102-559: Leigh Town Hall is a municipal building in Leigh , Greater Manchester , England. It stands in Civic Square at the junction with Market Street, facing Leigh parish church . It was built in 1907 and granted grade II listed building status in 1987. The current building was commissioned to replace an earlier town hall in King Street which had been used as a police station until it was acquired by
204-409: A belvedere and ornamental cupola . The three-storey main facade has eight bays of which bays two to eight are symmetrical demarcated by flat pilasters extending from ground level to the roof cornice and from first-floor level, blocked columns with Ionic capitals. The ground floor is solid and plain with an elaborate entrance porch which has paired, blocked columns with Ionic capitals supporting
306-464: A spinning jenny and the water frame in the 1760s, the latter invention being pirated by Richard Arkwright , who subsequently made a fortune from the patent royalties. These 18th-century improvements to the spinning process meant that handloom weavers were in great demand. but as power looms were introduced in factories in Manchester there was less work for them and there was serious unemployment in
408-565: A 170-acre (69 ha) flash or lake. Leigh is crossed by the Bolton to St Helens Road high road, an old packhorse route that became a turnpike road in 1762. The A579 road bypasses the town centre using the line of the Bolton 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
510-587: A Neolithic stone axe found in Pennington and a bronze spearhead from south of Gas Street. A single Roman coin was found at Butts in Bedford. After the Roman departure from Britain , and into the history of Anglo-Saxon England , nothing was written about Leigh. However, evidence for the presence of Saxons in what was a sparsely populated and isolated part of the country is provided by local township place names that incorporate
612-601: A branch to Kenyon Junction on the Liverpool to Manchester Line via Leigh and Pennington . The station, originally named Bedford Leigh served the town. The railway crossed the town on a viaduct which has since been largely demolished; it closed in May 1969. After the reopening of Mansfield and Corby railway stations , Leigh is now one of the largest towns in Great Britain without a railway station. Numerous colliery lines crossed
714-439: A college campus, hotel, leisure retail and business facilities for the community. In 2011 a Morrisons store opened at the sports village. 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. In 2011 "The Loom"
816-708: A large area north of the River Mersey and along with Holcroft and Risley Mosses are part of Manchester Mosses, a European Union designated Special Area of Conservation . 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 the Glaze Brook . The southeast of the town has alluvial and peaty soils, but
918-480: A large works close to the Bridgewater Canal. The company was bought by Callender's Cables, in 1903, later to become British Insulated Callender's Cables (BICC), part of Balfour Beatty . Another major 20th century employer was Sutcliffe Speakman, which made activated carbon and brick-making equipment. Leigh is covered by three electoral wards , Leigh Central & Higher Folds, Leigh South and Leigh West, of
1020-534: A pasture or meadow, it was spelt Legh in 1276. 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. Westleigh, the west clearing, was Westeley in 1237, Westlegh in 1238 and Westlay in Legh in 1292. Pennington
1122-667: A review by the Boundary Commission, the previous review took place in 2003. Prior to 2003 the borough was divided in 24 wards. From the 2003 Boundary Review until the 2020s, Wigan Council divided the borough into ten areas by the name of townships , each with a Township Manager (council liaison) and a regularly scheduled Township Forum meeting. However with Austerity cuts This has been replaced with an ad hoc community consultation structure without regularly scheduled community forums or permanent council liaisons consisting of 16 communities or 'Places' divided into 3 unnamed 'Localities',
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#17330858265201224-431: A semi-circular pediment bearing the borough's sculptured coat of arms. The first bay has a glazed door with a pediment above and balcony with a stone balustrade to a first-floor committee room. The balcony is supported on scrolled brackets with acanthus leaves and a carved figure. To the left of the first bay is an octagonal corner turret rising from a carved base surmounted by a dome . The Market Street elevation
1326-587: A senior level in June 2011. The most successful amateur club is Leigh Athletic, which currently plays in the Manchester Football League . Leigh also has an athletics club, Leigh Harriers AC, founded in 1909, 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
