Walkden
Encyclopedia
Walkden is a town within the metropolitan borough
of the City of Salford
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) west-northwest of Salford, and 7 miles (11.3 km) west-northwest of Manchester
.
Historically
a part of the township of Worsley
in Lancashire
, Walkden was a centre for coal mining
and textile manufacture
.
According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
, Walkden had a total resident population of 38,685.
', an Old English personal name. It has been in existence since at least the 13th century. The name was recorded in documents dating to 1246.
crossed the area roughly on the line of the present A6 road
through Walkden and Little Hulton
. In 1313 in a dispute involving land, a jury decided that Walkden was too small to be considered a hamlet or a town but was "only a place in Farnworth". In the 15th century Walkden appears to have covered a wider area than at present, spreading into Farnworth and Little Hulton. In 1765 'Walkden Moor' was the subject of a parliamentary Enclosure Act
. The Duke of Bridgewater was the biggest landowner in 1786, owning over half the land.
s.
There were many shafts for small collieries sunk to the relatively shallow coal seams of the Worsley Four Foot mine on land owned by the Egertons, the Lords of the Manor
of Worsley which included Walkden. Named shafts were, Speakman's, Edge Fold, Lloyd's and Hey's Field before 1770, Turnpike Lime, Barlow Fold, Scowcroft's, and Crippin's Croft before 1780, Pin Fold, Parr Fold and Tub Engine before 1790 and Grundy's Field, Stone, Windmill, Charlton's, and the Inclined Plane Pit all before 1800. The Worsley Navigable Levels
linked some of these mines to the Bridgewater Canal
at Worsley. The levels were used to transport coal from the mines of the Bridgewater Collieries
in Walkden until the railways were used as an improved form of transportation. After 1800 Urmston's Meadow, Moss Hill Top, Parkinson's and Sawney, Atkin's Croft, Barrack's, Magnall's, Ashton's Field and the Ellesmere were sunk but were independent of the levels. Walkden Yard or NCB
Central Workshops was situated south of High Street, close to Ellesmere Colliery was partly in Little Hulton
. It was built 1898 by the Bridgewater Trustees
as a central works depot providing engineering services for their collieries and colliery railways. On the site there was a machine shop, joiners' shop, electricians' shop, paint shop, tinsmiths', waggon sheds and waggon machine shop. The yard closed as a British Coal
workshop in 1986 and is now a housing estate.
, within the Hundred of Salford
in the historic county of Lancashire
, although some parts including Linnyshaw
and Toppings Bridge were within the parish of Deane
. Worsley Urban District Council, which included Walkden, was formed in 1894.
Walkden was amalgamated into the City of Salford
metropolitan district of Greater Manchester
in April 1974, as part of the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972
, having previously formed part of the Worsley Urban District
in the administrative county
of Lancashire
. Walkden is divided by three electoral wards; Little Hulton, Walkden North and Walkden South.
Walkden is part of the Worsley parliamentary consistituency
. Between 1885 and 1983 Walkden lay in the now defunct Farnworth constituency
and before that, from 1868 to 1885, within the South East Lancashire
constituency.
and the B5232.
A 185500 sq ft (17,233.5 m²) Tesco Extra concept store opened in the market square on 27 September 2010 creating more than 300 jobs. A new Health Centre and library called the 'Walkden Gateway' opened here in 2008.
covers 50 hectares half mile north of the town centre. The site is a designated local nature reserve. The reservoir was originally used by factories. The derelict and badly polluted site was crossed by a disused railway line and next to a chemical waste tip. It was reclaimed and restored after a community campaign.
The Ellesmere Monument in St Paul's Churchyard, was erected in 1868 in memory of the Countess of Ellesmere. It originally stood at the junction of the A6, A575 and B5232 roads but was moved into the churchyard in 1968 to reduce traffic congestion. Statues of four angel
s on the monument were stolen. A project to restore the monument was completed in 2006.
