Rochdale was an ecclesiastical parish of early-medieval origin in northern England

Northern England

Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...

, administered from the Church of St Chad, Rochdale. At its zenith, it occupied 58620 acres (237 km²) of land amongst 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...

, and straddled the historic county boundary

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...

 between 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...

 and the West Riding of Yorkshire

West Riding of Yorkshire

The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...

. To the north and north-west was the parish of Whalley

Whalley, Lancashire

Whalley is a large village in the Ribble Valley on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire, England. It is overlooked by Whalley Nab, a large picturesque wooded hill over the river from the village....

; to the southwest was the parish of Bury

Bury

Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...

; to the south was Middleton

Middleton, Greater Manchester

Middleton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Irk, south-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester...

 and Prestwich-cum-Oldham

Prestwich-cum-Oldham

Prestwich-cum-Oldham was an ancient ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire, England...

.

Anciently a dependency of Whalley Abbey

Whalley Abbey

Whalley Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey in Whalley, Lancashire, England. After the dissolution of the monasteries, the abbey was largely demolished and a country house was built on the site. In the 20th century the house was modified and it is now the Retreat and Conference House of the...

, the parish of Rochdale is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...

 origin, as evidenced by historical documentation, toponymy and its dedication to Chad of Mercia

Chad of Mercia

Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...

.

Urbanisation, population shifts, and local government reforms all contributed towards the gradual alteration and ultimate dissolution of the historic parish boundaries; the social welfare functions of the parish 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 parish lies within Lancashire, 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...

 and West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....

.

History

Rochdale was recorded in the Domesday Book

Domesday Book

Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...

as Recedham; and in 1242 as Rachedale.

Divisions

From a very early stage in its history, Rochdale consisted of five divisions or townships

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...

: in the Lancashire part of the parish was Butterworth

Butterworth (ancient township)

Butterworth was a township occupying the southeastern part of the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, Lancashire, England. It encompassed of land by the South Pennines which spanned the settlements of Belfield, Bleaked-gate-cum-Roughbank, Butterworth Hall, Clegg, Firgrove, Haughs,...

, Castleton

Castleton, Greater Manchester

Castleton is an area of Rochdale and an electoral ward of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It is south-southwest of Rochdale town centre and north-northwest of the city of Manchester....

 (in which stood the parish church), Hundersfield

Hundersfield

Hundersfield was a manor, parish and, from 1746, township, within the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, England. It straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire...

 and Spotland

Spotland

Spotland is a district of Rochdale in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Spodden, and is the home of Spotland Stadium.Historically a part of Lancashire, Spotland was formerly its own township within the ancient parish of Rochdale....

; Saddleworth

Saddleworth

Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...

, for ecclesiastical purposes, was a part of Rochdale, but lay entirely in Yorkshire and otherwise had only a "very slight" connection to the parish. Hundersfield was later parted into four townships; Blatchinworth and Calderbrook; Todmorden and Walsden; Wardleworth

Wardleworth

Wardleworth was a township at the geographic centre of the Parish of Rochdale, in Salford hundred, Lancashire, England. The principal estate of this township was Buckley...

; and Wuerdle and Wardle, bring the total number of divisions to eight.

