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Prestwich

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Prestwich
Population31,693 
OS grid referenceSD814034
• London166 mi (267 km) SE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townMANCHESTER
Postcode districtM25
Dialling code0161
PoliceGreater Manchester
FireGreater Manchester
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester

Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England.[1] It lies close to the River Irwell, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) north of Manchester city centre, 3.1 miles (5 km) north of Salford and 4.7 miles (7.6 km) south of Bury.

Historically a part of Lancashire, Prestwich's early history is marked by its status as the seat of the ancient parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham, in the hundred of Salfordshire. The Church of St Mary the Virgin—a Grade I listed building—has lain at the centre of the community for centuries.

The oldest part of Prestwich developed around Bury New Road and is known as "Prestwich Village". There is a large Jewish community in Prestwich and Whitefield, neighbouring Broughton Park in Salford and parts of Cheetham Hill and Crumpsall, which forms the second-largest Jewish community in the United Kingdom.

History

Toponymy

The name Prestwich is possibly of Saxon origin, derived from Priest Wic, which in Old English translates to "the priest's farmed land". Another possible derivation of the town's name is "Priest's retreat". Wic was a place-name element derived from the Latin vicus, place. Its most common meaning is dairy-farm.[2] The township was variously recorded as Prestwich in 1194, Prestwic in 1202 and Prestewic in 1203.[3]

History

The Church Inn (formerly the Ostrich Inn) next to St Mary's Church
The White Horse (left) and the Railway and Naturalist (right), Prestwich Village

Bury New Road roughly follows the line of a Roman road connecting forts at Mamucium (Manchester) and Bremetennacum (Ribchester). It is possible that a Roman fort or encampment was built at "Castle Hill", near the Salford border, mirroring an encampment on Rainsough Hill equidistant from the Roman road.[4] John Booker B.A., 19th century author and curate of the parish church, considered these were agrarian camps built to protect cattle kept in the woods of Broughton and Kersal.[5] The camp was "just to the right of the old road to Bury, immediately beyond Singleton Brook, on the first field in the Parish of Prestwich, which was formerly known as Lowcaster". Roman coins have been found off Bury New Road, near Prestwich Golf Course and some in Prestwich Clough.

A hoard of 65 silver coins from the reign of King Stephen was found in the Sedgley Park area in 1972.[6][7] The Prestwich manor emerged in the Middle Ages and in 1212 it was assessed as four oxgangs of land held by Adam de Prestwich whose father, Robert held it in 1193. The lord of the manor also held the advowson for the church. Another Adam de Prestwich settled the manors of Prestwich, Alkrington and Pendlebury on his son John in 1297 but remarried and in 1313 settled the same manors on Thomas de Prestwich, his son by second wife. Thomas de Prestwich had daughters, Margaret who became a nun at Seaton Priory in 1360, but left the convent to marry Robert de Holland and Agnes who married John de Radcliffe but died childless in 1362. Thomas de Prestwich granted his manors to Richard de Radcliffe for life and after that the manor was held by Richard de Langley. In 1371 Robert de Holland claimed the manor as the right of his wife. Roger de Langley was a minor and ward of the Duke of Lancaster in 1372 when Robert de Holland and a troop of armed men took possession of the manor by force and retained it until 1389. The Langleys regained the manor after 1403.[3]

After Sir Robert Langley's death in 1561 the manor became the share of his daughter Margaret, who married John Reddish. Their granddaughter Sarah who married Clement Coke had the manor. It descended in the Coke family, until 1777, when Thomas William Coke, Coke of Norfolk, a leader in the agricultural revolution sold his land in Prestwich to increase his Norfolk estates. The manor was acquired by Peter Drinkwater of Irwell House in 1794 and it descended to his son Thomas who died in 1861. Irwell House and Drinkwater Park was sold to Salford Corporation and Prestwich Council.[3]

In the hearth tax of 1666 there were 97 hearths in the township, the rector's house was the largest with ten.[3] In the 17th and 18th centuries local government, away from the towns, was based on the parish structure. The lord of the manor administered land tenure and inheritance, but law and order was kept by the parish constables, assisted by the church wardens. The local justices sat in the "Star Chamber" in the Ostrich Inn, now the Church Inn, close to the parish churchwhere the justices' seat can still be seen.[8] The village had stocks which were in use in 1800.[3]