. The East Lancashire Road (A580) passes to the south of Walkden and connects to the M60
ring-road and the motorway network. The M61
to the east of Walkden is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the widest section of motorway in Britain, (there are 17 lanes side by side at Linnyshaw
Moss).
There are extensive and frequent bus services, mainly operated by First Manchester
, linking the town with Manchester
, Bolton
and Leigh
. Services include the 36 and 37 routes between Bolton and Manchester via Farnworth
(37), Little Hulton
(36) and Swinton
.
Walkden had two railway stations. The London and North Western Railway
built a station on the Bolton to Eccles line which joined the Tyldesley Loopline
at Roe Green
in 1875 and was closed in 1954. This station was known as Walkden Low Level and there were stations at Little Hulton, Plodder Lane, Roe Green and Monton. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
built a station on the Manchester to Wigan line in 1888. Walkden railway station
remains open and was originally known as Walkden High Level. Both lines were opened as a result of the coal mining in the area.
According to 2006 figures, it is used by over 150,000 passengers annually. There are twice-hourly daytime services to both Manchester
and Wigan
, from where there are connecting services to Manchester Airport and the rest of the UK. This is reduced to an hourly service each way in the evenings. In 2009 the GMITA voted to approve funding for a one-year trial of hourly Sunday trains from Walkden, starting on 23 May 2010.
s and a sixth form college
. Walkden High School
, St. George's RC High School
and Harrop Fold. St. George's was listed for closure, however after a long fought battle these plans have been overturned. The council have yet to announce revised plans for catholic secondary schools in the area. Walkden High will be rebuilt with the same name, but with a larger building, thereby increasing its pupil capacity.
St Paul's Heathside Gr. C of E Primary School, St. Paul's Crompton St. C of E Primary School and James Brindley Community Primary School are primary schools in Walkden and serve students ages 3–11.
A number of the town's primary schools are church school
s. They include: St. Paul's, Crompton Street and St Paul's, Heathside, which are both Church of England
schools. Christ the King is the Roman Catholic primary school for Walkden, Worsley
and Roe Green
. In addition there are three county primary schools - they are North Walkden Primary School in the north of the town and Mesne Lea Primary School and James Brindley Primary School in south Walkden.
Salford College, a vocational post-16 college, has its main facilities located in Walkden at its Worsley Campus
on Walkden Road, close to the railway station
.
St John's Church was founded in 1876 in Walkden although most of its parish is in Little Hulton, it is part of the Walkden & Little Hulton Team Ministry.
There are two Methodist churches, Walkden Methodist Church and Worsley Road North Methodist Church. Christ the King Roman Catholic Church serves the Roman Catholic communities of Walkden, Roe Green and Worsley. There is also a Congregational Church
.
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
of 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. It is 6 miles (9.7 km) west-northwest of Salford, and 7 miles (11.3 km) west-northwest 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...
.
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 the township of Worsley
Worsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
in 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...
, Walkden was a centre for coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
and textile manufacture
Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution
The industrial revolution changed the nature of work and society. Opinion varies as to the exact date, but it is estimated that the First Industrial Revolution took place between 1750 and 1850, and the second phase or Second Industrial Revolution between 1860 and 1900. The three key drivers in...
.
According to the United Kingdom Census 2001
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Walkden had a total resident population of 38,685.
Toponymy
The name Walkden or Walkeden derives from the Old English denu, a valley, belonging to a man possibly called Wealca (literally meaning 'the fullerFuller
Fuller may refer to:* People with the surname Fuller * Fuller, a worker who cleanses wool through the process of fulling* Fuller's Brewery in London* Fuller's earth, clay used for filtering and purifying...
', an Old English personal name. It has been in existence since at least the 13th century. The name was recorded in documents dating to 1246.
