Wallsuches
Encyclopedia
Wallsuches is a small district of Horwich
, Greater Manchester
, England.
, Wallsuches was first built on substantially by the Ridgway family in the 1770s. Thomas Ridgway Snr. owned a bleachworks in Bolton
until 1770 when a fire destroyed most of the stock and equipment. Wallsuches was selected as the new site for the bleach works due to the availability of land and streams to provide water power to run the bleach
works and cotton mill
. The main road through Horwich
to Bolton had been improved, which was good for business access and employees. In 1777, the new works were opened as "Thomas Ridgway and Sons". At the time Horwich was a hamlet
of 320 residents, mostly self-employed farmers and cotton weavers. "Wallsuches Bleach Works" brought employment to Horwich and workers came from Horwich, Blackrod
, Adlington
and Rivington
. Wallsuches was highly successful, and by 1780 the former shippon and hut had been converted into a bleach works powered by six water wheels.
The Ridgways lived across the main access road from the works in a house called "Whitehouse", which they renamed "Ridgmont House", which still stands today. Thomas Ridgmont sponsored French chemists Matthew Vallet and Anthony Bourboulon de Boneuil who pioneered the development of chemical bleaching, and Wallsuches bleachworks became one of the first to use the technology. Beforehand, bleaching was carried out using sunlight.
The bleach works operated as one of the main industries in Horwich until 1933. The works were closed and became derelict and run-down. The area has since been developed for housing incorporating the grade II listed buildings by Redrow.
Horwich
Horwich is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Chorley, northwest of Bolton and northwest from the city of Manchester. It lies at the southern edge of the West Pennine Moors with the M61 motorway close to the...
, 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.
Etymology
The etymology of the place-name itself is unclear, although it is believed the name may be from Old English wella (or the regional dialect variant wella) "stream" and soc "to soak", from Old English socian "to make wet/damp". This is probably due to that fact that there are several streams running through the area from the moors.History
Historically a part of LancashireLancashire
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...
, Wallsuches was first built on substantially by the Ridgway family in the 1770s. Thomas Ridgway Snr. owned a bleachworks in 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...
until 1770 when a fire destroyed most of the stock and equipment. Wallsuches was selected as the new site for the bleach works due to the availability of land and streams to provide water power to run the bleach
Bleach
Bleach refers to a number of chemicals that remove color, whiten, or disinfect, often via oxidation. Common chemical bleaches include household chlorine bleach , lye, oxygen bleach , and bleaching powder...
works and cotton mill
Cotton 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....
. The main road through Horwich
Horwich
Horwich is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Chorley, northwest of Bolton and northwest from the city of Manchester. It lies at the southern edge of the West Pennine Moors with the M61 motorway close to the...
to Bolton had been improved, which was good for business access and employees. In 1777, the new works were opened as "Thomas Ridgway and Sons". At the time Horwich was a hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of 320 residents, mostly self-employed farmers and cotton weavers. "Wallsuches Bleach Works" brought employment to Horwich and workers came from Horwich, Blackrod
Blackrod
Blackrod is a settlement and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is north-northeast of Wigan and west of Bolton and, according to the United Kingdom Census 2001, has a population of 5,300....
, Adlington
Adlington, Lancashire
Adlington is a town and civil parish in Lancashire, England, near the West Pennine Moors and the town of Chorley. Six miles northwest of Bolton, it became a separate parish in 1842 then grew into a town around the textile industry. It has a population of 5,270.-Toponymy:The last element 'ington'...
and Rivington
Rivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
. Wallsuches was highly successful, and by 1780 the former shippon and hut had been converted into a bleach works powered by six water wheels.
The Ridgways lived across the main access road from the works in a house called "Whitehouse", which they renamed "Ridgmont House", which still stands today. Thomas Ridgmont sponsored French chemists Matthew Vallet and Anthony Bourboulon de Boneuil who pioneered the development of chemical bleaching, and Wallsuches bleachworks became one of the first to use the technology. Beforehand, bleaching was carried out using sunlight.
The bleach works operated as one of the main industries in Horwich until 1933. The works were closed and became derelict and run-down. The area has since been developed for housing incorporating the grade II listed buildings by Redrow.