The early settlement grew to serve the parish church making Church Lane the historic centre.[9] In the late 18th century the area was mainly rural with scattered farms and small settlements grew at Great and Little Heaton. The population was estimated at 670. Rooden Lane which became part of Bury Old Road was a centre for hand loom weaving and at Simister and neighbouring Bowlee, silk weaving was established. During the 19th century another settlement grew around the junction of Fairfax Road and Bury New Road along with another village centre on Bury Old Road. The area in between these centres remained rural, however, the arrival of the railway in 1881 encouraged affluent merchants from Manchester to move in and build villas.[9] By 1912 the population had increased to 12,800, but from the 1930s onwards the remaining fields were developed and by 1961 the population soared to 31,000 and Prestwich had become a suburb of Manchester.[9]

Prestwich Hospital was built as an asylum in 1851 and by 1900 it had grown into the largest asylum in Europe.[9]

Governance

The coat of arms of the council of the former Municipal Borough of Prestwich.

Prestwich was the ecclesiastical centre of Prestwich-cum-Oldham an ancient parish in the Salford Hundred of Lancashire.[10][11] It was in Manchester Poor Law Union (PLU) from 1841–50 and the Prestwich PLU from 1850–1915 when it rejoined the Manchester PLU until its abolition in 1930. In 1867 the Prestwich Local Board of Health was established which as a result of the Local Government Act 1894 in 1894 became Prestwich Urban District to which parts of Great and Little Heaton townships were added. In 1903 Heaton Park was added to the City of Manchester and in 1933 part of the Urban District west of the Irwell was added to Swinton and Pendlebury Urban District. Prestwich became a municipal borough in 1939. Under the Local Government Act 1972 it became an unparished area in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury in Greater Manchester.[1]

Prestwich is a part of Bury South Parliamentary constituency, which has been represented by Labour MP Ivan Lewis since 1997.

Geography

Prestwich lies to the north of the River Irwell and is bounded on the north by Whitefield, on the east by Heaton Park, to the west by the Prestwich Forest Park and the Irwell Valley (Agecroft and Clifton) and to the south by the City of Salford. The two main north-south roads passing from central Manchester to Bury, Bury New Road (A56) and Bury Old Road, traverse the district.[12]

The geology of the area is characterised by carboniferous coal measures of the Manchester Coalfield and sandstone appertaining to the Carboniferous Westphalian C geological age. This is overlain with quaternary glacial drift comprising sand, gravel and boulder clay.[13]

Prestwich Panorama taken from the tower of the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin

Demography

From the 1991 census the population of Prestwich was estimated at 33,047.[14] An estimated 19% of the population of Prestwich and Whitefield are Jewish and are part of the second largest Jewish community in the UK outside London, which also reaches over the border into Salford's Broughton and Manchester's districts of Crumpsall and Cheetham Hill.[15]

The area in the south of Prestwich known as Sedgley Park has a sizeable Jewish population and is served by five synagogues.[16] There are many Jewish businesses, specialist shops and delicatessens along King's Road, Bury New Road and Bury Old Road.

Population change

Population growth in Prestwich 1881–1961
Year 1881 1891 1901 1911 1921 1931 1939 1951 1961
Population 8,627 10,485 12,839 17,195 18,750 23,881 32,594 34,466 34,209

Prestwich CP/Tn [17]

Economy

Longfield Suite main entrance

Prestwich has a wide range of traditional and superstore shopping. Jewish-owned shops give Prestwich a particular distinction.[18] The Longfield Centre, a shopping precinct, civic centre which includes the Longfield Suite, Library, Health Centre, and NHS drop-in centre was built in the 1970s. Prestwich is now considered to be an affluent area and has been called the "Didsbury of North Manchester".[19]

Transport

Tram to Manchester passing through Prestwich village in 1904

Public transport in Prestwich is coordinated by Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive. It has good transport links to Manchester city centre, Bury and other parts of Greater Manchester. High frequency services are mostly provided by First Manchester. There are local bus routes, linking Prestwich village to northern areas of Salford including Pendlebury, Swinton, Monton and Eccles. 'The Lancashire Way' and 'The Witch Way' express services link Prestwich to Manchester, Burnley and Pendle.