History
A Roman roadRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
crossed the area roughly on the line of the present A6 road
A6 road
The A6 is one of the main historic north south roads in England. It currently runs from Luton in Bedfordshire to Carlisle in Cumbria, although it formerly started at a junction with the A1 at Barnet....
through Walkden and Little Hulton
Little Hulton
Little Hulton is a village—effectively a suburb—within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Bolton, west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
. In 1313 in a dispute involving land, a jury decided that Walkden was too small to be considered a hamlet or a town but was "only a place in Farnworth". In the 15th century Walkden appears to have covered a wider area than at present, spreading into Farnworth and Little Hulton. In 1765 'Walkden Moor' was the subject of a parliamentary Enclosure Act
Inclosure Act
The Inclosure or Enclosure Acts were a series of United Kingdom Acts of Parliament which enclosed open fields and common land in the country. They removed previously existing rights of local people to carry out activities in these areas, such as cultivation, cutting hay, grazing animals or using...
. The Duke of Bridgewater was the biggest landowner in 1786, owning over half the land.
Industry
Walkden's industrial history links are mainly to coal mining, but also to cotton millCotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s.
There were many shafts for small collieries sunk to the relatively shallow coal seams of the Worsley Four Foot mine on land owned by the Egertons, the Lords of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Worsley which included Walkden. Named shafts were, Speakman's, Edge Fold, Lloyd's and Hey's Field before 1770, Turnpike Lime, Barlow Fold, Scowcroft's, and Crippin's Croft before 1780, Pin Fold, Parr Fold and Tub Engine before 1790 and Grundy's Field, Stone, Windmill, Charlton's, and the Inclined Plane Pit all before 1800. The Worsley Navigable Levels
Worsley Navigable Levels
The Worsley Navigable Levels are an extensive series of coal mines in Worsley in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. They were worked largely by the use of underground canals and boats called starvationers....
linked some of these mines to the Bridgewater Canal
Bridgewater Canal
The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester...
at Worsley. The levels were used to transport coal from the mines of the Bridgewater Collieries
Bridgewater Collieries
Bridgewater Collieries originated from the coal mines on the Manchester Coalfield in Worsley in the historic county of Lancashire owned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater in the second half of the 18th century. After the Duke's death in 1803 his estate was managed by the Bridgewater...
in Walkden until the railways were used as an improved form of transportation. After 1800 Urmston's Meadow, Moss Hill Top, Parkinson's and Sawney, Atkin's Croft, Barrack's, Magnall's, Ashton's Field and the Ellesmere were sunk but were independent of the levels. Walkden Yard or NCB
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
Central Workshops was situated south of High Street, close to Ellesmere Colliery was partly in Little Hulton
Little Hulton
Little Hulton is a village—effectively a suburb—within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Bolton, west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
. It was built 1898 by the Bridgewater Trustees
Bridgewater Collieries
Bridgewater Collieries originated from the coal mines on the Manchester Coalfield in Worsley in the historic county of Lancashire owned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater in the second half of the 18th century. After the Duke's death in 1803 his estate was managed by the Bridgewater...
as a central works depot providing engineering services for their collieries and colliery railways. On the site there was a machine shop, joiners' shop, electricians' shop, paint shop, tinsmiths', waggon sheds and waggon machine shop. The yard closed as a British Coal
British Coal
thumb|right|British Coal company logoThe British Coal Corporation was a nationalised corporation in the United Kingdom responsible for the extraction of coal...
workshop in 1986 and is now a housing estate.
Governance
Until 1894, Walkden lay within the township of Worsley in the ancient ecclesiastical parish of EcclesEccles, Greater Manchester
Eccles is a town in the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England, west of Salford and west of Manchester city centre...
, within the Hundred of Salford
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...
in the historic county 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...
, although some parts including Linnyshaw
Linnyshaw
Linnyshaw is an area of Walkden, a town in the City of Salford district of Greater Manchester, England. Historically within Lancashire, it lies in the northeast of Walkden, immediately south of junction 2 of the M61 motorway. The area is predominantly moss and there is a very small population...
and Toppings Bridge were within the parish of 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...