Blatchinworth and Calderbrook		Blackstone Edge Blackstone Edge Blackstone Edge is a gritstone escarpment at 1,549 feet above sea level in an area of moorland on the Greater Manchester–West Yorkshire county boundary, England.... , Blatchinworth, Calderbrook Calderbrook Calderbrook is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England.It was originally a township within the ancient parish of Rochdale.... , Littleborough, Shore	Originally part of the manor of Hundersfield Hundersfield Hundersfield was a manor, parish and, from 1746, township, within the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, England. It straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire... .
Butterworth Butterworth (ancient township) Butterworth was a township occupying the southeastern part of the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, Lancashire, England. It encompassed of land by the South Pennines which spanned the settlements of Belfield, Bleaked-gate-cum-Roughbank, Butterworth Hall, Clegg, Firgrove, Haughs,...		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... , Bleakedgate-cum-Roughbank, Clegg, Firgrove, Haughs, Hollinworth, Ladyhouse, 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, 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.... , Wildhouse
Castleton Castleton, Greater Manchester Castleton is an area of Rochdale and an electoral ward of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It is south-southwest of Rochdale town centre and north-northwest of the city of Manchester....		Balderstone Balderstone, Greater Manchester Balderstone is a district and an electoral ward of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale in the county of Greater Manchester, England. According to the 2001 census the ward had a population of 9,699.-Education:-Religion:... , Buersill, Castleton Glebe, Lower Lane, Marland, Newbold	The oldest division of the parish, and named for Rochdale Castle Rochdale Castle Rochdale Castle is a motte-and-bailey castle in Castleton, Greater Manchester . It was built in the early post-Norman Conquest period. The motte is at the base; the bailey is rectangular and lies to the south and measures by . The defences consisted of an earth rampart and ditch. The castle was... . Reputed to be the site of conflict between Saxons and Danes. The parish church sat within Castleton township. Territory was lost to the Municipal 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:...  in 1856; Castleton Urban District occupied the remainder until 1900 when it too was absorbed into Rochdale by mutual agreement.
Saddleworth Saddleworth Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...		Austerlands Austerlands Austerlands is a suburban area of Saddleworth, a civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies a hillside amongst the Pennines, between the villages of Lees and Scouthead. It is traversed by the A62 road.... , Castleshaw Castleshaw Castleshaw is a hamlet in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines, north of Uppermill, west-southwest of Marsden, and east-northeast of Oldham.... , Delph Delph Delph is a village in the Saddleworth civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on the River Tame below the village of Denshaw, east-northeast of Oldham, and north-northwest of Uppermill.The centre of the village has barely... , Denshaw Denshaw Denshaw is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies by the source of the River Tame, high amongst the Pennines above the village of Delph, northeast of Oldham, and north-northwest of Uppermill... , Diggle Diggle, Greater Manchester Diggle is a village within the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. The village is situated on the moorlands of the Pennine hills.... , Dobcross Dobcross Dobcross is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is located in a valley in the South Pennines, along the course of the River Tame and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, east-northeast of Oldham and west-southwest of... , Friezland Friezland Friezland is a hamlet in Saddleworth, in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It is situated four miles east of the town of Oldham.... , Grasscroft Grasscroft Grasscroft is one of the Saddleworth villages in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England.The village has two famous residents - current Manchester United and ex-England international Paul Scholes. Brian Cox also lives in the area.... , Greenfield Greenfield, Greater Manchester Greenfield is a village in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It is east of Oldham, and east-northeast of the city of Manchester... , Grotton Grotton Grotton is a relatively wealthy hamlet in Saddleworth, a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. Grotton is a suburban area located along the A669 road, and forms a continuous urban area with Austerlands and Springhead, which in turn link to Lees and... , Heights Heights, Greater Manchester Heights is a hamlet in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is directly north of Delph, and four miles northeast of Oldham.... , Lydgate Lydgate, Greater Manchester Lydgate is one of the Saddleworth villages in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England.... , Scouthead Scouthead Scouthead is a hamlet within Saddleworth, a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is traversed by the A62 road, and occupies a hillside amongst the Pennines.... , Springhead Springhead, Greater Manchester Springhead is a suburban area of Saddleworth, a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England.Situated along the eastern edge of the Greater Manchester Urban Area, Springhead is contiguous with the village of Lees, the Oldham districts of Greenacres and... , Uppermill Uppermill Uppermill is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It lies on the River Tame in a valley amongst the South Pennines, east of Oldham, and east-northeast of Manchester...	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...  of Rochdale for ecclesiastical purposes, but for judicial and taxation purposes was a township coterminate with Saddleworth-cum-Quick in the Agbrigg-division of Agbrigg and Morley Agbrigg and Morley Agbrigg and Morley was a wapentake of the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. It was split into two divisions, which in the mid-nineteenth century became wapentakes in their own right....  in the West Riding of Yorkshire West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries... . The connection with Rochdale was made on account of Hugo de Stapleton, Lord of the Manor of Saddleworth, having applied to Hugh, Earl of Chester, to erect a chapel for the use of his tenants. The Earl allowed it on the condition the chapel be annexed to Whalley Abbey Whalley Abbey Whalley Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey in Whalley, Lancashire, England. After the dissolution of the monasteries, the abbey was largely demolished and a country house was built on the site. In the 20th century the house was modified and it is now the Retreat and Conference House of the... , which, on the Dissolution of the Monasteries Dissolution of the Monasteries The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their... , this was annexed to Rochdale. Seceded from Rochdale and became an independent parish in 1866.
Spotland Spotland Spotland is a district of Rochdale in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Spodden, and is the home of Spotland Stadium.Historically a part of Lancashire, Spotland was formerly its own township within the ancient parish of Rochdale....		Bagslate, Brandwood, Catley, Chadwick, Cheesden, Ellinrod, Facit Facit Facit was an industrial corporation and manufacturer of office products. It was based in Åtvidaberg, Sweden, and founded in 1922 as AB Åtvidabergs Industrier. Facit AB, a manufacturer of mechanical calculators, was incorporated into the corporation the same year... , Falinge, Healey Healey, Greater Manchester Healey is a place in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. It covers Shawclough, Syke and Nook Farm, as well as the rest of the land known as Healey on the right hand side of Whitworth Road after Gale Street up to Healey Corner .... , Naden, Norden Norden, Greater Manchester Norden is a suburban village within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It is situated on the western edge of Rochdale.... , Shawforth Shawforth Shawforth is a suburban village within the Rossendale borough of Lancashire, England. It lies amongst the South Pennines along the course of the River Spodden and A671 road... , Whitworth Whitworth, Lancashire Whitworth is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Rossendale in Lancashire, England. It is set amongst the foothills of the Pennines, between the towns of Bacup, to the north, and Rochdale, to the south. It has a population of 7,263.... , Wolstenhulme
Todmorden and Walsden		Inchfield, Todmorden Todmorden Todmorden is a market town and civil parish, located 17 miles from Manchester, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of the Upper Calder Valley and has a total population of 14,941.... , Walsden Walsden Walsden is a large village in the town of Todmorden in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, West Yorkshire, England, close to the Greater Manchester border... , Warland	Originally part of the manor of Hundersfield Hundersfield Hundersfield was a manor, parish and, from 1746, township, within the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, England. It straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire... .
Wardleworth Wardleworth Wardleworth was a township at the geographic centre of the Parish of Rochdale, in Salford hundred, Lancashire, England. The principal estate of this township was Buckley...		Cronkeyshaw, Buckley Buckley, Greater Manchester Buckley is a suburban area within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northern fringe of Rochdale, along the course of Buckley Brook, "upon an eminence of ground" by the South Pennines. It is south-southwest of the village of Wardle and ... , Fieldhouse, Foxholes	Originally part of the manor of Hundersfield Hundersfield Hundersfield was a manor, parish and, from 1746, township, within the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, England. It straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire... .
Wuerdle and Wardle		Wardle, Wuerdle	Originally part of the manor of Hundersfield Hundersfield Hundersfield was a manor, parish and, from 1746, township, within the parish of Rochdale, in the hundred of Salford, England. It straddled the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire... . Also known as Wuerdale and Wardle and Wuerdle-cum-Wardle.