Lowton
Encyclopedia
Lowton is a village, part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It is around 3 miles (4.8 km) from Leigh
and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wigan
. The settlement lies across the A580 East Lancashire Road
.
Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Lowton's early history is marked by its presence of Byrom Manor, the ancestral home of Byroms, the family that included poet John Byrom
who invented a system of shorthand
.
: it is from Old English
tun "farm, village" with an uncertain first element (The first element is from lhe old English for high point IE Wornoth Low near Stockport
is the highest hill in the area, and Lowton is the highest point locally.) A record of the name as Liewetune in 1176 suggests Old English
hleowe "lee
", although this is not a certain etymology.
Lowton was one of the berewicks of the Royal Manor
of Newton, later being one of the members of the Barony of Makerfield.
Byrom Manor, later to feature the ancestral home of the poet John Byrom
and was constructed during the 18th century, is recorded as early as 1212,
where the family prospered for centuries. Byrom Hall at one time featured a moat.
The Hare and Hounds public house
, built in the 17th century, was once used as a place to hold trial
s of local criminals, including murders.
In 1830 Parkside, Newton-le-Willows
, near Lowton, was the site of the world's first fatal passenger train crash, when Liverpool MP William Huskisson
was killed after being hit by George Stephenson's
Rocket
locomotive during the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
.
The former Lowton railway station was used as a resting point for the royal train
.
Lowton had a toffee
factory, along with other sites of heavy industry
. In common with many parts of the United Kingdom, many of these factories have now closed and been replaced with some light industry
.
of Lancashire
.
In 1974 as part of the local government reorganisation enacted in the Local Government Act 1972
it became part of Greater Manchester with the boundary at Newton-le-Willows
marking the edge of the new county of Merseyside
.
to the west and Manchester
to the east. From this road, the M6 motorway
runs north and south, and the M60
connects with the M62
across the Pennines
. The nearest railway station is Newton-le-Willows
on the Chester to Manchester Line
and Liverpool to Manchester Line. Public transport
in Lowton is co-ordinated by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
and is served by buses to Manchester, Wigan, Leigh and Newton-le-Willows. Buses: X34 Lowton/Leigh-Manchester (First Manchester).
. The 52.6 acres (21.3 ha) site was designated in 1986 for its biological interest. The interest is predominantly mire
communities of which it is the best example in Greater Manchester.
, and his family left for New England
as a result of religious intolerance.
Lowton has six churches:
The churches organise certain activities jointly, including ecumenical services. Their joint charity work included the Lowton Churches Romania Appeal
, formed after the collapse of the Communist regime
in Romania
during 1990. It initially supported an orphanage
in Lugoj but its remit has expanded to include several ongoing projects in Romania.
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
, 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 is around 3 miles (4.8 km) from Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
. The settlement lies across the A580 East Lancashire Road
A580 road
The A580 is a primary A road in England that connects Walton, near Liverpool and Salford, near Manchester and known officially as Liverpool-East Lancashire Road. Locally, the road is shortened to the "East Lancs". The road was designed and built to provide better access to the Port of Liverpool for...
.
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...
, Lowton's early history is marked by its presence of Byrom Manor, the ancestral home of Byroms, the family that included poet John Byrom
John Byrom
John Byrom or John Byrom of Kersal or John Byrom of Manchester FRS was an English poet and inventor of a revolutionary system of shorthand. He is also remembered as the writer of the lyrics of Anglican hymn Christians Awake, salute the happy morn.- Early life :John Byrom was descended from an old...
who invented a system of shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
.
History
Lowton has an unclear toponymyToponymy
Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...
: it is from Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
tun "farm, village" with an uncertain first element (The first element is from lhe old English for high point IE Wornoth Low near Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
is the highest hill in the area, and Lowton is the highest point locally.) A record of the name as Liewetune in 1176 suggests Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
hleowe "lee
Lee (English name)
Lee is a common surname in English-speaking countries. There are several distinct origins of the Lee surname. The most common surname of English origin is derived from Middle English lea, meaning "meadow, forest clearing" , and is therefore a name describing the bearer's place of residence...
", although this is not a certain etymology.
