العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolBURY
'Bury' is a town in the north of Greater Manchester in North West England. Situated between Rochdale and Bolton, the town is a dormitory town to the north of Manchester. It is just west of the M66, and is the largest settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury and has a population of 60,718.
Bury emerged during the Industrial Revolution as a mill town centred on textile manufacture.[1]
Geography and administration
Arms of the former Bury County Borough Council (abolished 1974).
Bury is located in the foothills of the western Pennines in North West England to the north of the Manchester region. The River Irwell flows through the town and this position has proved important in its history and development. The market town was first mentioned as a parish in AD 962. From 1894 to 1974, Bury was a county borough. This meant that although 'within' Lancashire it was administratively independent.
With the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, Bury merged with the neighbouring municipal boroughs of Radcliffe and Prestwich, together with the urban districts of Whitefield, Tottington and Ramsbottom to become the Metropolitan Borough of Bury in 1974. This borough is part of the Metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.
For purposes of the Office for National Statistics, Bury is part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area.
Divisions and suburbs
History
Etymology
The name Bury, (also earlier known as "Buri" and "Byri") comes from a Proto-Indo-European Iranian word, probably meaning "stronghold" or "fort".[2] Swedish 'Borg' is of same origin.[3]
Early history
Bury was formed around the ancient market place, with roads leading west towards Bolton (Bolton Street) and east towards Rochdale (The Rock and Rochdale Road). The most imposing early building in the town would have been Bury Castle, a medieval fortified manor house. The 'Castle' was built in 1469 by Sir Thomas Pilkington, lord of the manors of Pilkington and Bury and a powerful member of Lancashire's gentry. It sat in a good defensive position on high ground over looking the Irwell Valley. At that time the Pilkingtons had been lords of Bury for nearly a century, having inherited the manor from a family named de Bury.
For many years the castle remains were buried beneath the streets outside the Castle Armoury. From time to time it was the subject of
archaeological excavations. These established that there was an earlier manor house on the site. In 2000 the castle site was properly excavated as a focal point in the town centre. The remains of the old walls are now displayed in Castle Square.
In terms of local administration the town was originally a parish, then a Select Vestry, first with a Board of Guardians for the Poor. Improvement Commissioners were added before full Borough status was granted. The Borough Charter was received in 1876 and by 1889 this was raised to that of a County Borough
From 1801 - 1830 the town doubled in size - from 7072 residents to 15086. This was the time when the factories, mines and foundries began to dominate the landscape with their spinning machines and steam engines.
Industrial Revolution
Development was swift in the late 18th and early 19th century. The town was linked to the national canal network by the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, opened in 1808. The canal is provided with water from Elton reservoir, fed by aquaducts from a weir on the River Irwell, north of what is now the Burrs Country Park. Following this, railways opened, linking the town from Bury Bolton Street railway station to Manchester, Radcliffe, Rawtenstall and Accrington, and from the old Knowsley Street railway station to the neighbouring mill towns of Bolton, Heywood and Rochdale. The town made the most of its position between the River Irwell and the River Roch, with countless cotton mills opening in the 1800s. Other industries which thrived included paper–making, calico printing and some light engineering. The town expanded out to incorporate the former townships of Elton, Walmersley and Heap and rows of terraced housing encircled the town centre by the turn of the 19th century. Districts such as Freetown, Fishpool and Pimhole were transformed from farmer's fields to rows of terraced housing, with occasional factories and mills.
Recent history
In the postwar period, there was a major decline in the cotton industry, and in common with many neighbouring towns, Bury's skyline was soon very different, with countless factory chimneys being pulled down and the associated mills closing their doors forever. The old shopping area around Princess Street and Union Square was demolished in the late 1960s, and a concrete precinct emerged to replace it. This charmless development was mercifully replaced by the Millgate Centre in the late 1990s.
However, outside of the Millgate is a large shopping area known as The Rock, populated mainly by pound shops and charity shops. Work is now underway to redevelop these areas into a modern shopping centre with plans for completion in 2009. They will bring a large department store and a multi screen cimema to the town centre, together with other facilities including a large new medical centre. Other areas of the town centre, near the Town Hall and Interchange are also to be developed. Overall, the town centre will become a more attractive proposition to visit and competitive as a destination with Bolton and Rochdale. A recent decision by Marks and Spencer to vacate their present store and move into a large new one in the Rock scheme emphasises the changes that are on their way.
The town centre is still famous for its traditional market, with its "world famous" Black Pudding stalls. Bury Market was also once famous for its tripe, although this has declined in the past few decades.
The last 30 years has seen the town developing into an important commuter town for neighbouring Manchester. Large scale housing development has taken place around Unsworth, Redvales, Sunnybank, Brandlesholme, Limefield, Chesham and Elton. The old railway line to Manchester Victoria closed in 1990, and was replaced by the light rapid transit system Metrolink in 1992. The town was also linked to the M66 motorway network, opening in 1978, accessed from the east side of the town.
