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90-516: Higher Folds is a housing estate to the north-east of Leigh , in the Wigan district of Greater Manchester , England. It lies about 15 miles west of Manchester . In 2018 it had an estimated population of 2,770. Shaun Keaveny grew up in Higher Folds. Higher Folds did have a church dedicated to St Gabriel, which was demolished and Richmond Park was built on the land. Another church located near

180-473: A cottage industry . Work was supplied from Manchester by 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 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

270-579: 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

360-613: A Roman presence in the north and west of Britain, perhaps excepting troop assignments at the tower on Holyhead Mountain in Anglesey and at western coastal posts such as Lancaster . These outposts may have lasted into the 390s, but they were a very minor presence. Coins dated later than 383 have been excavated along Hadrian's Wall , suggesting that troops were not stripped from it, as once thought or, if they were, they were quickly returned as soon as Maximus had won his victory in Gaul. In

450-616: 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

540-439: 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"

630-549: A commander who would lead them in securing their future but their first two choices, Marcus and Gratian , did not meet their expectations and were killed. Their third choice was the soldier Constantine III . In 407, Constantine took charge of the remaining troops in Britain, led them across the Channel into Gaul, rallied support there, and attempted to set himself up as Western Roman Emperor. Honorius' loyalist forces south of

720-761: 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 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

810-680: 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

900-488: 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

990-510: A more provocative theory to explain the expulsion of officials and appeal for Roman aid. He suggested that a revolt consisting of dissident peasants, not unlike the Bagaudae of Gaul, also existing in Britain, and when they revolted and expelled the Roman officials, the landowning class then made an appeal for Roman aid. There is no direct textual statement of this, though it might be plausible if

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1080-496: A rival emperor, Attalus . Emperor Honorius , amid his battle to regain Italy, sent a rescript to British communities in 410 telling them to look to their own defence. Zosimus makes passing mention of this rescript while describing the reconquest of cities loyal to Attalus, and says nothing further about Britain. Historian Christopher Snyder wrote that protocol dictated that Honorius address his correspondence to imperial officials, and

1170-610: 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

1260-427: 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

1350-489: 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

1440-452: 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

1530-504: 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,

1620-413: 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

1710-414: 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

1800-704: 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 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

1890-531: The De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae , written c. 540, Gildas attributed an exodus of troops and senior administrators from Britain to Maximus, saying that he left not only with all of its troops, but also with all of its armed bands, governors, and the flower of its youth, never to return. Raids by Saxons , Picts , and the Scoti of Ireland had been ongoing in the late 4th century, but these increased in

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1980-611: The Alps were preoccupied with fending off the Visigoths and were unable to put down the rebellion swiftly, giving Constantine the opportunity to extend his new empire to include Hispania . In 409, Constantine's control of his empire fell apart. Part of his military forces were in Hispania, making them unavailable for action in Gaul, and some of those in Gaul were swayed against him by loyalist Roman generals. The Germans living west of

2070-682: The Battle of the Save (in modern Croatia ) and at the Battle of Poetovio (at Ptuj in modern Slovenia ). He was then executed by Theodosius. With Maximus's death, Britain came back under the rule of Emperor Theodosius I until 392, when the usurper Eugenius made a bid for imperial power in the Western Roman Empire until 394 when he was defeated and killed by Theodosius. When Theodosius died in 395, his 10-year-old son Honorius succeeded him as Western Roman Emperor. The real power behind

2160-538: 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

2250-554: 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

2340-544: 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

2430-522: 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

2520-535: The Royalists ' cause while others supported the Parliamentarians . 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 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

2610-613: The Winter Hill TV transmitter. End of Roman rule in Britain In 383, the Roman general then assigned to Britain, Magnus Maximus , launched his successful bid for imperial power, crossing to Gaul with his troops. He killed the Western Roman Emperor Gratian and ruled Gaul and Britain as Caesar (i.e., as a "sub-emperor" under Theodosius I ). 383 is the last date for any evidence of

2700-667: 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

2790-537: 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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2880-498: 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

2970-402: 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

3060-609: 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 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

3150-514: The Rhine , possibly when it was frozen over, and began widespread devastation. As there was no effective Roman response, the remaining Roman military in Britain feared that a Germanic crossing of the Channel into Britain was next, and dispensed with imperial authority – an action perhaps made easier by the high probability that the troops had not been paid for some time. Their intent was to choose

3240-718: The Rhine River rose against him, perhaps encouraged by Roman loyalists, and those living east of the river crossed into Gaul. Britain, now without any troops for protection and having suffered particularly severe Saxon raids in 408 and 409, viewed the situation in Gaul with renewed alarm. Perhaps feeling they had no hope of relief under Constantine, both the Romano-Britons and some of the Gauls expelled Constantine's magistrates in 409 or 410. The Byzantine historian Zosimus (fl. 490s – 510s) directly blamed Constantine for

3330-670: The Roman officials and took charge of their own affairs. Some historians suggest that the rescript of Honorius refers to the cities of the Bruttii (present-day Calabria ), rather than to the cities of the Britons. The reference in Zosimus's history to the Britons is in a passage describing events in northern Italy, and Britannia may have been a copying error for Brettia . This reading of Zosimus has been criticized as arbitrary and speculative, and has its own inconsistencies. Bruttium

3420-637: The Scoti and Saxons at the same time, but either way this would be the last Roman campaign in Britain of which there is any record. In 401 or 402 Stilicho faced wars with the Visigothic king Alaric and the Ostrogothic king Radagaisus . Needing military manpower, he stripped Hadrian's Wall of troops for the final time. The year 402 is the last date of any Roman coinage found in large numbers in Britain, suggesting either that Stilicho also stripped

3510-516: The Shuttleworths. The family were recusants and secretly kept the "old faith" when Roman Catholicism 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

