfrom the original on 7 November 2010,retrieved9 August2009
  14. ^LeighTownTrailPart1(PDF),Government of the United Kingdom, p. 6, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 29 September 2011,retrieved14 August2009
  15. ^Historic England,"Bedford Hall (1356220)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved10 September2009
  16. ^[Leigh Chronicle – Pennington Hall, (8 April 1949)]
  17. ^Leigh Cheese(PDF),wlct, p. 30, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 28 September 2007,retrieved18 October2009
  18. ^Ackers (1978), p. 3.
  19. ^Richard Guest (1823),A Compedious History of the Cotton-Manufacture,retrieved25 August2009
  20. ^abAckers (1978), p. 4.
  21. ^Ackers (1978), p. 8.
  22. ^Holcroft (1998), p. 10.
  23. ^Lunn (1958), pp.84–86.
  24. ^Historic England,"Leigh Mill, Park Lane (1253119)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved10 September2009
  25. ^Historic England,"Mather Lane Mill (1356246)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved10 September2009
  26. ^Ackers (1978), p. 11.
  27. ^"Parsonage Colliery 1934",Parliamentary Debates (Hansard),21 February 1934,archivedfrom the original on 19 July 2009,retrieved19 September2009
  28. ^Bedford Colliery Disaster(PDF),cmhrc.co.uk, p. 1, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 13 June 2010,retrieved1 November2009
  29. ^Bickershaw Colliery Disaster,communigate.co.uk, archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2011,retrieved1 November2009
  30. ^Bickershaw Colliery Disaster(PDF),cmhrc.co.uk, p. 4, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 10 October 2010,retrieved1 November2009
  31. ^abcdefghijklmn"Lists of UK Mines".Coal Mining History Resource Centre.Archivedfrom the original on 19 June 2008.Retrieved7 July2009.
  32. ^abcde"East Lancashire".communigate.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 15 May 2011.Retrieved1 November2009.
  33. ^David Brown Tractors,dbtc.co.uk,archivedfrom the original on 22 May 2009,retrieved9 August2009
  34. ^LeighTownTrailPart2(PDF),Government of the United Kingdom, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 22 September 2013,retrieved10 September2009
  35. ^Morgan, R. M. (1982).Callender's 1888–1945.Prescott: BICC plc, Chapter 7; "Anchor Works".
  36. ^Sutcliffe Speakman(PDF),sutcliffespeakman, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 28 November 2006,retrieved25 August2009
  37. ^Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council,Councillor & Committee Details,Government of the United Kingdom, archived fromthe originalon 24 November 2009,retrieved15 August2009
  38. ^Leigh,workhouses.org.uk, archived fromthe originalon 5 June 2011,retrieved16 August2009
  39. ^Greater Manchester Gazetteer,Greater Manchester County Record Office, Places names – I-L, archived fromthe originalon 18 July 2011,retrieved15 August2009
  40. ^Andy Burnham MP,theyworkforyou,archivedfrom the original on 25 November 2009,retrieved11 November2009
  41. ^"Election 2010: Leigh",BBC News,archivedfrom the original on 11 May 2010,retrieved7 May2010
  42. ^"Election 2015: Leigh",BBC News,archivedfrom the original on 10 May 2015,retrieved11 May2015
  43. ^"Election 2017: Leigh",BBC News,archivedfrom the original on 9 June 2017,retrieved9 June2017
  44. ^"Conservative councillor becomes Leigh MP in historic general election victory".
  45. ^Leigh Weather, United Kingdom Weather Averages,archivedfrom the original on 6 September 2014,retrieved23 September2012
  46. ^Manchester Mosses,Joint Nature Conservation Committee,archivedfrom the original on 13 October 2010,retrieved23 September2012
  47. ^Baines, T. (2013).Lancashire & Cheshire: Past and Present. Volume 1.Heritage Publications. p. 166.ISBN978-1-4710-7838-5.Retrieved30 April2019.Geologists call it a magnesian limestone, but it has very little resemblance to the true magnesian limestone from Yorkshire.