Royal Manor
A royal manor is an area of land in the United Kingdom owned by the Crown, such as the Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, the Prince of Wales, a Duke/Duchess, or a Lord. One such example is the Isle of Portland in Dorset....
of Newton, later being one of the members of the Barony of Makerfield.
Byrom Manor, later to feature the ancestral home of the poet John Byrom
John Byrom
John Byrom or John Byrom of Kersal or John Byrom of Manchester FRS was an English poet and inventor of a revolutionary system of shorthand. He is also remembered as the writer of the lyrics of Anglican hymn Christians Awake, salute the happy morn.- Early life :John Byrom was descended from an old...
and was constructed during the 18th century, is recorded as early as 1212,
where the family prospered for centuries. Byrom Hall at one time featured a moat.
The Hare and Hounds public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, built in the 17th century, was once used as a place to hold trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
s of local criminals, including murders.
In 1830 Parkside, Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows is a small market town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is situated about midway between the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to the east of St Helens, to the north of Warrington and to the south of...
, near Lowton, was the site of the world's first fatal passenger train crash, when Liverpool MP William Huskisson
William Huskisson
William Huskisson PC was a British statesman, financier, and Member of Parliament for several constituencies, including Liverpool...
was killed after being hit by George Stephenson's
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
Rocket
Stephenson's Rocket
Stephenson's Rocket was an early steam locomotive of 0-2-2 wheel arrangement, built in Newcastle Upon Tyne at the Forth Street Works of Robert Stephenson and Company in 1829.- Design innovations :...
locomotive during the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
.
The former Lowton railway station was used as a resting point for the royal train
Royal Train
A royal train is a set of carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of that particular royal family. Most monarchies with a railway system employ a set of royal carriages.-Australia:...
.
Lowton had a toffee
Toffee
Toffee is a confection made by caramelizing sugar or molasses along with butter, and occasionally flour. The mixture is heated until its temperature reaches the hard crack stage of 300 to 310 °F...
factory, along with other sites of heavy industry
Heavy industry
Heavy industry does not have a single fixed meaning as compared to light industry. It can mean production of products which are either heavy in weight or in the processes leading to their production. In general, it is a popular term used within the name of many Japanese and Korean firms, meaning...
. In common with many parts of the United Kingdom, many of these factories have now closed and been replaced with some light industry
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
.
Governance
Between 1894 and 1974, Lowton was part of the Golborne Urban District, in the administrative countyAdministrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
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...
.
In 1974 as part of the local government reorganisation enacted in the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
it became part of Greater Manchester with the boundary at Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows is a small market town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is situated about midway between the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to the east of St Helens, to the north of Warrington and to the south of...
marking the edge of the new county of Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
.
Transport
Situated on the A580 East Lancashire Road, the village has direct access to the cities of LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to the west and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
to the east. From this road, the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
runs north and south, and the M60
M60 motorway
The M60 motorway, or Manchester Orbital, is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton...
connects with the M62
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
across the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. The nearest railway station is Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows railway station
Newton-le-Willows railway station is a railway station in the town of Newton-le-Willows, in the borough of St Helens in the north-west of England, and at the edge of the Merseytravel region. It is situated on the northern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line, the former Liverpool and...
on the Chester to Manchester Line
Chester to Manchester Line
There are two Chester to Manchester Lines between the cities of Chester and Manchester in North West England.-Description:Both routes to Manchester share the Chester to Crewe line for a short distance to Brook Lane Junction where the Manchester lines diverge to Mickle Trafford at which point the...
and Liverpool to Manchester Line. Public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
in Lowton is co-ordinated by the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive
Transport for Greater Manchester is the public body responsible for co-ordinating public transport services throughout Greater Manchester, in North West England. The organisation traces its origins to the Transport Act 1968, when the SELNEC Passenger Transport Executive was established to...
and is served by buses to Manchester, Wigan, Leigh and Newton-le-Willows. Buses: X34 Lowton/Leigh-Manchester (First Manchester).
Environment
To the south of Lowton is Highfield Moss, part of which has been designated a Site of Special Scientific InterestSite of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. The 52.6 acres (21.3 ha) site was designated in 1986 for its biological interest. The interest is predominantly mire
Miré
Miré is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
communities of which it is the best example in Greater Manchester.
