Butterworth (ancient township)
Encyclopedia
Butterworth was a township
occupying the southeastern part of the parish of Rochdale
, in the hundred of Salford
, Lancashire
, England. It encompassed 12.1 square mile of land by the South Pennines
which spanned the settlements of Belfield
, Bleaked-gate-cum-Roughbank, Butterworth Hall, Clegg, Firgrove, Haughs, Hollingworth, Lowhouse, Milnrow
, Newhey
, Ogden, Rakewood, Smithy Bridge
, Tunshill
and Wildhouse. Butterworth Hall, Clegg Hall
, Butterworth Moor and Clegg Moor were also within the bounds of Butterworth.
Butterworth is traced to the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain
in the Early Middle Ages
. Its land was divided into two classifications — Butterworth Freehold and Butterworth Lordship — referring to the ancient terms of tenure, some freehold
, some of the Lord of the Manor
by various rents and services. In 1830, Butterworth was recorded to have 5,554 inhabitants.
Milnrow, a chapelry
along the River Beal
, emerged as Butterworth's largest settlement during the Early Modern period
, so much so that its name gradually supplanted that of Butterworth. The Industrial Revolution
and construction of the Rochdale Canal
, combined with urbanisation, population shifts, and local government reforms contributed towards the dissolution of Butterworth in 1894; its social welfare functions were broadly superseded by the English Poor Laws
and new units of local governance, such as the County Borough of Rochdale
and the Milnrow Urban District
. Today, the territory of the former township lies entirely within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
in Greater Manchester
.
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
occupying the southeastern part of the parish of Rochdale
Rochdale (ancient parish)
Rochdale was an ecclesiastical parish of early-medieval origin in northern England, administered from the Church of St Chad, Rochdale. At its zenith, it occupied of land amongst the South Pennines, and straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire...
, in 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...
, 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...
, England. It encompassed 12.1 square mile of land by the South Pennines
South Pennines
South Pennines is a region of moorland and hill country in northern England lying towards the southern end of the Pennines. It is bounded to the west by the Forest of Rossendale and the Yorkshire Dales to the north...
which spanned the settlements of Belfield
Belfield, Greater Manchester
Belfield is a locality within Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the confluence of the River Beal and River Roch, east-northeast of Rochdale's town centre...
, Bleaked-gate-cum-Roughbank, Butterworth Hall, Clegg, Firgrove, Haughs, Hollingworth, Lowhouse, Milnrow
Milnrow
Milnrow is a suburban town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the South Pennines, and forms a continuous urban area with Rochdale...
, Newhey
Newhey
Newhey is a suburban village in the Milnrow area of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England...
, Ogden, Rakewood, Smithy Bridge
Smithy Bridge
Smithy Bridge is a suburb of Littleborough within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. Hollingworth Lake Country Park is closeby.Smithy Bridge was formerly a part of Butterworth....
, Tunshill
Tunshill
Tunshill is a hamlet at the northeastern edge of Milnrow, within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines, east of Rochdale and north-northeast of Oldham....
and Wildhouse. Butterworth Hall, Clegg Hall
Clegg Hall
Clegg Hall is a 17th-century hall in Littleborough, Greater Manchester . It is situated just outside Smithy Bridge, Greater Manchester.The "Clegg" in the name of the current hall refers to the location rather than the local family by the same surname – the house was built by a Theophilus...
, Butterworth Moor and Clegg Moor were also within the bounds of Butterworth.
Butterworth is traced to the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain
Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain
The Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain was the invasion and migration of Germanic peoples from continental Europe to Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages, specifically the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain after the demise of Roman rule in the 5th century.The stimulus, progression and...
in the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
. Its land was divided into two classifications — Butterworth Freehold and Butterworth Lordship — referring to the ancient terms of tenure, some freehold
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
, some of the Lord 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...
by various rents and services. In 1830, Butterworth was recorded to have 5,554 inhabitants.
Milnrow, a chapelry
Chapelry
A chapelry was a subdivision of an ecclesiastical parish in England, and parts of Lowland Scotland up to the mid 19th century. It had a similar status to a township but was so named as it had a chapel which acted as a subsidiary place of worship to the main parish church...
along the River Beal
River Beal
The Beal is a small river in Greater Manchester, England, and is a tributary of the River Roch. It rises in the Beal Valley in green space between Sholver and Royton, before continuing northwards through, Shaw and Crompton, Newhey, Milnrow and Belfield....
, emerged as Butterworth's largest settlement during the Early Modern period
Early Modern Britain
Early modern Britain is the history of the island of Great Britain, roughly corresponding to the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Major historical events in Early Modern British history include the English Renaissance, the English Reformation and Scottish Reformation, the English Civil War, the...
, so much so that its name gradually supplanted that of Butterworth. The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
and construction of the Rochdale Canal
Rochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
, combined with urbanisation, population shifts, and local government reforms contributed towards the dissolution of Butterworth in 1894; its social welfare functions were broadly superseded by the English Poor Laws
English Poor Laws
The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98...
and new units of local governance, such as the County Borough of Rochdale
County Borough of Rochdale
Rochdale was, from 1856 to 1974, a local government district coterminate with the town of Rochdale in the northwest of England.-Municipal borough:...
and the Milnrow Urban District
Milnrow Urban District
Milnrow Urban District was, from 1894 to 1974, a local government district of the administrative county of Lancashire, in northwest England. It covered an area to the east and southeast of the County Borough of Rochdale, and included the town of Milnrow, the village of New Hey, and the Piethorne...
. Today, the territory of the former township lies entirely within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
The Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after its largest town, Rochdale, but spans a far larger area which includes the towns of Middleton, Heywood, Littleborough and Milnrow, and the village of Wardle.The borough was...
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...
.