Werneth, Greater Manchester
Encyclopedia
Werneth is an area of Oldham
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It is 1 miles (1.6 km) west-southwest of Oldham's commercial centre and one of Oldham's most ancient localities.
During the reign of Henry III of England
, Alwardus de Aldholme (Oldham) is referred to as holding land in Vernet (Werneth). The territory of Oldham was ruled by Alwardus's family from Werneth Hall, which still stands just north of Werneth Park.
Lying within the historic county boundaries
of Lancashire
since the early 12th century
, Werneth was recorded in 1212 as being one of five parts of the thegn
age estate of Kaskenmoor, which was held on behalf of King John
by Roger de Montbegon
and William de Nevill. The other parts of this estate were Crompton
, Glodwick
, Oldham and Sholver
. Werneth later formed part of the township
of Oldham, within the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham
, in the hundred of Salford
.
, and in the 19th century was used almost exclusively by the Platt Bros. of Oldham
, the large engineering firm of the former cotton spinning industry
prevalent in Oldham. The Platt Brothers
business headquarters formed the basis of what is today, Oldham Werneth railway station
.
The prosperity of the area brought with it civic development. A significant part of Werneth became Oldham's "grand west end" with large mansions.
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, 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 1 miles (1.6 km) west-southwest of Oldham's commercial centre and one of Oldham's most ancient localities.
History
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, Alwardus de Aldholme (Oldham) is referred to as holding land in Vernet (Werneth). The territory of Oldham was ruled by Alwardus's family from Werneth Hall, which still stands just north of Werneth Park.
Lying within the historic county boundaries
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...
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...
since the early 12th century
History of Lancashire
The History of Lancashire begins with its establishment as a county of England in 1182, making it one of the youngest of the historic counties of England.-Early history:In the Domesday Book, some of its lands had been treated as part of Yorkshire...
, Werneth was recorded in 1212 as being one of five parts of the thegn
Thegn
The term thegn , from OE þegn, ðegn "servant, attendant, retainer", is commonly used to describe either an aristocratic retainer of a king or nobleman in Anglo-Saxon England, or as a class term, the majority of the aristocracy below the ranks of ealdormen and high-reeves...
age estate of Kaskenmoor, which was held on behalf of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
by Roger de Montbegon
Roger de Montbegon
Roger de Montbegon was a landowner in northern England , Baron of Horneby, and one of the Magna Carta sureties....
and William de Nevill. The other parts of this estate were Crompton
Shaw and Crompton
Shaw and Crompton is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Beal at the foothills of the South Pennines, north of Oldham, southeast of Rochdale, and to the northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Glodwick
Glodwick
Glodwick is an area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It is south-east of Oldham town centre.Glodwick is a multi-ethnic residential area in the south of the Oldham, home particularly to a large community of Pakistanis and British Pakistanis....
, Oldham and Sholver
Sholver
Sholver is an area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. An elevated, residential area, it lies near the middle of the Oldham part of the valley of the River Beal, northeast of Oldham's commercial centre, nearly at the northeastern-most extremity of the town, by open countryside close to the...
. Werneth later formed part of the township
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...
of Oldham, within the ancient ecclesiastical parish of 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...
, 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...
.
Platts and the Industrial Revolution
Werneth has long existed as an industrial districtIndustrial district
Industrial district was initially introduced as a term to describe an area where workers of a monolithic heavy industry live within walking-distance of their places of work...
, and in the 19th century was used almost exclusively by the Platt Bros. of Oldham
Platt Brothers
Platt Brothers & Co Ltd, was a British company based at Oldham, in North West England. They were textile machinery manufacturers, iron founders and colliery proprietors, and by the end of the 19th century, had become the largest textile machinery company in the world, employing over 12,000 workers...
, the large engineering firm of the former cotton spinning industry
Cotton-spinning machinery
Cotton-spinning machinery refers to machines which process prepared cotton roving into workable yarn or thread. Such machinery can be dated back centuries. During the 18th and 19th centuries, as part of the Industrial Revolution cotton-spinning machinery was developed to bring mass production to...
prevalent in Oldham. The Platt Brothers
Platt Brothers
Platt Brothers & Co Ltd, was a British company based at Oldham, in North West England. They were textile machinery manufacturers, iron founders and colliery proprietors, and by the end of the 19th century, had become the largest textile machinery company in the world, employing over 12,000 workers...
business headquarters formed the basis of what is today, Oldham Werneth railway station
Oldham Werneth railway station
Oldham Werneth railway station was situated on the Oldham Loop Line, 10 km north east of Manchester Victoria. The station was situated on Featherstall Road South, in the Werneth area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England...
.
The prosperity of the area brought with it civic development. A significant part of Werneth became Oldham's "grand west end" with large mansions.
External links
- wernethischanging.co.uk, website about the urban renewal of Werneth.