Irlam
Encyclopedia
Irlam is a suburban town and unparished area
within the City of Salford
in Greater Manchester
, England. At the 2001 census it had a population of 18,504. The town lies on flat ground on the south side of the M62 motorway
and the north bank of the Manchester Ship Canal
, and is 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-southwest of Salford, 7.6 miles (12.2 km) west-southwest of Manchester
and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) east-northeast of Warrington
. Irlam forms a continuous urban area with Cadishead
to the southwest, and is divided from Flixton
and the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford
to the southeast by the Manchester Ship Canal.
Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Irlam was anciently known as Irwellham, and was an outlying area of Chat Moss
, a large peat bog
which straddled the River Irwell
. Work was carried out during the 19th century to reclaim large areas of Chat Moss to enable the completion of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
in 1829. In 1894 the Irwell was adjusted so that its waters were united with the Manchester Ship Canal
, stimulating the growth of Irlam as an inland port. Irlam Urban District was established in the same year and was governed thereafter by its own district council until its abolition in 1974.
Irlam's geography is varied; the northern half continues to exist as moss land, enabling the area to have the largest farming community in Greater Manchester. The southern half is predominantly residential, and has a major employment source at the Northbank Industrial Estate.
, from which it almost certainly takes its name, being known in the 13th century as Irwellham. Until around the time of the arrival of the Cheshire Lines Committee
railway and the opening of Irlam railway station
, in 1873, Irlam remained a largely undeveloped village, on the southern edge of the peat bog known as Chat Moss
.
From at least the beginning of the 13th century, Irlam was held by the Irlam family, whose seat was Irlam Hall. By 1688 Irlam Hall had become the home of Thomas Latham, who played an important part in bringing William of Orange
to the throne of England in 1689.
Irlam Urban District was created in 1894, the same year that the Manchester Ship Canal opened. A pair of locks and a ship coaling berth were constructed here. The subsequent industrial development of Irlam owed much to the construction of the canal, which effectively rendered the River Irwell navigable to large ocean-going ships up to Manchester Docks
. The Latham family's importance to the local area was acknowledged when their features were incorporated into the arms of Irlam's former urban district council.
Council-owned housing passed to the City West Housing Trust. It was while renovating some of these properties at 7:00 am on 2 November 2010, that there was a large gas explosion. Four houses were destroyed, 15 people were injured and 80 families were subsequently evacuated. There were no fatalities.
, and later British Steel
. Rationalisation and the concentration of steel manufacture into fewer, larger sites, meant that by 1979, all steel production in Irlam had ceased. The former steelworks are now the site of Northbank Industrial Estate.
Kingsland Wine & Spirits, the UK's largest independent wine bottler, operates from a 35 acres (14.2 ha) site in Irlam, formerly a soapworks established in 1895. The company employs 300 people.
is an amateur association football club that plays in the Premier Division of the Manchester Football League
and has its ground in Silver Street. There are two junior football teams in the area, one of them being Irlam Vale F.C. Irlam Cricket Club plays in the Lancashire County League, and Irlam Hornets Rugby League Club is a reformed rugby league club. Fit City is a leisure centre, with a swimming pool and fitness gym.
Unparished area
In England, an unparished area is an area that is not covered by a civil parish. Most urbanised districts of England are either entirely or partly unparished. Many towns and some cities in otherwise rural districts are also unparished areas and therefore no longer have a town council or city...
within the City of Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
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. At the 2001 census it had a population of 18,504. The town lies on flat ground on the south side of the M62 motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
and the north bank of the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
, and is 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-southwest of Salford, 7.6 miles (12.2 km) west-southwest of 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 8.3 miles (13.4 km) east-northeast of Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
. Irlam forms a continuous urban area with Cadishead
Cadishead
Cadishead is a suburban town within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, Cadishead is the most southwesterly settlement in the city of Salford.-History:...
to the southwest, and is divided from Flixton
Flixton, Greater Manchester
Flixton is a village and electoral ward within the Urmston area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. It lies about six miles to the southwest of Manchester city centre, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire.Flixton's present-day population is...
and the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford
Trafford
The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 211,800, covers , and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretford, and Urmston...
to the southeast by the Manchester Ship Canal.
Historically
Historic counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
a part 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...
, Irlam was anciently known as Irwellham, and was an outlying area of Chat Moss
Chat Moss
Chat Moss is a large area of peat bog that makes up 30 percent of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of the River Irwell, to the west of Manchester, and occupies an area of about...
