| Wigan | |
  Wigan shown within Greater Manchester | |
| Population | 81,203 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| - London | 176 miles (284 km) SE |
| Metropolitan borough | Wigan |
| Metropolitan county | Greater Manchester |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WIGAN |
| Postcode district | WN1-WN3, WN5, WN6 |
| Dialling code | 01942 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Wigan |
| List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester | |
Wigan is a large town in Greater Manchester, England.Anon (2003-07-31). A select gazetteer of local government areas, Greater Manchester County (http). Greater Manchester County Records Office. Retrieved on 2007-07-09. It stands on the River Douglas, 16.5 miles (26.6 km) west-northwest of the city of Manchester, and 17.4 miles (28.0 km) east-northeast of the city of Liverpool. Wigan is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, of which Wigan is the largest settlement and administrative centre. Wigan has a total population of 81,203.KS01 Usual resident population: Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas (line 674). Office for National Statistics.
Historically part of Lancashire, Wigan's early history is marked by its status as a territory inhabited by the Brigantes, an ancient Celtic tribe. Wigan is believed to have been incorporated as a borough in 1246 following the issue of a Charter by King Henry III of England. At the end of the Middle Ages it was one of four boroughs in Lancashire possessing Royal charters - Lancaster, Liverpool, and Preston being the others.
During the Industrial Revolution Wigan's experienced dramatic economic expansion in the area and a rapid rise in the population. Although porcelain and clockmaking had been major sectors in the town, Wigan has long been known as a major mill town and coal mining district. The first coal mine was established at Wigan in 1450 and at its peak there were 1000 pit shafts within 5 miles (8 km) of the town centre. Mining was so extensive that its council once remarked "a coal mine in the backyard was not uncommon in Wigan". Coal mining demised during the 20th century however.
Wigan Pier, a major wharf on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, was made famous by the writer George Orwell. In his book, The Road to Wigan Pier, Orwell highlighted the poor working and living conditions of the local inhabitants during the 1930s. Following the decline of industrial activities in the region, Wigan Pier's collection of warehouses and wharfs has become a local heritage centre and cultural quarter.
Contents |
History
Toponymy
There are two theories for the meaning of Wigan (pronounced "wÄg'É™n", although many residents in Wigan pronounce it "wiggin") as a place-name. One theory is that the name is a Celtic one named after a person called Wigan;Celtic Wigan. Wigan Historical Society. this would be a personal name place-name, e.g. Stevenston in Ayrshire. This may have been linked with Tref (meaning homestead) to give an original name of TrefWigan. It should be noted that gwig in Welsh signifies 'forest.' Either way, if the name is of Celtic origin, the Proto-Celtic form must have been *Wikanio-. This looks very much like an augmented form of the Proto-Celtic word *wika- meaning 'fight.' So the toponym *Wikanio- may have denoted 'battlefield.' Whatever the case, this Proto-Celtic form would have developed into *Vicaniom in Romano-British Brittonic. There is, however, no place in Wales with the name Wigan, the closest being Lledwigan which isn't recorded until the 14th century.Newsletter 15 - What's in a name?. Wigan Historical Society. However, other sources suggest the etymology is from Old English wig / wiga 'warrior' (not meaning the same as modern English wig) or wicga 'insect', which is not supported by most written records[citation needed]. The name was recorded as Wicgen in 1286.[citation needed] In total half a dozen explanations have been recorded by a former Wigan chief librarian.Hawkes, Arthur J.. Outline of flue History of Wigan. It is also possible that the name is cognate with Welsh wig hen, meaning "old fort", referring to the Roman vicus of Coccium.
Early history
The first people believed to have settled in the Wigan area were the Brigantes living in Chochion. The Antonine Itinerary mentions a settlement, in the general vicinity, by the RomansCOCCIUM. www.roman-britain.org. which was renamed around 79 AD following one of many wars with the Celts to Coccium. Whilst there is evidence of Roman activity, namely coins being found during construction work and the most recent finding, a hypocaust system discovered during the construction of the foundations for a new shopping centre in the town centre,Roman Wigan. Wigan Local Historical Society. there is no conclusive evidence of Wigan lying on the same site.
Wigan is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, probably as it was included in Neweton (now Newton-le-Willows).Medieval Wigan. Wigan Archaeological Society. The traditional date given for the incorporation of Wigan as a borough is 1246 following the issue of a Charter by King Henry III. The earliest incorporation of the town is actually mentioned in the report of the Norroy King of Arms in 1613, that "The Towne and Bourrough of Wiggin was antiently incorporated by the most noble Kinge, Kinge Hen, the first, in the first year of his raygne,".entry for Wigan. Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales.