The first road to be turnpiked was Bury Old Road in 1754 under the control of the Cheetham Hill Trust.[20] Bury New Road, now the main thoroughfare was constructed by a turnpike trust in 1826.[21] Electric trams arrived around 1900, and the route along Bury New Road to Kersal Bar (the location a toll bar until 1848) was opened on Friday 5 December 1902.[22]

The railway arrived in Prestwich in 1879. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway obtained an Act of Parliament for a line from Manchester to Radcliffe in 1872 and in 1876 began building a line through Cheetham Hill, Crumpsall, Heaton Park, Prestwich and Whitefield. A cut and cover tunnel was built at Heaton Park. In 1916 the line was converted to electric operation and operated until August 1991 when it was closed. It was reopened as the Manchester Metrolink in April 1992.[21]

Prestwich is served by four tram stations on the Metrolink line from Manchester to Bury, at Besses o' th' Barn on the Whitefield border to the north, Prestwich in the centre of the village, Heaton Park in the centre-east and Bowker Vale on the Blackley border to the south-east.

Landmarks

Education

The large Irish Catholic community in Prestwich is served by St Monica's RC High School Specialist Language College and Our Lady of Grace Primary School.

Religion

The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin is a Grade I listed building and was at the centre of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham that extended beyond the township boundaries. It is known that it had a rector by 1200.[3] Parts of the present building date from around 1500, although extensions were made at the end of the 19th century. For a time in the 19th century, the church was referred to as St Bartholomew's. The church wakes were traditionally held around St Bartholomew's Day. The living of Prestwich was suspended by the Diocese of Manchester in 2002. A priest-in-charge, The Revd. Bryan Hackett, residing in the rectory, was appointed.

In 1849, St Margaret's Church was erected near Heaton Park, as a chapel of ease to the parish church, but since 1885 as a parish church in its own right. The church was extended in 1863, 1871, 1884, 1888 and 1899. A feature of the church is the Arts and Crafts Movement oak carved reredos, choir stalls, rood screen, panelling, pulpit, bishop's chair and altar rails by Arthur Simpson of Kendal, widely believed to be the finest collection of his ecclesiastical work. Other Anglican churches in the area include churches dedicated to St Gabriel, St Hilda and St George.[24]

The Roman Catholic Church had a resurgence in late Victorian times. Mass was celebrated in 1889 for the first time since the Reformation. The present Catholic church, dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, was opened in 1931 and consecrated in 1956. There are two Methodist churches, Heaton Park Methodist Church and Prestwich Methodist Church. There are cemeteries at the parish church and St Margaret's.

The migration of Jewish families, mainly from the nearby Cheetham area of Manchester and Broughton Park in Salford, and the later arrival of Muslims into this urban area, resulted in synagogues, such as Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation,[25] and mosques being constructed alongside Christian places of worship. There are Jewish cemeteries at Philips Park Cemetery, Prestwich Village Cemetery was used from 1841 to 1951, and Rainsough Cemetery from 1923. According to Pevsner, the 1934 Holy Law Synagogue was the first "purpose-built" synagogue in Prestwich.[26]

Parks

Richard Buxton (1786–1865), a botanist born at Sedgley Hall Farm[3] published a botanical guide to the plants found around the Manchester area in 1849.[27] In the early 20th century James Cosmo Melvill wrote that Kersal Moor, Prestwich Clough, Mere Clough, the Park and Hurst Clough were the homes of most of the interesting plants. Many noted local botanists had studied the area including Leo Grindon and Thomas Rogers.[28]

One of the trails to Prestwich Clough

In 1906 nine acres of land were given to the Prestwich Urban District Council by William Gardner, a further 13 acres (53,000 m2) were purchased and the "sylvan and beautiful" Prestwich Clough was opened to the public as a place of recreation.[29]

Prestwich Forest Park consists of 200 hectares of land on the western side of Prestwich incorporating, Philips Park, Prestwich Clough, Mere Clough, Waterdale Meadow and Drinkwater Park.

