Westwood, Greater Manchester
Encyclopedia
Westwood is an urban area
of Oldham
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It occupies a hillside known as North Moor in the western part of Oldham, close to its boundary with Royton
and Chadderton
. Westwood, which has no formal boundary or extent, is bisected by the A6048 road.
Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Westwood was formerly an electoral ward
of the County Borough of Oldham
, but is now split between the wards of Coldhurst
and Werneth
, which lie to the north and south respectively. Apart from its industrial and commercial units, Westwood's built environment is "almost entirely" composed of Victorian era
terraces
, with some small pockets of housing association
and council house
properties.
Westwood is the home of 60% of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
’s Bangladesh
i community. This amounts to the second largest concentration of Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom, after Banglatown
in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
. Most of these have immigrated from the Sylhet Division
of Bangladesh.
Westwood features a replica of the Shaheed Minar
national monument, which commemorates those killed in the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations in 1952.
In the 1980s, unemployment in Westwood experienced a "massive increase", significantly higher than the "modest increase" seen in Oldham as a whole. Ethnicity was attributed as a factor.
Westwood Moravian Church
congregation was founded in 1865. A church building for the congregation dating from 1869 still stands in the locality.
Winston Churchill
frequented Westwood's Conservative club
. Churchull orated at the club during his period as Member of Parliament
for Oldham
.
Westwood Primary is a primary school located in the area.
Westwood Metrolink station
is a future station proposed in Phase 3b of the Manchester Metrolink
extension. It was proposed that it be funded by the Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund.
The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority
operate a transfer loading station
at Westwood Industrial Estate. Anchor Retail Park occupies Anchor Mill, a former cotton mill
.
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
of Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, 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 occupies a hillside known as North Moor in the western part of Oldham, close to its boundary with Royton
Royton
Royton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies by the source of the River Irk, on undulating land at the foothills of the Pennines, north-northwest of Oldham, south-southeast of Rochdale and northeast of the city of Manchester.Historically a...
and Chadderton
Chadderton
Chadderton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of Lancashire...
. Westwood, which has no formal boundary or extent, is bisected by the A6048 road.
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...
, Westwood was formerly an electoral ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
of the County Borough of Oldham
County Borough of Oldham
Oldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England coterminate with the town of Oldham.-Improvement Commissioners:...
, but is now split between the wards of Coldhurst
Coldhurst
Coldhurst is an area of Oldham and an electoral ward of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. At the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001, it had a population of 11,935...
and Werneth
Werneth, Greater Manchester
Werneth is an area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is west-southwest of Oldham's commercial centre and one of Oldham's most ancient localities.-History:...
, which lie to the north and south respectively. Apart from its industrial and commercial units, Westwood's built environment is "almost entirely" composed of Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
terraces
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
, with some small pockets of housing association
Housing association
Housing associations in the United Kingdom are independent not-for-profit bodies that provide low-cost "social housing" for people in housing need. Any trading surplus is used to maintain existing homes and to help finance new ones...
and council house
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
properties.
Westwood is the home of 60% of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 219,600, and spans . The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton and Shaw and Crompton, the village of...
’s Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i community. This amounts to the second largest concentration of Bangladeshis in the United Kingdom, after Banglatown
Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. It runs from Swanfield Street in the northern part of Bethnal Green, crosses Bethnal Green Road, passes through Spitalfields and is linked to Whitechapel High Street to the south by the short stretch of...
in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
. Most of these have immigrated from the Sylhet Division
Sylhet Division
Sylhet Division , also known as Greater Sylhet or Sylhet region, is the northeastern division of Bangladesh, named after its main city, Sylhet...
of Bangladesh.
Westwood features a replica of the Shaheed Minar
Shaheed Minar
The Shaheed Minar is a national monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh, established to commemorate those killed during the Language Movement demonstrations of 1952....
national monument, which commemorates those killed in the Bengali Language Movement demonstrations in 1952.
In the 1980s, unemployment in Westwood experienced a "massive increase", significantly higher than the "modest increase" seen in Oldham as a whole. Ethnicity was attributed as a factor.
Westwood Moravian Church
Westwood Moravian Church
Westwood Moravian Church was founded in 1865 in the Westwood area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. By 1868 the church building was too small for its congregation, and a new structure was opened in 1869. This church was used for Moravian services until 2005 when the congregation sold it...
congregation was founded in 1865. A church building for the congregation dating from 1869 still stands in the locality.
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
frequented Westwood's Conservative club
Association of Conservative Clubs
The Association of Conservative Clubs is an organisation associated with theConservative Party in the United Kingdom. It represents and provides support to the largest association of political clubs in the country estimated at 1,100....
. Churchull orated at the club during his period as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Oldham
Oldham (UK Parliament constituency)
Oldham was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Oldham, England. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
.
Westwood Primary is a primary school located in the area.
Westwood Metrolink station
Westwood Metrolink station
Westwood Metrolink station is a future station proposed in Phase 3b of the Manchester Metrolink and will serve the Westwood area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England.-External links:*...
is a future station proposed in Phase 3b of the Manchester Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
extension. It was proposed that it be funded by the Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund.
The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority
Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority
The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority is a waste disposal authority created under the Local Government Act 1985 to carry out the waste management functions and duties of the Greater Manchester County Council after its abolition in 1986....
operate a transfer loading station
Transfer station
A transfer station is a building or processing site for the temporary deposition of waste. Transfer stations are often used as places where local waste collection vehicles will deposit their waste cargo prior to loading into larger vehicles...
at Westwood Industrial Estate. Anchor Retail Park occupies Anchor Mill, a former 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....
.