English Civil War
The Battle of Wigan LaneReport of Wigan Lane by Robert Lilburne was fought on August 25, 1651 during the Third English Civil War, between Royalists under the command of the Earl of Derby and elements of the New Model Army under the command of Colonel Robert Lilburne. The Royalists were defeated, losing nearly half their officers and men. The Earl of Derby, as Lord of Mann, had enlisted ten men from each parish in the Isle of Man; 170 in total. David CraineCraine, D. (1995). Manannan's Isle. The Manx Museum and National Trust. ISBN. states, "those who did not fall in the fighting [were] hunted to their death through the countryside."
A monument, on Wigan Lane, stands in memory of Sir Thomas Tyldesley who was killed at the Battle of Wigan Lane.Sir Thomas Tyldesley's Regiment of Foote.
Industrial Revolution
Wigan, primarily a mill town, was once an important centre of textile manufacture. The Leeds-Liverpool Canal was diverted from its original planned course, at the request of the mill owners, to transport coal from the Lancashire coalfield pits into Wigan for the mills and was used extensively to transport local produce. In 1818 William Woods introduced the first power looms to the Wigan cotton mills. These mills swiftly became infamous for their dangerous and unbearable conditions, low pay and use of child labour. After the war there was a boom followed by a slump from which Wigan's textile industry did not recover. The last working cotton mill, the May Mill, closed in 1980. The novel Rose by Martin Cruz Smith is centred around the Victorian era coal mining community in Scholes, a predominately poor Irish Quarter and is contrasted by conditions of the ruling local lord of the manor, based somewhat on The Earl of Balcarress of Haigh near Wigan.
In 1937, Wigan was prominently featured in George Orwell's The Road to Wigan Pier, which dealt, in large part, with the living conditions of England's working poor. Some have embraced the Orwellian link, as it has provided the area with a modest tourist base over the years.Vallely, Paul. "On the road again", The Independent, 30 April 2003. "It seems funny to celebrate Orwell for highlighting all our bad points, but Wigan wouldn't be anywhere near as famous without him," says the Wigan Pier Experience's manager, Carole Tyldesley. "In the end George Orwell has proved to be a strong marketing tool." Others regard this connection as disappointing, considering it an insinuation that Wigan is no better now than it was at the time of Orwell's writing.Vallely, Paul. "On the road again", The Independent, 30 April 2003. "What he wrote still colours people's views of Wigan... But if Wigan is going to grow it's got to leave Orwell behind and sell all that."
Governance
Wigan was historically part of the hundred of Newton, later becoming part of the West Derby Hundred. The ancient parish of Wigan All Saints contained a number of townships which formed separate civil parishes from 1866.
Wigan was one of the few industrial towns of the 19th century to have already received a charter as a borough. It was reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and was one of the boroughs to be granted the status of county borough by the Local Government Act 1888, giving it independence from Lancashire County Council. The former area of Pemberton Urban District was annexed to the County Borough of Wigan in 1904. In 1974 the County Borough of Wigan was abolished and its former area transferred to form part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.Youngs, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Volume 2.
Wigan is in the Wigan Parliamentary constituency. It is part of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool.
Geography
The historic town of Wigan forms a tightly-integrated conurbation along with the areas of Orrell and Ince-in-Makerfield, this is connected by ribbon development to Standish and Abram. These areas, together with the West Lancashire town of Skelmersdale, are defined by the Office for National Statistics as the Wigan Urban Area, with a total population of 166,840.Table KS01 - Usual resident population - Census 2001. Office for National Statistics.
Economy
Business connections to the town include:
- Heinz the home of the baked bean, formerly 57 varieties, amongst the largest food manufacturers in Europe.
- JJB Sports, nationwide sports clothing retailer
- Wm Santus and Co, producer of the mints known as Uncle Joe's Mint Balls.
- Thomas Beecham, sold his pills in Wigan for a short time[citation needed], before moving to St Helens where he founded what was to become the world's largest pharmaceutical producer, Beechams
- The Lindsay art connoisseurs are connected with the town[citation needed]
- The Tote
- Girobank
Landmarks
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- Wigan Pier Experience on the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which includes the Trencherfield Mill Engine a working mill steam engine.
- Haigh Hall (Country Park)
- Wigan Parish Church. *Wigan War Memorial.
- Mab's Cross.
- Trencherfield Mill & Steam Engine.
- Wigan & Leigh College Pit Winding Wheel.
- Wigan Town Hall.
- Wigan Market Hall.
- Uncle Joe's Mint Balls Factory.