1428-427: A series of pumps was used to remove the water into underground canals before it was pumped into the canal at Leigh. The winding engine at Parsonage was a steam engine, fuelled by methane extracted from the workings, while the neighbouring Bickershaw Colliery had 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
1530-477: 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. • Urban Sanitary District 1891 • Urban District 1901–1961 • Urban Subdivision 1981–2001 Leigh has a traditional town centre with daily outdoor and indoor markets. Part of the town centre
1632-412: 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 from Haydock was called out, and special constables sworn in by the local magistrate. The Riot Act was read by Squire Thomas Withington of Culcheth Hall and for
1734-476: 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. 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. Leigh Spinners
1836-452: A £50million retail development opened on the north side of the Bridgewater Canal with a seven-screen cinema, Tesco Extra store, Nando's and Frankie and Benny's . Major landmarks in Leigh are the red sandstone parish church and across the civic square, Leigh Town Hall and its associated shops on Market Street. The Grade II listed Obelisk that replaced the original market cross is also situated here. Many town centre buildings including
1938-504: Is pedestrianised and there are local independent and multiple retailers. The Spinning Gate Centre in the centre of town has about thirty retail units. A retail park developed on the old Parsonage Colliery site is within walking distance of the town centre. Opened in 2008 Leigh Sports Village has an 12 ,000-capacity stadium (anchored by Leigh Leopards and shared with the reserves of Manchester United ), an athletics arena for Leigh Harriers, facilities for Leigh East Rugby League Club,
2040-463: Is a Grade II listed structure. St Joseph's Church and St Thomas's Church on opposite sides of Chapel Street are both imposing churches using different materials and styles. 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
2142-414: Is a Grade II* listed building. Mather Lane Mill close to the Bridgewater Canal is a Grade II listed building. More than 6,000 people were employed in textiles in Leigh in 1911. There had been drift mines in Westleigh since the 12th century but during the second half of the 19th century it became possible to mine the deeper seams and coal began to be an important industry and coal mining became
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#17330858265202244-578: Is also known, which is south of the Bridgewater Canal near to the old manor house, Bedford Hall , which survives today as a Grade II listed building. 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. The family were recusants and secretly kept the "old faith" when Roman Catholicism
2346-685: Is bordered by the Greater Manchester boroughs of City of Salford and Bolton to the east, the Cheshire borough of Warrington to the south, the Merseyside borough of St Helens to the south west, and the Lancashire boroughs of West Lancashire to the west and Chorley to the north. Wigan metropolitan borough was created on 1 April 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 . It was formed from
2448-490: Is managed by TfGM and serves the far north-western part of the borough. There is a campaign for Golborne railway station and Kenyon Junction station to be re-opened. The Liverpool-Manchester line ( Chat Moss route) crosses the far south of the borough but has no railway station since the 60's after Kenyon Junction railway station , Astley railway station , Lamb's Cottage railway station , Flow Moss railway station and Glazebury and Bury Lane railway station closed. Leigh
2550-462: Is on the West Coast Main Line served by Northern and Avanti West Coast . There are services to Liverpool Lime Street , Blackpool North , London Euston , Birmingham , Glasgow and Edinburgh . Other stations in the borough are Atherton , Hag Fold, Bryn , Gathurst , Hindley , Ince , Orrell , and Pemberton . Appley Bridge railway station just outside the border with West Lancashire
2652-693: Is one of the largest towns in the UK without a railway station. Westleigh station, on the Bolton and Leigh Railway , closed in 1954. Leigh and Tyldesley stations on the Tyldesley Loopline were closed in 1969. The Leeds and Liverpool and Bridgewater canals meet in Leigh town centre. The M6 motorway crosses the west of the borough, and serves Ashton-in-Makerfield at junctions 23 and 24 (north only) and 25 (south only), Wigan at junction 25 (south only), Wigan/Orrell at junction 26 and Standish junction 27. The M58 motorway , to Liverpool , terminates at junction 26 of
2754-424: Is symmetrical with seven bays of which the end bays have gables and oriel windows at first floor level and a round window on the second floor. There is a smaller bow window in the central bay. Inside is a large entrance hall with scagliola columns and an imperial staircase which accesses the council chamber and mayor's parlour on the first floor. The council chamber has stained glass windows representing some of