. Worsley Urban District Council, which included Walkden, was formed in 1894.
Walkden was amalgamated into 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...
metropolitan district of 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...
in April 1974, as part of the provisions of 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....
, having previously formed part of the Worsley Urban District
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in the administrative county
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
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...
. Walkden is divided by three electoral wards; Little Hulton, Walkden North and Walkden South.
Walkden is part of the Worsley parliamentary consistituency
Worsley (UK Parliament constituency)
Worsley was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
. Between 1885 and 1983 Walkden lay in the now defunct Farnworth constituency
Farnworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Farnworth was a county constituency in Lancashire which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election.- Boundaries :...
and before that, from 1868 to 1885, within the South East Lancashire
South East Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)
South East Lancashire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was represented by two Members of Parliament...
constituency.
Geography
Walkden is situated at the junction of the A6 Manchester to Chorley road, the A575 Worsley to Moses Gate, Farnworth roadA575 road
The A575 is an A road in Greater Manchester which connects Worsley and Farnworth.- Route :The road begins in Worsley village near junction 13 of the M60 at the A572, where this road goes beneath the M60. It crosses the East Lancashire Road - A580. It then goes through Walkden past the railway...
and the B5232.
Economy
The Ellesmere Centre shopping precinct, adjoins the retail park and was built as part of the same development replacing the old market hall and Pembroke Hall. Worsley Post Office is located in the centre along with cafes, national and local retailers, charity shops, hairdressers and bakers. The centre incorporates a "market square". The retail park's tenants include a superstore, gym, bingo hall, a sports store, an 'Instore' and a video rental store. There are fast-food restaurants and independent local businesses and services. Banks and building societies are located on Bolton Road. As of June 2009 a survey of town centres by "Experian" found that Walkden had almost 60% retail premises standing empty.A 185500 sq ft (17,233.5 m²) Tesco Extra concept store opened in the market square on 27 September 2010 creating more than 300 jobs. A new Health Centre and library called the 'Walkden Gateway' opened here in 2008.
Culture and community
Blackleach Country ParkBlackleach Country Park
Blackleach Country Park is a country park in Walkden, Greater Manchester. It is situated half a mile from the town centre. It is a winner of the Green Flag Award.- History :...
covers 50 hectares half mile north of the town centre. The site is a designated local nature reserve. The reservoir was originally used by factories. The derelict and badly polluted site was crossed by a disused railway line and next to a chemical waste tip. It was reclaimed and restored after a community campaign.
Landmarks
The Ellesmere Centre has a clock-tower which is a replica of the Lady Bourke Clock which once stood by the NCB Offices in Bridgewater Road. The original clock was used to alert coal miners to the beginning or end of their shifts. The workers claimed that they could not hear it strike once at 1pm to mark the end of their dinnertime and the resumption of the working day. Therefore the clock was altered to strike 13 times at 1pm, a tradition continued by the replica clock.The Ellesmere Monument in St Paul's Churchyard, was erected in 1868 in memory of the Countess of Ellesmere. It originally stood at the junction of the A6, A575 and B5232 roads but was moved into the churchyard in 1968 to reduce traffic congestion. Statues of four angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s on the monument were stolen. A project to restore the monument was completed in 2006.
Transport
Walkden is at the junction of A6 and the Bolton to Worsley A575A575 road
The A575 is an A road in Greater Manchester which connects Worsley and Farnworth.- Route :The road begins in Worsley village near junction 13 of the M60 at the A572, where this road goes beneath the M60. It crosses the East Lancashire Road - A580. It then goes through Walkden past the railway...