Much of the area of the park was industrialised during the 18th and 19th centuries but has been reclaimed with extensive woodlands, reservoirs and grasslands. While this area has become a haven for wildlife there are still remnants of the area's industrial past. Philips Park has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and Prestwich Clough as a Site of Biological Importance (SBI) due to the important contribution they make to the wildlife heritage of Greater Manchester. The Irwell Sculpture Trail, the Irwell Valley Way and a National Cycle Route all pass through the park. The "Friends of Prestwich Forest Park" and the BTCV coordinate volunteer activities and events such as the Prestwich Clough Centenary Celebrations.[30][31] The BTCV has a permanent base in the renovated Philips Park Barn, which has become a major environmental education and countryside centre for the borough.[32]

Sport

Amateur football teams representing Prestwich are Prestwich Heys AFC and Prestwich FC. Prestwich Heys, formed in 1938, played at Grimshaw's off Heys Road but moved to Sandgate Road in Whitefield. The ground has been redeveloped to include concrete fencing, a car park and club facilities. Prestwich Heys currently play in the Manchester Football League. Formed as Prestwich CC FC in 2005, the club played in the Bury Sunday League. In 2009 the club expanded to include two teams playing in the Lancashire Amateur League and junior teams. The club, part of Prestwich Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club, play home games at Grimshaw's, Drinkwater Park and Heaton Park. Other local sides include Bury Amateurs who play at Drinkwater Park and Prestwich Marauders. These teams are in the North Bury League or the Bury and Radcliffe League.

Prestwich Cricket Club is located between Prestwich Metrolink station and Grimshaw's playing fields off Heys Road. Prestwich CC has crown green bowling and tennis facilities and a clubhouse. The Salford League and Middleton League are crown bowling leagues for veterans, ladies, and men. There are flat green bowling facilities in Heaton Park which were built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The Prestwich and District Snooker League compete on Thursdays and occasionally on Tuesdays.[33] Golf is played at Prestwich Golf Club

Culture and media

The Advertiser, (a GWN Greater Manchester Weekly News newspapers) is a weekly freesheet, based in Salford. The Prestwich and Whitefield Guide and The Bury Times are sold in the locality. The Jewish Telegraph is produced and printed in Prestwich.

The Longfield Centre civic hall has one of the largest sprung floor ballrooms in the Northwest of England and has been the host venue for Danceclub2000[34] since August 1998.

There are several private members' clubs in the town including, Prestwich Church Institute, the Royal British Legion, the Carlton Club, Heaton Park Social (Working Men's) Club, and two political clubs Prestwich Conservative Club and Prestwich Liberal Club.

Notable people

Further information: List of people from Bury

William Sturgeon (1783–1850), physicist and inventor. He created the first practical electric motor and electromagnetic solenoid. He lived in Prestwich and is buried at St Mary's Cemetery.

Dr Montagu Lomax, was an assistant medical officer at the Prestwich Asylum from 1917 to 1919, and exposed the inhuman, custodial and antitherapeutic practices there in a book[35] which led to a Royal Commission, increased central control and ultimately the Mental Treatment Act of 1930.[36][37] However, much of what Lomax described could still be seen in parts of Prestwich Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s.[38][39]

The amateur astronomer Michael Oates, who resides in Prestwich, has discovered 144 comets using images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory and for almost 5 years, held the world record for the greatest number of comet discoveries by an individual.

Man Booker Prize-winning author Howard Jacobson was born and raised in Prestwich.[40]

Actress Julie Stevens born in Prestwich in 1936, appeared in episodes of TV series The Avengers, Playschool and Playaway.

The comedienne Victoria Wood was born in Prestwich.[41]

Kevin Godley and Lol Creme of the band 10cc were from Prestwich.

Choreographer Arlene Phillips was born in Prestwich.

Mark E. Smith lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of The Fall has lived in Prestwich since childhood.

Jazz organist Alan Haven was born in Prestwich.

One of the Atomic Kitten band members, Jenny Frost, grew up in Prestwich and attended the local Catholic high school, St Monica's.