2856-631: Is the only Wigan ward included in Bolton West, with the rest of the constituency made up of wards from Bolton Borough). New constituency boundaries recommended by the Boundary Commission for the 2010 general election saw the link to Salford broken by the removal of Wigan areas from the Worsley constituency. This resulted in the Worsley constituency wards of Tyldesley and Astley-Mosley Common being placed in
2958-555: The 2004 election following the re-warding - their councilors are for wards in the middle of the borough, between Wigan and Leigh. The Conservative Party had nine seats, and the Liberal Democrats eight. At the 2008 elections Labour was the largest party with 41 seats out of a total of 75; the Conservative Party had 14 seats, Community Action Party eight seats, Independent seven seats, Liberal Democrats four seats, and one
3060-527: The Edwardian Baroque style, has two main facades , its main entrance faces the Civic Square, with a walk of fame, "Believe Square", featuring local stars, and another lined with nine shops faces Market Street. Roughly U-shaped in plan, the building is three storeys high with basements and an attic. It is built in Darley Dale sandstone ashlar under a steeply pitched Westmorland green slate roof with
3162-773: The Higher End part of Billinge and Winstanley Urban District and the civil parishes of Haigh , Shevington and Worthington from the Wigan Rural District were included. Before its creation, the name Wigan-Leigh was used in the Redcliffe-Maud Report . It was also suggested that the new metropolitan borough be named Makerfield . However, both names were rejected by a vote of 12 to 2. According to an opinion poll in 2003, 26% of 299 residents surveyed felt they belonged "very strongly" or "fairly strongly" (4% very strongly) to Greater Manchester, 64% (28% very strongly) to
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3264-523: The Hundred of West 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. Under the terms of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 the townships formed part of Leigh Poor Law Union , established on 26 January 1837 and responsible for an area covering
3366-542: The Leigh Constituency with the Atherton ward becoming part of Bolton West. Makerfield is the only constituency to have returned Labour MPs continuously since 1906. Wigan council's new coat of arms is based on various elements from the arms of the councils of its predecessor districts. With a population of around 300,000, Wigan is the second most populous borough of Greater Manchester, after Manchester . It has one of
3468-488: The Manchester TTWA. The entire town is within the Manchester larger urban zone . 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. 45.16% of households owned
3570-1088: The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton to the north-east and east, and the City of Salford to the east. Outwith Greater Manchester, in the south it borders Warrington (a unitary authority in Cheshire ); to the south-west it borders the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens in Merseyside . To the west it borders the West Lancashire borough, and to the north it borders the Chorley borough, both in Lancashire . Wigan borough has seven Local Nature Reserves : including Wigan Flashes LNR, Borsdane Wood LNR, between Hindley and Aspull, Greenslate Water Meadows LNR within Orrell Water Park in Orrell, Low Hall LNR between Hindley and Platt Bridge, Pennington Flash LNR, Kirkless LNR at Ince and Three Sisters LNR, Ashton-In-Makerfield. For 12 years from
3672-467: The Metropolitan 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's local authority . As of 2009, all nine ward councillors for Leigh, including leader of the council, Lord Smith of Leigh, are members of the Labour Party who control the council. Historically, Leigh's townships were in
3774-489: The National Lottery Heritage Fund so allowing its contractor, Walter Carefoot and Sons, to start work in 2019 refurbishing the town hall and establishing a new home for the borough's archives as well as a new public searchroom on the ground floor. Three empty shops are also being converted to create new archives and museum exhibition space under the title "Revealing Wigan Archives". The town hall, designed in
3876-515: The National Rail network. Public transport in the area is co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester . There are bus services operated by First Greater Manchester , Diamond Bus North West , Stagecoach Manchester , Warrington's Own Buses , Arriva North West , Vision Bus and Tyrers from Leigh bus station to many local destinations including Wigan , Bolton , Warrington , Manchester and St Helens . There had been suggestions to reopen
