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Wigan Pier and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Wigan: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wigan_Pier_and_the_Leeds_%26_Liverpool_Canal.jpgAuthor: Dave Green
Wigan is a town on the western part of Greater Manchester, England. It is 26 km (16 miles) to the northwest of downtown Manchester. Wigan is the main town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. It has a population of 81,000 people (2012 estimate), within a metropolitan area with 306,000 inhabitants.
Until the creation of Greater Manchester in 1974, Wigan was part of Lancashire. The area has been inhabited by the Brigantes, an ancient Celtic tribe since classical antiquity. The Brigantes were later replaced by Romans. Wigan is where the Romans established the settlement of Coccium.
Wigan was incorporated as a borough in 1246, and received a Royal charter from King Henry III in 1246, making it only one of four boroughs in Lancashire with Royal charters, the others being Lancaster, Liverpool and Preston.
Trencherfield Mill, Wigan: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trencherfield_Mill,_Wigan_-_geograph.org.uk_-_17930.jpgAuthor: Pam Brophy
Wigan was just a small town until the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century brought about dramatic growth. Being a center for coal mining helps it develop as a mill town. Coal mining has been carried out in Wigan since the 15th century. At its height in the 19th century, there were as many as a thousand pit shafts in and around the town. However, by the 20th century, coal mining was in decline, as was the milling industry.
Today the economy of Wigan centers around retail trade. Other major industries include manufacturing, health and social work, and construction. The town has many heritage buildings, a total of 216 of which are listed and 20 of them given the Grade II* status.
Visiting Wigan
From downtown Manchester, take the A572 road heading west until junction with the A577 road. Follow the A577 road until it reaches Wigan.
Haigh Hall, Wigan: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haigh_Hall_2000746.jpgAuthor: Anthony Parkes
Places of Interest in Wigan
- Haigh Hall: Country house and home to Sir William Bradshaw, it is surrounded by a 250-acre country park.
- Mab's Cross: Stone cross dating from the 13th century.
- Museum of Wigan Life: Public museum and local history resource center dating back to the founding of Wigan Public Library in 1878. This was where George Orwell did the research for his book The Road to Wigan Pier.
- Trencherfield Mill: Historic cotton spinning mill now redeveloped as part of Wigan Pier.
- Wigan Pier: Waterfront area redeveloped as a performing arts center and retail precinct.
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About this website
Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
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