. The East Lancashire Road (A580) passes to the south of Walkden and connects to the M60
M60 motorway
The M60 motorway, or Manchester Orbital, is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton...
ring-road and the motorway network. The M61
M61 motorway
The M61 motorway is a motorway in North West England. It runs from the M60 motorway northwest of Manchester and heads northwest past Bolton and Chorley to join the M6 just north of the junction between the M6 and M65 motorways to the south of Preston....
to the east of Walkden is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the widest section of motorway in Britain, (there are 17 lanes side by side at Linnyshaw
Linnyshaw
Linnyshaw is an area of Walkden, a town in the City of Salford district of Greater Manchester, England. Historically within Lancashire, it lies in the northeast of Walkden, immediately south of junction 2 of the M61 motorway. The area is predominantly moss and there is a very small population...
Moss).
There are extensive and frequent bus services, mainly operated by First Manchester
First Manchester
First Manchester is one of the bus companies serving Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America...
, linking the town with 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...
, 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 Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
. Services include the 36 and 37 routes between Bolton and Manchester via Farnworth
Farnworth
Farnworth is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton, 6 miles south-west of Bury , and northwest of Manchester....
(37), Little Hulton
Little Hulton
Little Hulton is a village—effectively a suburb—within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies south of Bolton, west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
(36) and Swinton
Swinton, Greater Manchester
Swinton is a town within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located on the A6 road it stands on gently sloping ground on the southwest side of the River Irwell, and within the bounds of the orbital M60 motorway. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
.
Walkden had two railway stations. The London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
built a station on the Bolton to Eccles line which joined the Tyldesley Loopline
Tyldesley Loopline
The Tyldesley Loopline was the London and North Western Railway's Manchester and Wigan Railway line from Eccles to the junction west of Tyldesley station and its continuance south west via Bedford Leigh to Kenyon Junction on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The line opened on September 1st 1864...
at Roe Green
Roe Green
Roe Green is a suburb of Worsley in the metropolitan borough of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It was anciently a hamlet built around the ancient village green...
in 1875 and was closed in 1954. This station was known as Walkden Low Level and there were stations at Little Hulton, Plodder Lane, Roe Green and Monton. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway was a major British railway company before the 1923 Grouping. It was incorporated in 1847 from an amalgamation of several existing railways...
built a station on the Manchester to Wigan line in 1888. Walkden railway station
Walkden railway station
Walkden railway station is one of the principal stations that lie on the Atherton line, between Wigan and Manchester. The station is located 8¼ miles west of Manchester Victoria with regular Northern Rail services to these towns as well as Salford, Swinton and Hindley...
remains open and was originally known as Walkden High Level. Both lines were opened as a result of the coal mining in the area.
According to 2006 figures, it is used by over 150,000 passengers annually. There are twice-hourly daytime services to both 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 Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, from where there are connecting services to Manchester Airport and the rest of the UK. This is reduced to an hourly service each way in the evenings. In 2009 the GMITA voted to approve funding for a one-year trial of hourly Sunday trains from Walkden, starting on 23 May 2010.
Education
Walkden has several primary schools, three high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
s and a 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...
. Walkden High School
Walkden High School
Walkden High School is a secondary school in Walkden, Greater Manchester, England. It is located on Birch Road, and serves Worsley, Roe Green, Ellenbrook and Boothstown...
, St. George's RC High School
St. George's RC High School
St. George's RC High School or St. George's for short, is located in the Walkden area of Salford. The school is operated by the Governing Body and the Diocese of Salford. Salford City Council provide funding and services for the school...
and Harrop Fold. St. George's was listed for closure, however after a long fought battle these plans have been overturned. The council have yet to announce revised plans for catholic secondary schools in the area. Walkden High will be rebuilt with the same name, but with a larger building, thereby increasing its pupil capacity.
St Paul's Heathside Gr. C of E Primary School, St. Paul's Crompton St. C of E Primary School and James Brindley Community Primary School are primary schools in Walkden and serve students ages 3–11.