3978-460: The Winter Hill TV transmitter. Metropolitan Borough of Wigan The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester , England. It is named after its largest town, Wigan but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Atherton , Ashton-in-Makerfield , Golborne , Hindley , Ince-in-Makerfield , Leigh and Tyldesley . The borough also covers
4080-579: The Women's Labour League . In 1969 there was an exchange of very small areas with Golborne Urban District. Following the Local Government Act 1972 , the Municipal Borough of Leigh was abolished and its territory included as part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan , a local government district of Greater Manchester. In 1998, an area (Lately Common) was further ceded to the Borough of Warrington – one of
4182-525: 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. The median age of the population was 37, compared with 36 within the Greater Manchester Urban Area and 37 across England and Wales. 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
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4284-494: The Boar's Head public house are in red Ruabon or Accrington bricks , often with gables and terracotta dressings. There are several large multi-storey cotton mills built along the Bridgewater Canal that are a reminder of Leigh's textile industry but most are now underused and deteriorating despite listed building status. Leigh's War Memorial by local architect J.C. Prestwich is at the junction of Church Street and Silk Street and
4386-463: The Council's political composition is: Labour 60, Conservatives 7, Independent 4, Independent Network 2, Shevington Independents 1, and Standish Independents 1. The council uses Wigan Town Hall as its main headquarters. Leigh Town Hall is used as a secondary base. The borough is divided into 25 electoral wards, each of which elect three councillors. The present wards were adopted in 2023, following
4488-466: The Gaskell family of Thornes, Wakefield, who let it to a succession of tenants. Around 1840 James Pownall, a founder member of the silk manufacturing 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
4590-548: The King's Arms, before going on to his execution outside Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn in Bolton . 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, spinning and weaving began to develop as a cottage industry . Work was supplied from Manchester by agents who brought work weekly often to an inn, and where they collected
4692-402: The Leigh seat with 24,295 votes and a majority of 15,011, representing 51.3% of the vote. Burnham was re-elected MP for the Leigh constituency in 2015 with 24,312 votes which was 53.9% of the total vote cast. He stepped down in 2017 to stand as a candidate for the position of Mayor of Greater Manchester . Jo Platt , representing Labour, was elected in 2017 with 26,347 votes which was 56.2% of
4794-616: The Locality at the centre of the Borough consists of Ashton, Bryn, Abram, Platt Bridge, Hindley and Hindley Green with all areas to the northwest forming a locality centred on Wigan and all areas to the southwest forming one centred on Leigh. However two Town Centre Managers were appointed in Wigan and Leigh primarily to act as liaisons between the Council and local business. The borough has three civil parishes: Haigh, Shevington and Worthington. The rest of
4896-692: The M6 near Orrell. The dual carriageway A580 East Lancashire Road linking Liverpool to Manchester crosses the south of the borough.The A579 runs from Bolton to the M6 via Atherleigh Way, which runs from the west of Atherton, bypassing Leigh town centre to reach the East Lancashire Road at the Warrington border. The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan has one twin town in France – Angers in the Pays de la Loire . The arrangement
4998-532: The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan has existed since 1974, figures have been generated by combining data from the towns, villages, and civil parishes that became constituent parts of the borough. The population of the borough has remained roughly static since the 1970s at around 300,000, second to Manchester within Greater Manchester. The ONS identify the Wigan Built-up Area as the western part of
5100-536: The Old English suffix leah , such as Leigh, Tyldesley , Shakerley and Astley . In the 12th century the ancient parish of Leigh was made up of six townships , including Pennington, Bedford, Westleigh, Atherton , Astley, and Tyldesley cum Shakerley. Weekly markets were held by the parish church and a cattle fair held twice-yearly. The land to the south of Atherton includes the feudal barony of Atherleigh, created by Queen Elizabeth, and Bedford manor , which
5202-498: The Virgin in the 14th century. 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 Austin of Lancaster designed 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. Parish churches have been built in each of