Schools
- Lowton High School
- Lowton Primary School
- Lowton St. Marys Primary School (Church of England)
- Lowton West Primary School
- St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary School
- St. Lukes Church of England Primary School
Religion
In 1635 the Puritan clergyman, Richard MatherRichard Mather
Richard Mather , was a Puritan clergyman in colonial Boston, Massachusetts. He was father to Increase Mather and grandfather to Cotton Mather, both celebrated Boston divines.-Biography:...
, and his family left for New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
as a result of religious intolerance.
Lowton has six churches:
- St Mary's (Anglican)
- St. Luke's (Anglican)
- St Catherine's (Roman Catholic)
- Lane Head (Methodist) (closed 2010)
- Lowton Independent Methodist (Independent Methodist ConnexionIndependent Methodist ConnexionThe Independent Methodist Connexion is a British group of Non-Conformist congregations that have their roots in the 18th century revival.-Origins:...
) http://www.lowtonimchurch.co.uk - Lowton Christian Fellowship http://www.lowtoncommunitychurch.org.uk
The churches organise certain activities jointly, including ecumenical services. Their joint charity work included the Lowton Churches Romania Appeal
Lowton Churches Romania Appeal
Lowton Churches Romania Appeal is a charity set up by the five churches of Lowton, England after the fall of Ceauşescu in 1990. It grew from work of an aid trip arranged by the churches after knowledge of the living conditions in the country's orphanages first became widespread...
, formed after the collapse of the Communist regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
during 1990. It initially supported an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in Lugoj but its remit has expanded to include several ongoing projects in Romania.
Media
Lowton falls inside the circulation areas of these newspapers and websites:- Wigan Evening PostWigan Evening PostWigan Evening Post is a daily British regional newspaper for the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. It is owned by Johnston Press. The main area for the paper's distribution is around the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan...
- Wigan Reporter
- Leigh Reporter
- Leigh, Tyldesley and Atherton Journal
- Manchester Evening NewsManchester Evening NewsThe Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
Notable people
- Richard MatherRichard MatherRichard Mather , was a Puritan clergyman in colonial Boston, Massachusetts. He was father to Increase Mather and grandfather to Cotton Mather, both celebrated Boston divines.-Biography:...
who became an American CongregationalCongregational churchCongregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
clergyman. - John ByromJohn ByromJohn Byrom or John Byrom of Kersal or John Byrom of Manchester FRS was an English poet and inventor of a revolutionary system of shorthand. He is also remembered as the writer of the lyrics of Anglican hymn Christians Awake, salute the happy morn.- Early life :John Byrom was descended from an old...
was an English poet who at times lived in Byrom Hall, Slag Lane. - Peter KanePeter KanePeter Kane was one of England's greatest flyweight boxers and a world champion in the 1930s. Kane was born in Heywood, Lancashire, on February 28, 1918, but grew up in the town of Golborne, Lancashire, after his family moved there before his first birthday.-Boxing style:He was a two-fisted...
born in HeywoodHeywood, Greater ManchesterHeywood is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Roch and is east of Bury, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north of the city of Manchester. The town of Middleton lies to the south, whilst to the north is the...
, was a flyweight world boxing champion in the 1930s. Although not a resident, he maintained a job as a blacksmith in Lowton even when he was at his fighting peak. - Katie WhiteKatie WhiteKatie Rebecca White is an English musician most famous for her work with pop group The Ting Tings. After some success with a girl group punk trio TKO supporting Steps and Atomic Kitten her father David White brought in Jules De Martino to write songs for TKO and Katie and Jules formed The Ting...
, singer with pop group The Ting TingsThe Ting TingsThe Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford...
, lived in Slag Lane, Lowton, prior to fame and was a pupil at Lowton High School. - Warrington RLFCWarrington WolvesWarrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
hooker Jon Clarke grew up and schooled in Lowton before making his name with Wigan RLFCWigan WarriorsWigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
, for whom he made his debut in 1997. He left Wigan for London Broncos in 2000 but joined Warrington a year later. - Lady Ann - socialite and charity fund raiser