  48. ^Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council,Parks,Government of the United Kingdom, archived fromthe originalon 24 April 2009,retrieved25 August2009
  49. ^penninewaterways,Canals,penninewaterways.co.uk,archivedfrom the original on 17 July 2009,retrieved25 August2009
  50. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS06 Ethnic group,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  51. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics, Urban area summary results for local authorities,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS06 Ethnic group,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  52. ^D90223: Greater Manchester Urban Area – Leigh (urban area subdivisions) map,National Statistics,archivedfrom the original on 17 July 2011,retrieved24 September2009
  53. ^abCensus 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS17 Cars or vans,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  54. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS01 Usual resident population,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  55. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS02 Age structure,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  56. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS05 Country of birth,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  57. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS07 Religion,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  58. ^Travel to Work Areas,Office for National Statistics, 1990,ISBN0-08-040771-4,archived fromthe originalon 1 October 2008,retrieved24 September2008
  59. ^Towards a Common Standard(PDF),Greater London Authority, p. 29, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 December 2008,retrieved5 October2008
  60. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS11a Industry of employment – all people,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved16 February2009
  61. ^Old Towns Books and Maps,ISBN0-665-38911-6,archivedfrom the original on 27 September 2011,retrieved28 September2009
  62. ^Leigh, Lancashire,GENUKI,archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2010,retrieved28 September2009
  63. ^A Topographical Dictionary of England,British History Online,archivedfrom the original on 22 October 2012,retrieved28 September2009
  64. ^Great Britain Historical GIS Project (2004),"Leigh USD through time. Population Statistics. Males & Females",A vision of Britain through time,University of Portsmouth,archivedfrom the original on 26 October 2012,retrieved28 September2009
  65. ^Great Britain Historical GIS Project (2004),"Atherton UD through time. Population Statistics. Total Population",A vision of Britain through time,University of Portsmouth,archivedfrom the original on 26 October 2012,retrieved21 September2009
  66. ^Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban area results by population size of urban area,Government of the United Kingdom, 22 July 2004,KS01 Usual resident population,archivedfrom the original on 12 September 2011,retrieved24 July2008
  67. ^1981 Key Statistics for Urban Areas GB Table 1,Office for National Statistics, 1981
  68. ^"Greater Manchester Urban Area 1991 Census".National Statistics. Archived fromthe originalon 5 February 2009.Retrieved7 December2008.
  69. ^Wigan MBC,Markets,Government of the United Kingdom, archived fromthe originalon 26 September 2009,retrieved31 October2009
  70. ^Wigan MBC,Town Centre,Government of the United Kingdom, archived fromthe originalon 29 June 2009,retrieved31 October2009
  71. ^Retail Parks,manchester2002-uk, archived from the original on 25 November 2009,retrieved31 October2009
  72. ^LSV,LSV,Leigh Sports Village,ISBN0-494-02125-X,archived fromthe originalon 15 February 2009,retrieved31 October2009
  73. ^New Morrisons(PDF),hallconstruction, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 January 2016,retrieved18 August2012
  74. ^Bickershaw South,nwda, archived fromthe originalon 26 November 2010,retrieved1 November2009
  75. ^The Loom,salmonproperty,archivedfrom the original on 6 March 2012,retrieved18 August2012
  76. ^Historic England,"Obelisk (1356219)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved6 November2009
  77. ^Historic England,"Boar's Head (1163139)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved6 November2009
  78. ^At risk,English Heritage, archived fromthe originalon 11 March 2012,retrieved1 November2009
  79. ^Historic England,"Leigh War Memorial (1068457)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved2 November2009
  80. ^Destination finder Public transport destinations from Leigh bus station(PDF),Transport for Greater Manchester, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 30 May 2013,retrieved6 March2013
  81. ^Leigh Salford Manchester Busway Project(PDF),brtuk.org, archived fromthe original(PDF)on 20 May 2013,retrieved29 September2009
  82. ^Gomm, Brian (19 August 2009),"Busway 'off the rails'",Leigh Journal,archivedfrom the original on 23 July 2011,retrieved29 September2009
  83. ^What's happening and when(PDF),Transport for Greater Manchester,archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2 November 2012,retrieved7 August2013
  84. ^Busway begins,Bus & Coach Buyer, 5 April 2016,archivedfrom the original on 7 October 2016,retrieved14 September2016
  85. ^Bridgewater Canal,penninewaterways.co.uk,archivedfrom the original on 14 May 2009,retrieved16 August2009
  86. ^Bridgewater Canal,bridgewatercanal.co.uk, archived fromthe originalon 21 November 2008,retrieved16 August2009
  87. ^Leigh Branch,llcs.org.uk, archived fromthe originalon 7 February 2009,retrieved16 August2009
  88. ^Sweeney (1996), p.7
  89. ^Westleigh Station,subbrit.org.uk,archivedfrom the original on 4 September 2007,retrieved6 October2009
  90. ^Pennington Station,subbrit.org.uk, 1982,ISBN0-89096-111-5,archivedfrom the original on 6 June 2009,retrieved6 October2009
  91. ^Sweeney 1996,p. 11
  92. ^Sweeney (1996), p. 63.
  93. ^Ashmore (1982), p. 103.
  94. ^History,lancashireunited.org.uk, archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2011,retrieved1 July2009
  95. ^LUT,lancashireunited.org.uk, archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2011,retrieved31 August2009
  96. ^Leigh Corporation (1949), p.59
  97. ^abLeigh Corporation (1949), p. 96.
  98. ^Bedford H S,bedfordhigh,archivedfrom the original on 5 September 2011,retrieved1 November2009
  99. ^Westleigh H. S.,westleighhigh, archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2010,retrieved1 November2009
  100. ^Historic England,"Church of St Mary (1356221)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved10 September2009
  101. ^St Thomas Leigh,fslife.co.uk, 10 June 2008,ISBN978-0-312-38194-3,archived fromthe originalon 11 May 2009,retrieved30 September2009
  102. ^Historic England,"Pennington Christ Church (1068484)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved30 September2009
  103. ^Historic England,"Westleigh St Peter (1068481)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved30 September2009
  104. ^Historic England,"Bedford St Joseph RC (1068480)",National Heritage List for England,retrieved30 September2009
  105. ^"Leigh".GENUKI.Archivedfrom the original on 9 May 2010.Retrieved30 September2009.