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#17330858265205304-466: The Virgin's Church has been in existence since the 12th century and probably much earlier. 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
5406-611: The border with St Helen’s. The entirety of the Wigan borough forms part of the Manchester Larger Urban Zone Public transport in Wigan MBC is co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). The borough is served by an extensive bus network with most services operated by Stagecoach Manchester , Arriva North West First Greater Manchester and Diamond North West . There are two major bus stations in both Wigan and Leigh town centres. Services operate from
5508-454: The borough council were held on 10 May 1973. The Metropolitan Borough Council is divided into 25 wards, each of which elects three councillors. Elections are by thirds, with one councillor from each ward up for re-election in each election year. The borough council has a leader and cabinet system. The current leader is David Molyneux who took over from Peter Smith , who resigned in May 2018, having been leader since 1991. The council rejected
5610-496: The borough is an unparished area . Church of England ecclesiastical parishes in the west of the borough are part of the Diocese of Liverpool , those in the east of the Metropolitan Borough are part of the Diocese of Manchester and the northern section part of the Diocese of Blackburn . The Wigan Metropolitan Borough is currently covered by four parliamentary constituencies, Wigan , Makerfield , Leigh , and Bolton West . (Atherton
5712-529: The borough of Wigan, and 63% (31% very strongly) to Lancashire. The metropolitan borough was created from a highly industrialised area of Lancashire that was part of the Lancashire Coalfield and had an important textile industry. Wigan borough covers an area of 77 square miles (200 km ), and is the 9th-largest metropolitan borough (out of 36) in England. The borough is the most north western in Greater Manchester. Within Greater Manchester it borders
5814-429: The borough. Wigan Wallgate railway station is served by Northern trains on the Manchester to Southport and Kirkby lines. There are services to stations towards Manchester, serving all city centre stations including Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly via two routes: one through Bolton and one via Atherton , with connections to other local and national destinations. Wigan North Western railway station
5916-505: The bus station as Leigh's only public transport link. Leigh was the southern terminus of the 7.5-mile-long (12 km) Bolton and Leigh Railway ; George Stephenson carried 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. Passengers were carried from 13 June 1831. The first locomotive on
6018-506: The bus stations to Bolton, Manchester, the Trafford Centre , St Helens and Chorley, as well as local inter-urban routes, with three high frequency services between Wigan and Leigh bus stations , operated by Stagecoach Manchester. Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley are also served by the high frequency Vantage services, via a guided busway, connecting the towns to Central Manchester in 30-40 minutes outside of peaks. Several railway lines cross
6120-602: The construction of the Leigh Branch and by 1820 the Leigh branch canal was cut from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Poolstock, Wigan to meet the Bridgewater at Leigh Bridge, giving access from Leigh to all parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire and the Midlands. The nearest railway station to Leigh is at Atherton , 3 miles (5 km) to the north; it provides regular services between Wigan and Manchester , operated by Northern . This leaves
6222-528: The council in 1875. The new building was designed for Leigh Borough Council by J.C. Prestwich , who had an architectural practice in the town, in the Edwardian Baroque style . Work began in 1904 and, after construction works costing £60,000 had been completed, the building was opened in 1907. Nikolaus Pevsner described the building as "An exceptionally good building, expressive yet not showy". On 18 May 1938 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited
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#17330858265206324-647: The creation of Greater Manchester in 1974, the borough had a two-tier system of local government , and Wigan Council shared power with the Greater Manchester County Council . The county council was abolished in 1986 by the Local Government Act 1985 . Since April 2011, some of the borough's responsibilities have been pooled with neighbouring authorities and subsumed into the Greater Manchester Combined Authority , which covers ten boroughs including Wigan. The first elections to
