Everything about Blackrod totally explained
Blackrod is a village and
civil parish of the
Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in
Greater Manchester,
England. It is about eight miles (12.9 km) to the west of
Bolton, and five miles (8 km) northeast of
Wigan, and, according to the
United Kingdom Census 2001, has a population of 5,300.
Historically a part of
Lancashire, Blackrod was once a centre for
coal mining, and in a recent survey of dialects, it's residents found to have a dialect very far removed from
Standard English.
There is a legend that the Romans built a fort on the northern side of the village, on what's now a residential area called CastleCroft. The
A6 road built along the course of a Roman road runs below the hill on which the village sits.
History
Toponymy
The name Blackrod may come from two Old English words, 'black' (or bleak), 'rod' clearing in the forest, rod may also mean Holy Rood (Cross of Christ). However, it's generally locally believed that the name was bestowed upon the village during the
Third English Civil War, following a minor battle here (possibly an off-shoot of the
Battle of Wigan Lane) whereby the Parliamentarians were led by the
Black Rod of the time, who renamed the village after himself following victory.
Growth and development
The main industry of the village was coal mining (seven pits in 1869), agriculture (thirty farms in 1902) and a weaving mill (built in 1906), but today only a few farms remain with the pits all closed. Today it's mainly a residential area, but still retains a Town Mayor and Town Council. The M61, part of the national motorway network between the M60/M62 (
Manchester) and the M6 (
Preston) was opened on November 28th 1969 by Fred Mulley, Minister of Transport.
Governance
Having previously lay within the
administrative county of
Lancashire, since the passage of the
Local Government Act 1972, Blackrod has lay within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in the
metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.
It constitutes a civil parish and lies west of the
M61 motorway, which divides it from the neighbouring town of
Horwich.
Education
Blackrod has three
primary schools.
- Blackrod Anglican Methodist Church School
- Blackrod Primary School - formerly Blackrod County Primary School
- Scot Lane End Primary School (to be shut down)
All three of these school's pupils generally feed into Rivington and Blackrod High School in
Horwich.
Religion
A church is the earliest recorded building in 1338, dedicated to St. Katherine (spelling first documented) and of Norman design. A lot of the Elizabethan work can still be seen, but the parish church was enlarged in 1776, galleries added in 1837, the roof renewed in 1894, the chancel rebuilt in 1905 and nave in 1911. During this time the spelling has changed to Catherine, and now the current Katharine. There are six bells in the west tower, cast in 1776, renewed in 1922, and the clock was illuminated in 1947.
Transport
Blackrod is served by
Blackrod Railway Station on the
Manchester to Preston Line.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Blackrod'.
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