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
Dial code	01942
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Bolton West
European Parliament	North West England
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Coordinates: 53°32′55″N 2°31′28″W / 53.5487, -2.5245 Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ... UK Census 2001 logo A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... The Metropolitan borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of English administrative division used for the purposes of local government. ... Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... North West England is one of the nine regions of England. ... Constituent countries is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a number of countries make up a larger entity or grouping; thus the OECD has used the phrase in reference to the former Yugoslavia[1], the Soviet Union and European institutions such as the Council of... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The BL postcode area, also known as the Bolton postcode area,[1] is a group of postal districts around the town of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... Greater Manchester Police (GMP) is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, in North West England. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is the county-wide emergency fire & rescue service for the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust was formed on 1 July 2006 as part of Health Minister Lord Warners plans to reduce the number of NHS ambulance service trusts operating in the United Kingdom to 12. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Bolton West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places within counties List of places in Bedfordshire List of places in Berkshire List of places in Buckinghamshire List of places in Cambridgeshire List of places in Cheshire List of places in Cleveland List of places... This is a list of cities, towns and villages in the county of Greater Manchester, England. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Westhoughton is a town and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is fifteen and a half miles (24.8 km) to the north-west of the city of Manchester, and five miles (8 km) south-west of Bolton.^[1] A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... The Metropolitan borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. ... Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Unified  -  by Athelstan 927 AD  Area  -  Total... A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ... Manchester shown within England Coordinates: , Sovereign state United Kingdom Constituent country England Region North West England Ceremonial county Greater Manchester Admin HQ Manchester City Centre Founded 13th Century City Status 1853 Government  - Type Metropolitan borough, City  - Governing body Manchester City Council Area  - Borough & City 115. ... Bolton is a large town in the north-west of England. ...

Historically 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.^[2] The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ... Chuquicamata, the largest open pit copper mine in the world, Chile. ... A hand-turned spinning wheel in action Cones of yarn for industrial use Spinning is the process of creating yarn (or thread, rope, cable) from various raw fiber materials. ... With the establishment of overseas colonies, the British Empire at the end of the 17th century/beginning of the 18th century had a vast source of raw materials and a vast market for goods. ...

Geography and administration

Civic history

Until the 19th century, Westhoughton was a township in the ecclesiastical parish of Deane, in the Salford hundred of Lancashire. The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... The hundred of Salford (sometimes known as Salfordshire) was an ancient division of the county of Lancashire. ... Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. ...

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.^[3] The term township generally means the district or area associated with a town. ... A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... Bolton is a large town in the north-west of England. ... A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. ... Former workhouse at Nantwich, dating from 1780 The Poor Law was the system for the provision of social security in operation in England and the rest of the United Kingdom from the 16th century until the establishment of the Welfare State in the 20th century. ...

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. 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.^[4] Local Boards or Local Boards of Health were local authorities in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. ... In the British Isles an urban district was a type of local government district which covered an urbanised area. ... The division into counties is one of the larger divisions of England. ... The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c. ... A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... The Metropolitan borough of Bolton is a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. ... Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England which has a population of 2. ...

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.^[5]

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.^[6] Each year, Westhoughton Town Council elects a Town Mayor who as the town's First Citizen represents at various functions and events. A civil parish (usually just parish) in England is a subnational entity forming the lowest unit of local government, lower than districts or counties. ... In the United Kingdom, town councils are civil parish councils, where the civil parish is a town. ... In the United Kingdom, the office of Mayor or Lord Mayor (Provost and Lord Provost in Scotland) had long been ceremonial posts, with little or no duties attached to it. ...

For many years the Westhoughton constituency represented the town until it was abolished in 1983 and became part of the Bolton West constituency. Westhoughton was a parliamentary constituency in Lancashire. ... Bolton West is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

History

Etymology

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".^{[7][8][9][10]} Old English (also called Anglo-Saxon[1], Old English: ) is an early form of the English language that was spoken in parts of what is now England and southern Scotland between the mid-fifth century and the mid-twelfth century. ...