References

  1. ^ a b "Greater Manchester Gazetteer". Greater Manchester County Record Office. Places names – O to R. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
  2. ^ Domesday Book
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Farrer, William; Brownbill, J., eds. (1911), "The parish of Prestwich with Oldham: Prestwich", A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5, British History Online, pp. 76–80, retrieved 30 November 2010
  4. ^ Prestwich History Retrieved 2007-12-20
  5. ^ Booker, John (1852). Memorials of the Church in Prestwich: Derived Chiefly from Unpublished and Authentic Sources (abridged ed.). Manchester: Simms and Dinham. p. 71.
  6. ^ Prestwich Museum re-launch, Metropolitan Borough of Bury, retrieved 4 January 2010
  7. ^ King, Edmund (22 Sep 1994). The Anarchy of King Stephen's reign By Edmund King. Clarendon Press. p. 192. ISBN 0-19-820364-0. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  8. ^ Makepeace, C. E. (1974) Prestwich, a brief history. Prestwich Borough Council
  9. ^ a b c d Anon. "Love Prestwich: Part 1: Prestwich Today". Metropolitan Borough of Bury. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ Lewis, Samuel (1848), "Prestwich", A Topographical Dictionary of England, British History Online, pp. 175–179, retrieved 30 November 2010
  11. ^ Map of the ten parishes of the Hundred of Salford retrieved 2007-11-02
  12. ^ Prestwich Township Boundaries, GenUKI, retrieved 1 December 2010
  13. ^ Anon (June 2009). "Phase 1 geo-environmental ground investigation At Longfield Shopping Centre, Prestwich Town Centre, Manchester for the Hollins Murray Group" (PDF). Planning report. Hollins Murray Group. p. 14. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  14. ^ Bury MBC Contaminated land inspection strategy section 2 Retrieved on 2008-03-11
  15. ^ Adweb: Prestwich location report Retrieved on 2008-03-11
  16. ^ Jewish Communities and Records: Synagogues of Greater Manchester Retrieved on 2008-03-12
  17. ^ PrestwichCP/Tn : Total Population, Vision of Britain, retrieved 3 December 2010
  18. ^ Prestwich Advertiser – Community – Rochdale Observer
  19. ^ Prestwich Tourist Information, About Britain, retrieved 4 January 2010
  20. ^ Pratt, Ian (9 November 2009). "Looking back:Rural Prestwich on 18th century map". The Prestwich and Whitefield Guide. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  21. ^ a b Hindle, Paul, Manchester Victoria to Bury: an historical trip on Metrolink (pdf), Manchester Geographical Society, retrieved 3 December 2010
  22. ^ pratt, Ian (31 October 2008). "Looking back:Inn was open all hours to cater for the workers". The Prestwich and Whitefield Guide. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  23. ^ Wrenwood and Rookwood, Bury Council, retrieved 3 January 2010
  24. ^ Prestwich, GenUKI, retrieved 1 December 2010
  25. ^ [1]
  26. ^ Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East By Clare Hartwell, Matthew Hyde, Nikolaus Pevsner, Yale University Press, 2004, p. 88.
  27. ^ Buxton, Richard (1849). A botanical guide to the flowering plants, ferns, mosses and algæ, found indigenous within 16 miles (26 km) of Manchester: with some information as to their agricultural, medicinal, and other usesr. Manchester: Longman and Co. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  28. ^ Melvill, J. C. (1905) "Flora", in: Nicholls, W. History and Traditions; pp. 165–182
  29. ^ pratt, Ian (26 November 2009). "Looking back:'Sylvan' view of the Clough in 1908". Prestwich and Whitefield Guide. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  30. ^ Prestwich Clough Day 2007 Retrieved 2007-10-26
  31. ^ Prestwich Clough Centenary Committee
  32. ^ Prestwich Forest Park Retrieved 2007-10-26
  33. ^ Prestwich Snooker
  34. ^ Danceclub2000
  35. ^ Montagu Lomax, The Experiences of an Asylum Doctor London: George Allen & Unwin 1921
  36. ^ BA Towers The management and politics of a public expose: the Prestwich Inquiry 1922 J Social Policy (1984) 13: 41–61
  37. ^ TW Harding, "Not worth powder and shot." A reappraisal of Montagu Lomax's contribution to mental health reform British Journal of Psychiatry (1990) 156: 180–187
  38. ^ J Hopton Daily life in a 20th century psychiatric hospital: an oral history of Prestwich Hospital Int Hist Nurs J (1997) 2: 27–39
  39. ^ J Hopton Prestwich Hospital in the twentieth century: a case study of slow and uneven progress in the development of psychiatric care History of Psychiatry (1999) 10: 349–369
  40. ^ Anon (13 October 2010). "Howard Jacobson wins the Booker Prize – and thanks his Whitefield school". Manchester Evening News. MEN media. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  41. ^ "Victoria Wood to return to drama". Manchester Evening News. 23 June 2006.

Further reading

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