- Wigan Market Square.
- Mesnes Park.
- Wigan Pier.
- The Grand Arcade
- Whitley Woods
Education
Wigan is home to a number of high reputation colleges of Further Education including Winstanley College the third rated college for A Level in the UK; and Wigan and Leigh College which offers a wide range of courses in vocational and academic subjects. Schools include Deanery High School and St. John Fisher Catholic High School.
Regeneration
Wigan is currently in the midst of a large regeneration project with the 'Grand Arcade' shopping complex which opened its doors on the 22nd March 2007 being the largest current development. The area around the famous pier is currently being developed into the “Wigan Pier Quarter” with the redevelopment of Trencherfield Mill, as an office and residential building, being at the forefront of the development. A hotel, numerous bars and art studios are also set to the feature although plans for a new theatre look to be doomed because of spiralling costs. Other developments in the pipeline include a new swimming baths, to be built on the same site as the current baths, which are to be demolished, a new 18 storey tower block (which will include 15,000sq feet of retail and leisure units,35,000 sq ft (3,300 m²) of offices and 150 apartments) called "Tower Grand" which will be located next to the Grand Arcadeand plans are also afoot to develop the old town hall which has been in a state of decay for many years. Wigan Council granted planning permission for a new residential, business and leisure development on the site of the former police station in October 2007.[citation needed]
Culture
Wigan is famous for having one of the highest concentrations of Pubs and Social Clubs in the UK. The National Union of Labour and Socialist Clubs until recently held an annual event at Haigh Hall. There are still approximately twenty Labour Clubs in the area.[citation needed]
Music
Wigan has been well known
for its popular music since the days of George Formby Snr and George Formby Jnr. It was the birthplace of The Eight Lancashire Lads a dancing troupe who gave the young Charlie Chaplin his professional debut. One member of the troupe was a John Willie Jackson, The "John Willie" to whom George Formby would often refer in his songs. Local bands that gained wider repute include The Verve, The Railway Children, Witness, The Tansads, Limahl of Kajagoogoo and (more recently) Starsailor.
The Verve are one of the most important British rock groups of the 1990s, finding success in the UK and abroad (even touring on the USA's famous Lollapalooza alternative rock festival). The band was formed when the members met at Winstanley College in 1989. They held their most famous homecoming gig at Haigh Hall, Wigan on 24 May 1998.
The Wigan Casino was, from 1973, the location for Wigan's weekly Northern Soul all-nighters until it was demolished in 1983. This was the inspiration for the 1989 dance record 'Wigan' by Baby Ford.
Wigan remains a centre of popular music for young people, with a number of alternative pubs/clubs in the town centre. The town also has a music collective which exists to promote the scene and help out local musicians and bands. They host weekly gigs at The Tavern and also host various other activities such as the annual Haigh Hall Music Festival, which attracted around 7,000 guests in 2007. The Collective also offers recording sessions and gig advice for young musicians.The Wigan Music Collective: Information. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. Throughout the early 1990s The Tudor House Hotel was a popular venue for up and coming bands - situated just at the back of the bus station.
Pies
Wigan is home to the annual World Pie Eating Championship, usually held at Harry's Bar on Wallgate, Wigan. The competition has been held since 1992. In 2007, a vegetarian version was added. Wiganers are usually proud to be called pie-eaters, but the nickname is not thought to be because of their appetite for the delicacy. The name is said to date from the 1926 General Strike when Wigan miners were starved back to work before their counterparts in surrounding towns and were forced to eat "humble pie". Pie-eating championship goes slimline | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited.
Transport
Roads
Wigan lies on the meeting point of two primary A roads, the A49 and A577 which link to the M6, M61 motorway and M58 motorway. Increased traffic in recent years, encouraged by retail development, has resulted in very congested main roads for most of the day. This situation is linked to the town's geography, with river valleys and railway lines impeding road improvement.
Railways
There are two railway stations in Wigan town centre. These are located virtually across the street from each other in Wallgate, on the southern fringe of the town centre.
- Wigan North Western is located on the electrified north-south West Coast Main Line.
Virgin Trains provides express trains to London Euston, Birmingham, Lancaster, Carlisle, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Northern Rail has trains to Preston and Blackpool and a regular local service along the line to St Helens and Liverpool Lime Street.
- Wigan Wallgate serves lines running east and west from Wigan.
Northern Rail provides trains to Southport and Kirkby (with connections to Liverpool Central and the Merseyrail system). A frequent local service also operates to Bolton and Manchester (Victoria and Piccadilly), with most trains from Wigan continuing through to other destinations such as Manchester Airport, Stockport, Oldham and Rochdale. Pemberton railway station serves the Pemberton area of the town.