6426-550: The district, as well as Skelmersdale and Upholland in West Lancashire , with a population of 166,840. It considers towns in the east of the borough, Hindley, Leigh, Golborne, Atherton and Tyldesley to be part of the Greater Manchester Built-up Area . Aspull and Shevington are identified as standalone urban areas and Ashton-in-Makerfield is considered to be part of the Liverpool Built-up area , sitting at
6528-422: The few parts of England to have been in three different counties since the mid-20th century : Lancashire, then Greater Manchester, then Cheshire. Andy Burnham represented the parliamentary seat for Leigh for the Labour Party from 2001 general election . Between 10 June 2009 and the 2010 general election he was Secretary of State at the Department of Health. At the 2010 general election Burnham retained
6630-406: The finished cloth. At first, the work was done to supplement the income of local farmers and their families. The cloth woven in Leigh was fustian , a sort of rough corduroy , and by the end of the 17th-century middlemen, fustian masters, were dealing directly with weavers and selling the finished cloth in Manchester. It is a tradition in the town that a local man, Thomas Highs , was the inventor of
6732-452: The former county borough of Wigan along with other local government units from the administrative county of Lancashire . These were the Municipal Borough of Leigh , the urban districts of Abram, Aspull, Atherton , Hindley , Ince-in-Makerfield, Orrell , Standish and Tyldesley . Ashton-in-Makerfield except for the parish of Seneley Green , the Golborne Urban District except for the parish of Culcheth and Glazebury in Warrington,
6834-406: 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 by J. S. Crowther . Christ Church, Pennington , designed by architect E. H. Shellard , was built in Yorkshire stone and was consecrated in 1854. The site to the south of the canal
6936-418: The hall and grounds to the people of Leigh. The gift was accepted and opened to the public on 25 August 1920. The hall was converted to a museum and art gallery in 1928 but was demolished in 1963. The grounds are now Pennington Park. Leigh was divided in its allegiance during the English Civil War , some of the population supporting the Royalists ' cause while others supported the Parliamentarians . A battle
7038-522: The idea of a directly elected mayor following a consultation in 2001. The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is traditionally a Labour Party stronghold - the council has been Labour-controlled since its creation. The local elections in 1998 resulted in a council with only two non-Labour members. Labour had a majority with 43 seats at the 2006 election. The second-largest party was the local Community Action Party which had 15 seats. Community Action first contested Wigan elections in 2002, and won 18 seats in
7140-443: The largest party with 58 seats out of 75, the Independent Councillor group with 8 seats form the official opposition, the Conservative Party had 5 seats, the Liberal Democrats hold 2 seats, Community Action Party 1 seat and 1 Independent councillor. In May 2012 (post 2012 Local Elections) the composition of the council was Labour 63 (+5), Others 9 (-1), Liberal Democrats 2 (No change) and Conservatives 1 ( -4). Presently in May 2018,
7242-439: The largest user of labour after the textile industry in Leigh. 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). 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
7344-410: The last tram service ran from Leigh to Four Lane Ends and the next day trolley buses took over. 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 during World War II . Leigh Grammar School existed in 1655 but its foundation is unclear. The building
7446-571: The line was an 0-4-0 called the Lancashire Witch . The railway station was at Westleigh . Later the line was extended southwards to Pennington. Atherleigh opened in 1935. The line was closed to passenger traffic on 29 March 1954, and later closed completely. In 1861, the London and North Western Railway revived powers granted to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway to build a railway from Manchester via Eccles and Tyldesley to Wigan with
7548-425: The lowest ethnic minority populations, with the 2001 census reporting 98.7% of the population as white. Unemployment is around the average for England and Wales. Approximately 9.5% of the population was recorded as being permanently sick or disabled compared to a national average of 5.5%. The table details the population change since 1801, including the percentage change since the last available census data. Although
7650-527: The manor by repute. The Ranicars and the Marsh families lived here. Westleigh Old Hall was another Leigh hall that had a moat. The Pennington family owned Pennington Hall from about 1200 until they were replaced by the Bradshaw or Bradshaighs in 1312. 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