The town has been spelt various ways, often West was omitted. In 1210 it was spelt as Halcton, 1240 as Westhalcton, 1292 as Westhalghton, 1302 as Westhalton, in the 16th century as Westhaughton and Westhoughton.^[8][9][10]

The people of Westhoughton are known as "Keawyeds" 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 cows head off.^[11][12] Combatants Austria[1] Portugal Prussia[1] Russia[2] Spain[3] Sweden United Kingdom[4] French Empire Holland Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Naples Duchy of Warsaw Bavaria[5] Saxony[6] Denmark [7] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack von Leiberich Gebhard von Blücher Duke of Brunswick Prince of...

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. Also during 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.^[9] The English Civil War consisted of a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians (known as Roundheads) and Royalists (known as Cavaliers) between 1642 and 1651. ... Events January 4 - Charles I attempts to arrest five leading members of the Long Parliament, but they escape. ... James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby (1607-1651), sometimes styled the Great Earl of Derby, eldest son of William, 6th Earl, and Elizabeth de Vere, daughter of Edward, 17th Earl of Oxford, was born at Knowsley on the 31 January 1607. ... The Roundheads was the nickname given to the supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War. ... Prince Rupert of the Rhine Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria (German: Ruprecht Pfalzgraf bei Rhein, Herzog von Bayern), commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, (17 December 1619 – 19 November 1682), soldier, inventor and amateur artist in mezzotint, was a younger son of Frederick V, Elector... The Bolton Massacre, sometimes recorded as the Storming of Bolton was an episode in the English Civil War, on May 28, 1644, in which it was alleged that up to 1,600 of the towns defenders and citizens were slaughtered during and after its storm and capture by the... // Events February to August - Explorer Abel Tasmans second expedition for the Dutch East India Company maps the north coast of Australia. ...

Luddites

On 25 March 1812 a group of Luddites torched a Westhoughton mill, owned by Wray & Duncroff. 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 Charlson, were publicly hanged outside Lancaster Castle on 13 June 1812 for taking part in the attack. The Charlston family claimed Abraham was only twelve years old but he was not reprieved. It was reported that Abraham cried for his mother on the scaffold. Five others arrested were transported to Australia.^{[13][14][15][16]} The Luddites were a group of English workers in the early 1800s who protested – often by destroying machines – against the changes produced by the Industrial Revolution that they felt threatened their jobs. ... Westhoughton Mill (Wray and Duncrofts Mill), situated in the town of that name in Lancashire, was the site of an 1812 battle between the Luddites and the English military. ... Lancaster Castle Lancaster Castle ( ) is a castle and a prison in Lancaster, England, grid reference SD473620. ...

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.^[17] The Pretoria Pit Disaster was the third worst in British mining history, after the 1866 Barnsley Oaks Disaster in Yorkshire (361 deaths),^[18] and the 1913 Senghenydd Colliery Disaster in Glamorgan (439 deaths).^[19] Pretoria Pit disaster occurred on 21 December 1910, when there was a massive explosion in Pretoria Pit, formally No. ... One of the worst colliery disasters in Britain, the pit exploded on Dec 12th, 1866, ultimately killing 388 miners and their would-be rescuers. ... The Senghenydd Colliery Disaster, also known as the Senghenydd Explosion, occurred in Senghenydd, near Caerphilly, Glamorgan, Wales on 14 October 1913, killing 439 miners. ...

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. For other uses, see Twelve Apostles (disambiguation). ... Advent Sunday is the first day of the Liturgical year in the Western Christian churches. ...

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.

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. 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.

Today the church's Organist and Director of Music is Mr. Tom Bell. He recently graduated the Royal Northern College of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree. He was a winner at the Royal College of Organists’ 1999 Young Performers Festival, adjudicated by John Scott. More recently, he was the winner of the 2004 Organ Recital Prize at the RNCM. Mr. Bell is one of the regions most wonderful and inspiring musicians.