, a large peat bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
which straddled 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...
. Work was carried out during the 19th century to reclaim large areas of Chat Moss to enable the completion of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
in 1829. In 1894 the Irwell was adjusted so that its waters were united with the Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
, stimulating the growth of Irlam as an inland port. Irlam Urban District was established in the same year and was governed thereafter by its own district council until its abolition in 1974.
Irlam's geography is varied; the northern half continues to exist as moss land, enabling the area to have the largest farming community in Greater Manchester. The southern half is predominantly residential, and has a major employment source at the Northbank Industrial Estate.
History
Irlam is situated on the north bank of 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...
, from which it almost certainly takes its name, being known in the 13th century as Irwellham. Until around the time of the arrival of the Cheshire Lines Committee
Cheshire Lines Committee
The Cheshire Lines Committee was the second largest joint railway in Great Britain, with 143 route miles. Despite its name, approximately 55% of its system was in Lancashire. In its publicity material it was often styled as the Cheshire Lines Railway...
railway and the opening of Irlam railway station
Irlam railway station
Irlam railway station serves the town of Irlam in the City of Salford metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in the north west of England. The station is 14 km west of Manchester Oxford Road on the Manchester to Liverpool Line...
, in 1873, Irlam remained a largely undeveloped village, on the southern edge of the peat bog known as Chat Moss
Chat Moss
Chat Moss is a large area of peat bog that makes up 30 percent of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north of the River Irwell, to the west of Manchester, and occupies an area of about...
.
From at least the beginning of the 13th century, Irlam was held by the Irlam family, whose seat was Irlam Hall. By 1688 Irlam Hall had become the home of Thomas Latham, who played an important part in bringing William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
to the throne of England in 1689.
Irlam Urban District was created in 1894, the same year that the Manchester Ship Canal opened. A pair of locks and a ship coaling berth were constructed here. The subsequent industrial development of Irlam owed much to the construction of the canal, which effectively rendered the River Irwell navigable to large ocean-going ships up to Manchester Docks
Manchester Docks
Manchester Dock and similar can mean:*"Manchester Docks" is another name for Salford Docks in Greater Manchester, England*Manchester Dock , an old dock in Liverpool, England...
. The Latham family's importance to the local area was acknowledged when their features were incorporated into the arms of Irlam's former urban district council.
Council-owned housing passed to the City West Housing Trust. It was while renovating some of these properties at 7:00 am on 2 November 2010, that there was a large gas explosion. Four houses were destroyed, 15 people were injured and 80 families were subsequently evacuated. There were no fatalities.
Economy
Steel manufacture was a major source of employment in Irlam for a large part of the 20th century. The Partington Steel and Iron Company opened the first steelworks in Irlam, in 1910. It subsequently became a part of the Lancashire Steel CorporationLancashire Steel Corporation
The Lancashire Steel Corporation Ltd was a United Kingdom steel producer. The company was formed in 1930 by the amalgamation of a number of iron and steel interests, principally in the Manchester area...
, and later British Steel
British Steel
British Steel was a major British steel producer. It originated as a nationalised industry, the British Steel Corporation , formed in 1967. This was converted to a public limited company, British Steel PLC, and privatised in 1988. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
. Rationalisation and the concentration of steel manufacture into fewer, larger sites, meant that by 1979, all steel production in Irlam had ceased. The former steelworks are now the site of Northbank Industrial Estate.
Kingsland Wine & Spirits, the UK's largest independent wine bottler, operates from a 35 acres (14.2 ha) site in Irlam, formerly a soapworks established in 1895. The company employs 300 people.
Sport
Irlam F.C.Irlam F.C.
Irlam F.C. is an amateur football club situated in Irlam, Salford, England.The first team currently plays its football in the North West Counties League Division One.-History:...
is an amateur association football club that plays in the Premier Division of the Manchester Football League
Manchester Football League
The Manchester Football League, currently known under terms of sponsorship as Bridgewater Office Supplies Football League, is a football league in England, covering a 20-mile radius from Manchester Town Hall. It was formed in 1893, although play ceased between 1912 and 1920. The 2010–11 champions...
and has its ground in Silver Street. There are two junior football teams in the area, one of them being Irlam Vale F.C. Irlam Cricket Club plays in the Lancashire County League, and Irlam Hornets Rugby League Club is a reformed rugby league club. Fit City is a leisure centre, with a swimming pool and fitness gym.