Great Bolton
Encyclopedia
Great Bolton was a township
of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
in the Salford hundred
of Lancashire
, England. Despite its name, Great Bolton had a smaller acreage than its northern neighbour Little Bolton
from which it was separated by the River Croal
.
, a judicial division of southwest Lancashire. It was one of the townships that made up the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
.
Under provisions of the Poor Relief Act 1662
, townships replaced civil parishes as the main units of local administration in Lancashire. Great Bolton became one of the eighteen autonomous townships of the civil parish of Bolton le Moors. The township appointed overseers of the poor
who levied a rate to fund the Poor Law
. Highway surveyors were also appointed and funded from the rate to maintain the roads.
By the eighteenth century Great Bolton was expanding rapidly and the Bolton Improvement Act of 1792 established the Great Bolton Improvement Trustees (or police commissioners) who took responsibility for regulating the streets, securing a water supply, removing nuisances, and licensing conveyances The act also provided the enclosure
of Bolton Moor which was divided into building lots. In 1837, Great Bolton became part of the Bolton Poor Law Union
, which took over the responsibility for the administration and funding of the Poor Law in that area.
Under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
, the Municipal borough
of Bolton
was established as a local authority in 1838, which comprised Great Bolton, most of the township of Little Bolton, and the Haulgh area of the township of Tonge with Haulgh
. In 1866, Great Bolton changed its status to become a civil parish. Although Great Bolton was part of the Municipal Borough of Bolton from 1838, the township, later civil parish, was used for the censuses
until it was abolished in 1895. For recording births, marriages and deaths, Great Bolton continued as a sub-district until 1902, then part of the Great Bolton and Lever sub-district until 1941, both parts of the Bolton Registration district
.
. The land was level apart from a clough or steep-banked valley occupied by the river Croal. The south western part of the township was occupied by moorland that gave the parish its early name.
A cross roads about 200 yards (182.9 m) from the church was the place where a market was held in the Middle Ages
. From here the road to the east Churchgate led to the church, Deansgate to the west led towards Deane
and Chorley
, to the south Bradshawgate led to Manchester
and to the north, Bank Street led to Little Bolton
.
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
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. Despite its name, Great Bolton had a smaller acreage than its northern neighbour Little Bolton
Little Bolton
Little Bolton was a township of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors in the Salford hundred of Lancashire, England. Besides the main part of Little Bolton, it had three detached parts which were separated by areas of Lower Sharples and Higher Sharples...
from which it was separated by the River Croal
River Croal
The River Croal is a river located in Greater Manchester, England. It is a tributary of the River Irwell.Rising at the confluence of Middle Brook and Deane Church Brook, it flows eastwards through Bolton, collecting Gilnow Brook and the larger River Tonge at Darcy Lever...
.
Governance
Historically, Great Bolton formed part of the Hundred of SalfordSalford (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...
, a judicial division of southwest Lancashire. It was one of the townships that made up the ancient 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...
.
Under provisions of the Poor Relief Act 1662
Poor Relief Act 1662
The Poor Relief Act 1662 was an Act of the Cavalier Parliament of England. It was an Act for the Better Relief of the Poor of this Kingdom and is also known as the Settlement Act or, more honestly, the Settlement and Removal Act. The purpose of the Act was to establish the parish to which a person...
, townships replaced civil parishes as the main units of local administration in Lancashire. Great Bolton became one of the eighteen autonomous townships of the civil parish of Bolton le Moors. The township appointed overseers of the poor
Overseer of the Poor
An Overseer of the Poor was an official who administered poor relief such as money, food, and clothing in England and various other countries which derived their law from England.-England:...
who levied a rate to fund 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...
. Highway surveyors were also appointed and funded from the rate to maintain the roads.
By the eighteenth century Great Bolton was expanding rapidly and the Bolton Improvement Act of 1792 established the Great Bolton Improvement Trustees (or police commissioners) who took responsibility for regulating the streets, securing a water supply, removing nuisances, and licensing conveyances The act also provided the enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
of Bolton Moor which was divided into building lots. In 1837, Great Bolton became part of the Bolton Poor Law Union
Poor 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 over the responsibility for the administration and funding of the Poor Law in that area.
Under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835
Municipal Corporations Act 1835
The Municipal Corporations Act 1835 – sometimes known as the Municipal Reform Act, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in the incorporated boroughs of England and Wales...
, the Municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
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 established as a local authority in 1838, which comprised Great Bolton, most of the township of Little Bolton, and the Haulgh area of the township of 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:...
. In 1866, Great Bolton changed its status to become a civil parish. Although Great Bolton was part of the Municipal Borough of Bolton from 1838, the township, later civil parish, was used for the censuses
Census in the United Kingdom
Coincident full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 and in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in 1921; simultaneous censuses were taken in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, with...
until it was abolished in 1895. For recording births, marriages and deaths, Great Bolton continued as a sub-district until 1902, then part of the Great Bolton and Lever sub-district until 1941, both parts of the Bolton Registration district
Registration district
A registration district in the United Kingdom is a type of administrative region which exists for the purpose of civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths and civil partnerships...
.
Geography
The township was bounded on the north and east by the River Croal which eventually joins the River IrwellRiver 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...
. The land was level apart from a clough or steep-banked valley occupied by the river Croal. The south western part of the township was occupied by moorland that gave the parish its early name.
A cross roads about 200 yards (182.9 m) from the church was the place where a market was held in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. From here the road to the east Churchgate led to the church, Deansgate to the west led towards Deane
Deane, Greater Manchester
Deane is an area of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is about south west of Bolton and northwest of the city of Manchester.Historically a part of Lancashire, the Parish of Deane was once one of four parishes within the hundred of Salford and covered roughly half of the present...
and Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, to the south Bradshawgate led to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and to the north, Bank Street led to Little Bolton
Little Bolton
Little Bolton was a township of the civil and ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors in the Salford hundred of Lancashire, England. Besides the main part of Little Bolton, it had three detached parts which were separated by areas of Lower Sharples and Higher Sharples...
.
Demography
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,549 | 17,070 | 22,037 | 28,299 | 33,449 | 39,923 | 43,435 | 45,313 | 45,694 | 47,067 |
| Sources: Local population statistics Vision of Britain. | ||||||||||