  106. ^Club History,Leigh RL, archived fromthe originalon 25 July 2008,retrieved25 August2009
  107. ^Leigh Genesis Football Club History - 1994 to 2008,Leigh Genesis, archived from the original on 15 June 2008,retrieved25 August2009
  108. ^Leigh Athletic,clubwebsite.co.uk, archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2008,retrieved4 November2009
  109. ^About Us,Leigh Harriers, archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2013,retrieved25 August2009
  110. ^History,Leigh RUFC, archived fromthe originalon 24 February 2009,retrieved25 August2009
  111. ^Leigh CC,leighcc.org, 1989,ISBN0-9693920-0-1,archived fromthe originalon 26 June 2009,retrieved25 August2009
  112. ^Westleigh CC,westleigh.play-cricket, archived fromthe originalon 15 July 2011,retrieved25 August2009
  113. ^"GMCL-2016.co.uk - LCN".Archivedfrom the original on 10 August 2018.Retrieved30 April2019.
  114. ^"Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter".UK Free TV.Retrieved21 February2024.
  115. ^"Radio M29".Retrieved21 February2024.
  116. ^"Leigh Journal".British Papers.24 May 2014.Retrieved21 February2024.
  117. ^Bond (1981), p.7.
  118. ^Atherton Hall,parksandgardens.ac.uk, archived fromthe originalon 11 March 2012,retrieved16 September2010
  119. ^Bond (1981), p.19.
  120. ^Bond (1981), p.8.
  121. ^Bond (1981), p.24.
  122. ^Bond (1981), p.15.
  123. ^Bond (1981), p.23.
  124. ^Bond (1981), p.10.
  125. ^Bond (1981), p.3.
  126. ^"LEIGH HACKSPACE CIC – Overview (free company information from Companies House)".Companies House, Government of the United Kingdom.Archivedfrom the original on 19 January 2019.Retrieved31 August2016.
  127. ^"Unveiling of the portrait of Professor Sir Alan Battersby",St Catharine's College, Cambridge,15 August 2015,archivedfrom the original on 7 August 2018,retrieved30 April2017
  128. ^"The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/62188.ISBN978-0-19-861412-8.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)Accessed 25 August 2023
  129. ^Thomas Burke,histclo,archivedfrom the original on 3 January 2010,retrieved2 November2009
  130. ^Moss, Stephen (19 June 2004),"Sounds and silence",The Guardian,London,archivedfrom the original on 14 December 2013,retrieved2 November2009
  131. ^Georgie Fame,Absoluteelsewhere.net934,ISBN0-7119-5953-6,archivedfrom the original on 19 July 2008,retrieved2 November2009
  132. ^"Georgie Fame: Biography".Archivedfrom the original on 19 July 2008.
  133. ^West, Margaret."Ann Fletcher Jackson".Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.Ministry for Culture and Heritage.Retrieved23 April2017.
  134. ^Paul Mason,The BBC, 5 August 2003,archivedfrom the original on 14 August 2017,retrieved20 May2017
  135. ^"Who's Who".Ukwhoswho.Retrieved23 March2013.
  136. ^"Mary Pownall (Bromet)",Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851–1951,University of Glasgow,archivedfrom the original on 13 January 2018,retrieved20 May2017
  137. ^Gomm, Brian (1 July 2009),"University honours Buzzcock Pete",Leigh Journal,archivedfrom the original on 23 July 2011,retrieved2 November2009
  138. ^"Inspirational poet Lemn Sissay on growing up in care and his campaign to become university chancellor".

Bibliography

edit
  • Ackers, Norma (1978),An Outline History of Leigh,Leigh Local History Society Publication No6
  • Ashmore, Owen (1982),The Industrial Archaeology of North-West England,Manchester University Press,ISBN0-7190-0820-4
  • Bond, Richard (1981),Walks around Leigh,Leigh Local History Society Publication No9
  • Bond, Ackers & Ward (1979),Leigh Homesteads,Leigh Local History Society Publication No7
  • Holcroft, Fred (1998),Silk Manufacturing in Leigh,Leigh Local History Society Publication No21
  • Leigh Corporation (1949),Borough of Leigh Jubilee 1899–1949,Leigh Corporation
  • Lunn, John (1958),History of Leigh,Leigh Borough Council
  • Mills, A.D. (1998),Dictionary of English Place-Names,Oxford,ISBN0-19-280074-4
  • Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Sharples, Joseph (2006),The Buildings of England: Liverpool and the southwest,New Haven:Yale University Press,ISBN0-300-10910-5
  • Sweeney, D. J. (1996),A Lancashire Triangle Part One,Triangle Publishing,ISBN0-9529333-0-6
  • Sweeney, D. J. (1997),A Lancashire Triangle Part Two,Triangle Publishing,ISBN0-9529333-2-2
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related toLeigh, Greater Manchester.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leigh,_Greater_Manchester&oldid=1273354590"