Buses
A network of local buses serves Wigan and district; it is co-ordinated by Greater Manchester PTE and departing from a bus station in the town centre, which is also served by National Express long distance services.
Since deregulation and privatisation of the bus industry in the 1980s and 1990s, a number of different companies have operated in Wigan, some big, some small.
At present the two larger national operators are:-
- First Manchester, which operates routes generally to the north-east, east and south-east of the town, including buses to Leigh, Bolton and Manchester.
- Arriva, which operates north and west of Wigan to Bolton, Chorley, Leigh, Preston, Skelmersdale, Southport, St Helens and Warrington.
South Lancs Travel also provide numerous services around the borough of Wigan.
Canals
Wigan is on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and is epitomised by Wigan Pier. There is also a branch of the canal from Wigan to Leigh, with a connection to the Bridgewater Canal which links Wigan to Manchester.
Sport
Wigan's main sporting clubs are Wigan Athletic (football) and Wigan Warriors (rugby league). Both Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors share the JJB Stadium. Wigan RLFC's ground, for most of the 20th century, was Central Park which stood alongside the River Douglas in Wigan. It was the scene of many Lancashire Cup Finals, Challenge Cup Semi-Finals, international games and test matches, Springfield Park, in Wigan, was the former home of Wigan Athletic FC. Orrell R.U.F.C. were one of the north's top rugby union side reaching the National Division One, but have suffered dramatic decline in recent times. They play at Edge Hall Road. Wigan R.U.F.C. are another popular union side.
As Wigan RLFC, the "Warriors" in the eighties and nineties were England's leading rugby league team, however the team has under-achieved greatly in recent years, becoming a shadow of the team they were in the 1990s. A poor start to the 2006 Super League season resulted in the sacking of Ian Millward as coach, and prompted the hiring of Bradford Bulls coach Brian Noble. Noble brought in less inferior players whom were rejected from their former clubs including Stuart Fielden and the team won 9 of their last 13 matches, ensuring that they weren't relegated, and finished 8th in the league table. The team have also been close to relegation for the past two seasons and have had numerous points deductions for salary cap breaches, of which the club always deny despite being found guilty. In 2007 Wigan finished in the last play off position (6th) and got within 80 minutes of the Grand Final after beating Bradford Bulls and Hull FC before being beaten by Leeds Rhinos. The Bradford game is notable as being the greatest comeback in a Super League game. Wigan had been trailing 30-6 with only 25 minutes remaining. They went on to win the game 31-30 with a last minute drop goal being scored by winger Pat Richards.
Wigan Athletic were elected to the Football League only in 1978 and had little success for many years, but they have recently gained promotion to the F.A. Premier League and the 2005/06 season was their first ever in the top flight. The team was in the top half of the table for the entire season, finishing tenth, and made it to the League Cup Final in February 2006, where they were beaten by neighbours Manchester United.
Wigan is one of relatively few towns in the UK to have an international-standard swimming pool in the town centre. The pool itself was built to exact Olympic standards, but has never been used for official Olympic sanctioned competition. The resident swimming club, Wigan Wasps, which has now changed its name to Wigan BESTWigan Wasps Website.Wigan BEST website. has produced Olympic standard swimmers, including medal winner June Croft.
Wigan staged motorcycle speedway racing at two different venues. Poolstock Stadium was the home of Wigan Warriors who raced in the National League Division two in 1947 and a short open season in 1960. Woodhouse Lane Stadium was used briefly in the early 1950s. Details of the Warriors activities are shown on www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk
Wigan is home to Billy Riley's Snake Pit, a prominent professional wrestling school that is reputed as one of the toughest in the world, basing itself on traditional catch as catch can wrestling to build ring-tough performers.
Notable people
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This section does not cite any references or sources. (January 2007) Please improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
People who were either born or brought up in Wigan or its surrounding area, or have had some significant connection with the town, or its surrounding area, during their life, include:
Arts and entertainment
Business |
Politics
Sport
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See also
- Coat of arms of Wigan
- Wigan Rural District
- Wigan Pier
- The Road to Wigan Pier
- Earl of Crawford
- Category:People from Wigan
References
Twin towns
Wigan is twinned with:
External links
- Mudhuts Media
- Little Wigan
- The Leeds Liverpool Canal in Wigan www.towpathtreks.co.uk
- Online borough guide
- wigantoday - Wigan Observer, Wigan Recorder, Wigan Evening Post
- Wigan World
- The Wigan Archaeological Society
- The official website of Angers Tourist Information Centre
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