A number of the town's primary schools are church school
Church school
A church school is a place of education, the precise nature of which varies from one national jurisdiction to another.The State of Alabama defines a church school as follows:...
s. They include: St. Paul's, Crompton Street and St Paul's, Heathside, which are both Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
schools. Christ the King is the Roman Catholic primary school for Walkden, Worsley
Worsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
and Roe Green
Roe Green
Roe Green is a suburb of Worsley in the metropolitan borough of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It was anciently a hamlet built around the ancient village green...
. In addition there are three county primary schools - they are North Walkden Primary School in the north of the town and Mesne Lea Primary School and James Brindley Primary School in south Walkden.
Salford College, a vocational post-16 college, has its main facilities located in Walkden at its Worsley Campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
on Walkden Road, close to the railway station
Walkden railway station
Walkden railway station is one of the principal stations that lie on the Atherton line, between Wigan and Manchester. The station is located 8¼ miles west of Manchester Victoria with regular Northern Rail services to these towns as well as Salford, Swinton and Hindley...
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Religion
St Paul's Church was founded in 1838 in the church school and was originally known as St George's Chapel. The foundation stone for St. Paul's at Walkden Moor was laid in 1847 by Lady Brackley, daughter of the Earl of Ellesmere. The church cost £4,500 and was dedicated in 1848 by the Bishop of Manchester. The church was extended in 1881 by the addition of the north aisle, built at a cost of £1,000 which was raised by the parishioners. The east windows date from 1884 and mosaic panels are from 1904.St John's Church was founded in 1876 in Walkden although most of its parish is in Little Hulton, it is part of the Walkden & Little Hulton Team Ministry.
There are two Methodist churches, Walkden Methodist Church and Worsley Road North Methodist Church. Christ the King Roman Catholic Church serves the Roman Catholic communities of Walkden, Roe Green and Worsley. There is also a Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
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Notable people
- Carol KleinCarol KleinCarol Klein is a British gardening expert, who also works as a television presenter and newspaper columnist.Born in Walkden, Salford, Lancashire, in 1945, Carol attended Bolton School and then trained as an art teacher and taught in schools in the London area before moving to Devon...
, gardener and TV presenter, Gardener's World - Jamie MooreJamie Moore (boxer)Jamie Moore is a retired professional boxer from Walkden, Salford and is the former European light middleweight champion....
, former British light-middleweight boxing champion, - Alan HalsallAlan HalsallAlan David Halsall is an English actor best known for playing Tyrone Dobbs in Coronation Street, a role which he has played for since 1998.-Early life:...
, actor, Tyrone DobbsTyrone DobbsTyrone Sylvester Dobbs is a fictional character in the UK television ITV soap opera, Coronation Street. Portrayed by Alan Halsall, the character first appeared onscreen during the episode airing on November 30, 1998.- Casting :...
on Coronation StreetCoronation StreetCoronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960... - Sarah WhatmoreSarah WhatmoreSarah Louise Whatmore and raised in Walkden, in the City of Salford, England, is an English singer, best known from the British TV series Pop Idol.-Pop Idol:...
, singer - David BamberDavid BamberDavid James Bamber is an English actor, known for his television and theatre work. He is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.-Early years:...
, actor - Jason DoneJason DoneJason Done is a British actor.-Background:Jason Done was born and raised in Walkden, City of Salford, United Kingdom. His love for acting began at an early age after watching the Ken Loach film, Kes...
, actor - Mark Barry, singer, BBMakBBMakBBMak were an English pop group consisting of Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally. Together they sold nearly three million albums and spawned two Top 10 and Top 40 singles worldwide between 1999 when the group was formed and 2003 when they eventually disbanded...
- John WilkinsonJohn Wilkinson (entrepreneur)John Wilkinson OBE has been chairman of Salford City Reds rugby league club since 1982. He was born in Walkden . He also owns the Cebora steel company, who were the main shirt sponsors of the Salford City Reds until 2006, when they were replaced by The Trafford Centre He was given an OBE in 2005...
, chairman of Salford City RedsSalford City RedsSalford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup... - Alan Ball, footballer, lived in Walkden when England won the 1966 World Cup