7752-485: The railway via Tyldesley to Manchester, but a guided busway scheme was chosen for the route; this decision was not universally popular. Construction commenced in 2012 and the Leigh-Salford-Manchester Bus Rapid Transit opened on 3 April 2016. The Bridgewater Canal was extended from Worsley to the middle of Leigh in 1795. In 1819 the fifth Leeds and Liverpool Canal Act was passed for
7854-455: The remaining red brick mills – some of which are listed buildings – although it is now a mainly residential town, with Edwardian and Victorian terraced housing packed around the town centre. Leigh's present-day economy is based largely on the retail sector. Leigh is derived from the Old English leah which meant a place at the wood or woodland clearing, a glade and subsequently
7956-420: The rest is loam overlaying sandstone, or coal measures in the north. Magnesian limestone occurs in Bedford and neighbouring Astley. 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 the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Pennington. Pennington Flash Country Park is a 490-acre (200 ha) country park and nature reserve with
8058-510: The rest of the European Union, and 1.47% elsewhere in the world. Data on religious beliefs across the town in the 2001 census show that 85.5% declared themselves to be Christian , 7.6% said they held no religion, and 0.6% reported themselves as Muslim . Most of Leigh is within the Warrington & Wigan travel to work area (TTWA), whilst part of the eastern side of the town is within
8160-452: The sump at the bottom of the shaft after an overwind of the cage. Other notable industry included the tractor factory of David Brown Limited , which was in Leigh following the acquisition in 1955 of Harrison, McGregor and Guest's Albion range of farm machinery products. Rope -manufacture was another local industry: Mansley's Rope works on Twist Lane made rope by hand, using a rope walk . The factory burnt down in 1912. Anchor Cables had
8262-640: The third consecutive year. Attached to the club is a crown green bowling section which runs several teams in local bowling leagues. Leigh has two cricket clubs: Leigh Cricket Club play in the ECB Premier League Liverpool Competition, and Westleigh Cricket Club, have two senior and 4 junior teams playing in the Greater Manchester Cricket League. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada . Television signals are received from
8364-489: The three townships of Pennington , Westleigh and Bedford merged 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. The town became an urban district in 1894 when part of Atherton was added. In 1899 Leigh became a municipal borough . The first town hall
8466-424: The total votes cast. Jo Platt was defeated in the 2019 General Election , by James Grundy : the first ever Conservative representative for Leigh. Leigh is low-lying; land to the south and east, close to Chat Moss , is 50 feet (15 m) above mean sea level. The highest land, to the north and west, rises gently to 125 feet (38 m). Astley and Bedford Mosses are fragments of the raised bog that once covered
8568-774: The town but, with the closure of the collieries, these were no longer required. In 1900, a Bill authorising the South Lancashire Tramways Company to construct over 62 miles (100 km) of tramway in southern Lancashire was given Royal Assent. 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 between Lowton and Four Lanes Ends via Leigh and Atherton. The company got into financial difficulty and in turn became Lancashire United Tramways later Lancashire United Transport . On 16 December 1933,
8670-833: The town centre. In the 1930s the A580 "East Lancashire Road" was built crossing to the south of the town. At the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001 , according to the Office for National Statistics , the Urban Subdivision of Leigh was part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area and 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. The settlement occupied 884 hectares (3.41 sq mi), compared with 858 hectares (3.31 sq mi) in
8772-573: The town hall and talked to a local soldier, Private Alfred Wilkinson , who had been awarded the Victoria Cross in the First World War . The town hall was the headquarters of the Municipal Borough of Leigh but it ceased to be the local seat of government when the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan was formed in 1974. After launching an appeal, the council secured a grant of £1.3 million from
8874-446: The town's industries and there are coats of arms on the staircase windows all by H. Gustave Hiller . Leigh, Greater Manchester Leigh is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan , Greater Manchester , England, on low-lying land northwest of Chat Moss . Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire , Leigh was originally the centre of a large ecclesiastical parish covering six vills or townships . When
