Breightmet
Encyclopedia
Breightmet is a neighbourhood of Bolton
, in Greater Manchester
, England. Historically a township
of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
in the Salford hundred
of Lancashire, it lies 2 miles north east of Bolton
and 4 miles north-west of Bury
.
Its name was variously recorded as Brihtmede in 1257, Brightemete in 1277, Breghmete and Breghtmed in 1292, Brithmete in 1302, Brightmede in 1510 and Breightmet in 1574.
and one ploughland was held by Augustin de Breightmet in the 12th century. By marriage one part descended to the Southworths of Samlesbury
who held it until the 16th century. This portion was later owned by Gerards, Ainsworths, Banastres, Baguley and Parker families. The other part was held by the Hollands until they forfeited it in 1461 when it was granted to Lord Stanley and his son, Lord Strange, the Earls of Derby.
which took responsibility for funding the Poor Law
in that area. The township was incorporated in the borough of Bolton in 1898. Following the Local Government Act 1972
, the County Borough of Bolton
was abolished and Breightmet became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester in 1974. It is represented by three councillors on Bolton Council and is part of the Bolton North-East Westminster constituency.
road. It was separated from Tonge with Haulgh
by the River Irwell
. Breightmet Hill, the highest point, rises to about 525 feet (160 m).
There is a local nature reserve
at Seven Acres Country Park
. The park separates the west side of Breightmet from neighbouring Tonge Moor
.
, acquired from Asda in Jan 2011, Home Bargains
and a Mecca Bingo Hall, as well as a newly built "Breightmet Health Centre" including GP surgeries, library and pharmacy. Many other local businesses also exist in the area.
St James' Parish Church was consecrated in 1855. Canon James Slade
, Vicar of Bolton from 1817 to 1856, and founder of the Bolton Church Institute
is buried in the churchyard.
, the largest park area within Bolton has a community and children's centre with therapy suites, gymnasium, indoor athletics hall and outdoor athletics stadium, which hosts the town's school athletics competitions. The park has football pitches, 5-a-side football pitches, bowling greens and an athletics stadium as well as nature walks and picnic areas.
and sixth form college
, and Top o’th Brow Primary School.
Three other primary schools serve Breightmet, these are Red Lane County Primary School, Leverhulme Community Primary School and St Osmund and Andrew Roman Catholic County Primary School.
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England. Historically a township
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors was a civil parish and ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford in the historic county of Lancashire, England...
in the Salford hundred
Salford (hundred)
The hundred of Salford was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in Northern England. It was sometimes known as Salfordshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of Salford...
of Lancashire, it lies 2 miles north east of Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
and 4 miles north-west of Bury
Bury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
.
Toponymy
The name comes from the Old English breorht meaning bright and maed meaning meadow, so making "bright meadow".Its name was variously recorded as Brihtmede in 1257, Brightemete in 1277, Breghmete and Breghtmed in 1292, Brithmete in 1302, Brightmede in 1510 and Breightmet in 1574.
Manor
The manor originated as part of the Marsey feeFee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
and one ploughland was held by Augustin de Breightmet in the 12th century. By marriage one part descended to the Southworths of Samlesbury
Samlesbury
Samlesbury is a small village and civil parish in the South Ribble borough of Lancashire, England. Samlesbury Hall, a historic house, is located in the village as well as Samlesbury Aerodrome...
who held it until the 16th century. This portion was later owned by Gerards, Ainsworths, Banastres, Baguley and Parker families. The other part was held by the Hollands until they forfeited it in 1461 when it was granted to Lord Stanley and his son, Lord Strange, the Earls of Derby.