Demographics

Township Population

Urban District Population

* The 1939 population is estimated from the National Registration figures.^[23] The 1941 census didn't take place because of the Second World War. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Education

Primary Schools

• Eatock CP
• Sacred Heart RC
• St George CE
• St James CE (Daisy Hill)
• St Thomas CE (Chequerbent)
• The Gates CP
• Washacre CP
• Westhoughton Parochial CE
• Westhoughton CP

Secondary School

• Westhoughton High School (Specialist Technology College)

Further Education

• Westhoughton High School Sixth Form

Community services

Local Council

• Westhoughton Town Hall, Market Street, Westhoughton.

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.

Health

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

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.^[24] Middlebrook is the name given to a locality on the boundary between Horwich and Lostock, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. ...

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.

Present day

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, Marsh Brook, Daisy Hill and Dobb Brow. Wingates is a small settlement located in the metropolitan borough of Bolton in England. ... Wingates Band is a brass band based in Wingates, a settlement near the town of Westhoughton in north-west England. ...

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.

Shopping

Market Street is the main shopping area in the town, which includes Westhoughton Market, various retail shops and supermarkets, and other small businesses. There is also Pavilion Square which hosts a few shops like:

• Gee Tees
• Hardware Pavilion
• Co-op
• Ethel Austin
• McDonald's
• Shell petro (with car wash)

Restaurants

Westhoughton has several restaurants:

• Casa Nostra
• La Scala (Wingates)
• The Nawab
• India Gate (Four Gates)
• The Chinese Pavilion

Pubs

• The Commercial
• The Cross Guns
• The Daisy Hill Hotel
• The Red Lion
• The Victoria
• The Wheatsheaf
• The White Horse
• The White Lion
• The Windmill

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).^{[25][26][27][28]}

A Local Nature Reserve or LNR is a statutory designation in England made under Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 by principal local authorities. ...

Sport

• Daisy Hill Football Club
• Westhoughton Leisure Centre
• Westhoughton Cricket Club

Daisy Hill F.C. is a football club based in Bolton, England. ...

Transport

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). The M61 motorway is a major road in England. ... The A58 is a major road in England. ... This article is about the A6 road in England. ...

Railways

There are two railway stations in the town. To the north of the town centre is Westhoughton railway station on Church Street, and to the south of the town centre is Daisy Hill railway station on Leigh Road. Westhoughton railway station Serves the town of Westhoughton in Lancashire, England. ... Daisy Hill railway station Serves the Daisy Hill area of the town of Westhoughton Bolton External links Train times and station information for Daisy Hill railway station from National Rail (Station code: DSY) Street map and aerial photo of Daisy Hill railway station from Multimap. ...

Notable residents

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.^[29] Steven Allan Spielberg KBE (born December 18, 1946)[1] is an American film director and producer. ... It has been suggested that Orca (Jaws boat) be merged into this article or section. ... Flemings image of James Bond; commissioned to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ... For the video game, see From Russia with Love (video game). ... Robert Shaw as Quint in Jaws. ... The Moon Under Water in Hounslow J. D. Wetherspoon plc (LSE: JDW) (commonly referred to as Wetherspoons or spoons) is a British pub chain founded by Tim Martin. ...

Others

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

Francis Lee (born April 29, 1944 in Westhoughton, England) is a former professional footballer, who played in the 1960s and 1970s, including many appearances for the England national team. ... Nicholas Nicky Hunt (born September 3, 1983 in Westhoughton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton) is an English footballer who plays right back for Bolton Wanderers. ... Matt Holland (born 11 April 1974 in Bury, England) is a professional footballer currently playing for Charlton in the English Premier League. ... The Houghton Weavers are an English folk music band formed in 1975 in Bolton, England. ...

References

External links

• SWAN (Save Westhoughton Act Now)
• Westhoughton Liberal Democrats
• Parish of Westhoughton
• More information and photos of Westhoughton