8976-509: The town. Leigh has a professional rugby league team – Leigh Leopards – whose main claim to fame is beating Hull KR 17-16 in the 2023 Challenge Cup final at Wembley Stadium for the third time. The club play in the Super League . Leigh has several amateur clubs, including Leigh East and Leigh Miners Rangers . The town had a semi-professional football team, Leigh Genesis (formerly Leigh RMI), which ceased operations at
9078-578: The town. In 1827 silk weaving began in Leigh, either as the result of a dispute or a labour shortage in the Middleton silk 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. Several cotton mills were built in Leigh after the mid-1830s, and some silk mills were converted to cotton after 1870. The Leigth Feight took place on 14 August 1839. The chartists had called for
9180-416: The villages and suburbs of Abram , Aspull , Astley , Bryn , Hindley Green , Lowton , Mosley Common , Orrell , Pemberton , Shevington , Standish , Winstanley and Worsley Mesnes . The borough is also the second-most populous district in Greater Manchester. The borough was formed in 1974, replacing several former local government districts. It is the furthest west part of Greater Manchester, and it
9282-498: The whole of the ancient parish and part of Winwick . Workhouses in Pennington, Culcheth, Tyldesley and Lowton were replaced by Leigh Union workhouse at Atherleigh in the 1850s. In 1875 Leigh Local Board of Health was 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 Leigh Urban District , which
9384-399: Was a rapidly growing area at this time. It is Grade II listed. 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. The first Catholic chapel was built in Bedford on the corner of Mather Lane and Chapel Street in 1778 and this lasted until it
9486-461: 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 underlying coal 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
9588-648: 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 of James Stanley, the 7th Earl of Derby . Sir Thomas Tyldesley of Myerscough and Morleys Hall, Astley , was killed on 25 August 1651 at the Battle of Wigan Lane and is buried in the Tyldesley Chapel in Leigh Parish Church. The Earl of Derby passed through Leigh again in 1651, when he spent his last night in
9690-564: Was granted honorific borough status in 1899 becoming the Municipal Borough of Leigh . In the early twentieth century Leigh saw continued activism for women's suffrage , with local activity by the Women's Social and Political Union , the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies , the North of England Society for Women's Suffrage , the Leigh Women's Liberal Association and local branches of
9792-490: 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. 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
9894-470: Was next to the churchyard, but the school moved to Manchester Road in 1931. Leigh Girls' Grammar School was established in 1921, but both schools were abolished by the then Secretary of State for Education, Shirley Williams , in the 1976 Education Act. Leigh high schools include Bedford High School , and The Westleigh School . Pupils also attend schools in Atherton, Lowton, Golborne and Astley. Wigan and Leigh College provides post-16 education. St Mary
9996-484: Was recorded as Pininton and Pynynton in 1246 and 1360, Penynton in 1305, Pynyngton in 1351 and 1442 and Penyngton in 1443, the ending tun denotes an enclosure, farmstead or manor in Old English. 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. The earliest signs of human activity in Leigh are evidenced by
10098-518: Was replaced in 1855 by St Joseph's Church by architect Joseph Hansom . 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
10200-564: Was subject to civil or criminal penalties. Hope Carr Hall was moated as was nearby Brick House. The manor house of Westleigh was at Higher Hall and existed in Richard I 's time (1189–1199). 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. It was later abandoned because of mining subsidence and Westleigh Old Hall became
10302-434: Was used for supplies. The entire Lancashire Coalfield is closed to deep mining, although several open-cast mines are still in operation elsewhere in the county. Mining disasters in Leigh included the explosion of firedamp which caused the deaths of 38 miners at Bedford Colliery on 13 August 1886. There were several accidents at Bickershaw Colliery, but the most serious was in 1932, when 19 men were drowned in
10404-446: Was vacant. In November 2010 (after elections in May), Labour was the largest party with 51 seats out of a total of 75; the Conservative Party had eight seats, Independents seven seats, Community Action Party four seats, Liberal Democrats three seats (one member currently suspended) and two members were 'Independent Conservative'. As of June 2011 (after May elections), Labour continued to be
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