Industry
In the township there was a quarry and several collieries including one accessing a seam of coal three yards thick. There were handloom weavers producing quilts and counterpanes and two cotton mills and a bleachworks were built.Governance
In 1837 Breightmet became part of the Bolton Poor Law UnionPoor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
which took responsibility for funding the Poor Law
Poor Law
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
in that area. The township was incorporated in the borough of Bolton in 1898. Following the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, the County Borough of Bolton
County Borough of Bolton
Bolton was, from 1838 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England, conterminate with the town of Bolton.-History:Bolton was created a free borough in 1253 when William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby granted a charter. However the borough did not develop into a self-governing...
was abolished and Breightmet became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester in 1974. It is represented by three councillors on Bolton Council and is part of the Bolton North-East Westminster constituency.
Geography
The Breightmet township which covered 825 acres (3.3 km²) acres of hilly land was two miles north east of Bolton on BuryBury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
road. It was separated from Tonge with Haulgh
Tonge with Haulgh
Tonge with Haulgh was a township of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors in the Salford hundred of Lancashire, England.-Toponymy:...
by the River Irwell
River Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
. Breightmet Hill, the highest point, rises to about 525 feet (160 m).
There is a local nature reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
at Seven Acres Country Park
Seven Acres Country Park, Bolton
Seven Acres Country Park is, despite what its nineteenth-century name implies, a Local Nature Reserve in the town of Bolton, in Greater Manchester. It lies between the areas of Tonge and Breightmet, and is dissected by Bradshaw Brook...
. The park separates the west side of Breightmet from neighbouring Tonge Moor
Tonge, Greater Manchester
Tonge is an outlying area of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. The name is supposed to be derived from the Old English "tang" or "twang" meaning a fork in a river. Tonge comprises two areas, namely Tonge Fold and Tonge Moor...
.
Economy
The main shopping area within Breightmet is along Bury Road (A58) and consists of a Morrisons store (formerly NettoNetto (store)
Netto is a Danish discount supermarket operating in several European countries. Netto is owned by Dansk Supermarked Group, which in turn is partly owned by A.P. Møller-Mærsk Group.Netto also operates an express version of the store, known as Døgn Netto...
, acquired from Asda in Jan 2011, Home Bargains
Home Bargains
Home Bargains is a chain of discount stores, offering home bargains, operating throughout the United Kingdom, founded by Tom Morris in Liverpool, England approximately 30 years ago...
and a Mecca Bingo Hall, as well as a newly built "Breightmet Health Centre" including GP surgeries, library and pharmacy. Many other local businesses also exist in the area.
Religion
There are several places of worship in Breightmet including two Anglican churches, St James and St John the Evangelist, a Roman Catholic church, St Osmund's, Breightmet and Trinity Methodist churches, Red Lane United Reform Church and Kings Church.St James' Parish Church was consecrated in 1855. Canon James Slade
James Slade
James Slade, M.A. , generally remembered as Canon Slade, was the Vicar of St Peter's Church, Bolton le Moors, Lancashire, England from 1817 to 1856....
, Vicar of Bolton from 1817 to 1856, and founder of the Bolton Church Institute
Canon Slade School
Canon Slade School is a Church of England secondary school on Bradshaw Brow in Bradshaw, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England.-History:...
is buried in the churchyard.
Sport and Leisure
Bolton St Catherine's Academy has a community leisure and sports centre. Leverhulme ParkLeverhulme Park
Leverhulme Park is the largest park in the town of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It was donated to the people of Bolton by, and named after, the late Lord Leverhulme. The park is bounded by the Breightmet, Darcy Lever, the Haulgh, and Tonge Fold. Since its earlier days as simply a park, Leverhulme...
, the largest park area within Bolton has a community and children's centre with therapy suites, gymnasium, indoor athletics hall and outdoor athletics stadium, which hosts the town's school athletics competitions. The park has football pitches, 5-a-side football pitches, bowling greens and an athletics stadium as well as nature walks and picnic areas.
Education
St Catherine’s CE Academy, Bolton's second academy, caters for children from three to 19. It is a publicly funded independent school, incorporating the former Withins School, a secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
and sixth form college
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
, and Top o’th Brow Primary School.
Three other primary schools serve Breightmet, these are Red Lane County Primary School, Leverhulme Community Primary School and St Osmund and Andrew Roman Catholic County Primary School.