3600-612: 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 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

3690-502: 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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3780-470: 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

3870-531: The beleaguered provinces. Figures such as Coel Hen were said to be placed into key positions to protect the island in Maximus's absence. As such claims were designed to buttress Welsh genealogy and land claims, they should be viewed with some scepticism. In 388, Maximus led his army across the Alps into Italy in an attempt to usurp Theodosius as emperor. The effort failed when he was defeated in Pannonia at

3960-483: The boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire , Leigh was originally the centre of a large ecclesiastical parish covering six vills or townships . When 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

4050-509: 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

4140-617: 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

4230-428: 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 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

4320-521: The definition of 'bagaudae' is changed to fit the circumstances. There is no need to do so, as any number of rational scenarios already fit the circumstances. There is the possibility that some form of bagaudae existed in Britain, but were not necessarily relevant to the events of 409 and 410. The alleged ubiquity of Pelagianism amongst the British population may have contributed to such a movement if it had existed, not to mention large-scale purges amongst

4410-407: The evidence in fact supports later Roman involvement in Britain, post 410. Regarding the events of 409 and 410 when the Romano-Britons expelled Roman officials and sent a request for aid to Honorius, Michael Jones ( The End of Roman Britain , 1998) offered a different chronology to the same end result: he suggested that the Britons first appealed to Rome and when no help was forthcoming, they expelled

4500-569: The expulsion, saying that he had allowed the Saxons to raid, and that the Britons and Gauls were reduced to such straits that they revolted from the Roman Empire, 'rejected Roman law, reverted to their native customs, and armed themselves to ensure their own safety'. The Visigoths, led by Alaric , launched an invasion of Italy in 407, culminating in a sack of Rome and the installation of

4590-401: The fact that he did not implies that the cities of Britain were then the highest Roman authority remaining on the island. At the time that the rescript was sent, Honorius had effectively lost Gaul and Spain, and was fortunate to have recovered Italy. He was in no position to offer relief to Britain. As for Constantine III, he was not equal to the intrigues of imperial Rome and by 411 his cause

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4680-542: 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

4770-469: The finished cloth in Manchester. It is a tradition in the town that a local man, Thomas Highs , was the inventor of 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

4860-463: 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

4950-417: The highest number of divorced people in England, in 2005 it ranked within the 8% most disadvantaged Super Output Areas in England. This Greater Manchester location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 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

5040-503: 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

5130-410: 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

5220-641: 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

5310-488: 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. 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

5400-417: 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 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

5490-431: The new development state called Walmsley Park, it was demolished in 1978 and what remains is a handrail and stones that lead to Walmsley Higherfolds was a small croft that consisted of farm lands and small industries that were located near Bedford village in the 1800s. This is the only croft under the "folds" naming convention in Bedford that remains. Higher Folds estate was developed in the 1950s. In 2001 Higher Folds had

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5580-465: 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 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

5670-404: 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 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,

5760-428: The passage of time. Michael Jones ( The End of Roman Britain , 1998) took the opposite view, saying that it was Britain that left Rome, arguing that numerous usurpers based in Britain combined with poor administration caused the Romano-Britons to revolt. Certain scholars such as J. B. Bury ("The Notitia Dignitatum " 1920) and German historian Ralf Scharf, disagreed entirely with the standard chronology. They argued that

5850-401: 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

5940-454: The remaining troops from Britain, or that the Empire could no longer afford to pay the troops who were still there. Meanwhile, the Picts, Saxons and Scoti continued their raids, which may have increased in scope. In 405, for example, Niall of the Nine Hostages is described as having raided along the southern coast of Britain. On the last day of December 406 (or, perhaps, 405 ), the Alans , Vandals , and Suebi living east of Gaul crossed

6030-420: 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

6120-401: 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

6210-452: 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

6300-481: 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

6390-399: The throne, however, was Stilicho , the son-in-law of Theodosius' brother and the father-in-law of Honorius. Britain was suffering raids by the Scoti, Saxons, and Picts and, sometime between 396 and 398, Stilicho allegedly ordered a campaign against the Picts, likely a naval campaign intended to end their seaborne raids on the east coast of Britain. He may also have ordered campaigns against

6480-424: 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

6570-801: 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,

6660-870: 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

6750-462: 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 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

6840-515: 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

6930-504: 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

7020-547: The years after 383. There were also large-scale permanent Irish settlements made along the coasts of Wales under circumstances that remain unclear. Maximus campaigned in Britain against both the Picts and Scoti, with historians differing on whether this was in the year 382 or 384 (i.e., whether the campaign was before or after he became Caesar). Welsh legend relates that before launching his usurpation, Maximus made preparations for an altered governmental and defence framework for

7110-592: 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 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

7200-399: 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

7290-626: 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 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

7380-648: 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

7470-488: Was less work for them and there was serious unemployment in 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

7560-526: 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

7650-485: Was not in northern Italy either, and it would normally have a governor for Honorius to correspond with instead of city leaders. The theory also contradicts the account of Gildas , who provides independent support that the reference is to Britain by repeating the essence of Zosimus's account and clearly applying it to Britain. E. A. Thompson ("Britain, A.D. 406–410", in Britannia , 8 (1977), pp. 303–318) offered

7740-528: 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

7830-527: Was spent. His son was killed along with those major supporters who had not turned against him, and he himself was assassinated. There are various interpretations that characterise the events in a way that supports a particular thesis without taking issue with the basic chronology. The historian Theodor Mommsen ( Britain , 1885) said that "It was not Britain that gave up Rome, but Rome that gave up Britain ...", arguing that Roman needs and priorities lay elsewhere. His position has retained scholarly support over

7920-486: 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. 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

8010-434: 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

8100-488: 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 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

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