Present day
Sport
Bury has a professional football club, Bury F.C., which plays at Gigg Lane. The club is currently managed by Chris Casper and plays in League Two, with a thriving Youth and Centre of Excellence department[4] which has recently produced players such as David Nugent, Simon Whaley and Colin Kazim-Richards. Current players such as Andy Bishop and Richie Baker[5] have all been catching the eye of the press as well as other larger teams and all look to have a bright future.
Former legends include free scoring Craig Madden, old timers Norman Bullock and Henry Cockburn, Neville Southall, Dean Kiely, Lee Dixon, Colin Bell, Terry McDermott, Alec Lindsay, John McGinlay, Trevor Ross and John McGrath.
Gigg Lane is also used by FC United of the North West Counties First Division. FC United is a breakaway group of former Manchester United fans adhering to the anti Malcolm Glazer movement.[6] FC United's attendances are extremely competitive with those of Bury FC themselves. Until 2002 Manchester United Reserves were also hosted by Gigg Lane in Bury.
Arts
The Met arts centre, based in the Derby Hall on Market Street, is a small performing arts venue promoting a programme of theatre, music and comedy events. The Met has hosted famous comedy acts such as Steve Coogan and Eddie Izzard in their days before fame.[7]
Bury Art Gallery and Museum on Moss Street is home to a fine collection of Victorian and 20th century art, including works by Turner, Constable, Landseer and Lowry. The most recent renovation includes modern artefacts such as mini-ipods and electric i-robot auto hoovers.[8] The council decided in 2006 to sell the Lowry's "The Riverbank" at auction in order to fund part of its Social Services budget shortfall. This has resulted in the government's Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) removing Bury Council's accredited museum status. The authority will now have limited funding options and will be ineligible for some grants.[9]
Bury is also at the heart of the largest public art scheme in the UK -the Irwell Sculpture Trail. Works in Bury include ones by Ulrich Ruckriem, at Radcliffe and Edward Allington, at Ramsbottom with his "Tilted Vase". Ulrich Ruckriem is one of Germany's most eminent artists best known for his monumental stone sculptures. His sculpture in Radcliffe, on the site of the former Outwood Colliery, is one of his largest stone settings to date. Edward Allington's Tilted Vase sits in the Market Place in the centre of Ramsbottom and has become a distinctive feature of interest.
Education
;Colleges
★ Bury College, formerly Bury Technical College and Peel Sixth Form College.
★ Bury Grammar School has existed since the 16th century.[10]
★ Holy Cross College, formerly Bury Convent Grammar School. In 2007 it was named 7th in the country.
;High schools located in the town include
Media
Local radio is provided by 107.4 Tower FM, based in nearby Bolton which broadcasts across both towns and Key 103 which promotes local news and events.
The town's local newspaper is the Bury Times, although the Manchester Evening News and Bolton News are also widely available.
Recent tragedies
Murder of Shirley Leach (1994). Pensioner found murdered in ladies toilets of Bury Interchange bus station. The culprit was discovered, arrested and convicted over 9 years later in 2006 when the police randomly stopped the murderer for a Road Traffic offence and obtained a DNA sample.[11]
Murder of Joe Geeling (1st March 2006). A tragic story which caught the hearts of the nation. An 11 year old boy murdered by a fellow pupil of St. Gabriel's R.C. High School. The murderer made a calculated plot to lure Joe Geeling (who had cystic fibrosis) to his home by forcing Joe to submit forged letters to teachers to excuse his attendance. Joe was later stabbed to death and eventually found a few days later in a nearby park in a wheelie bin. In October 2006, 15 year old Michael Hamer pleaded guilty to the murder. He was sentenced for 'life' and, following a successful appeal against the original 12 years minimum sentence, now has to serve a minimum of 15 years before being eligible for parole.[12]
Places of interest
Attractions in Bury include:
Bury railway station at the East Lancashire Railway
★ The East Lancashire Railway, a heritage railway which runs from the town to Heywood, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall. Based at Bury Bolton Street railway station.
★ Bury's 'World Famous' Market, which has been on the same site for nearly 600 years; the original license for a market was granted in 1444. In 2006, out of 1150 markets in the UK, Bury Market was voted the best 'British Market of the Year' by the National Association of British Market Authorities.
★ The Regimental Museum of the Lancashire Fusiliers.
★ Peel Tower, Harcles Hill, [13] above Holcombe village, Ramsbottom. The Peel Tower was built in remembrance of Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister of Great Britain and founder of the Police, who was born in Bury. Hundreds of people climb to the tower each year on Good Friday. Historically this gathering had a principally religious purpose since the hill is said to be strikingly similar to the hill that Jesus is said to have climbed before he was crucified on Good Friday (Calvary).
★ Bury Parish Church[14] on the Market Place in the centre of the town.
★ Silver Street and environs contain many examples of mid-Victorian architecture, utilising York stone, from the pre-Gothic revival period.
Cuisine
Bury is known for its black puddings[15] so much so, that it is not uncommon to see it as "Bury Black Pudding" on a menu. Bury simnel cake is also a traditional variant of the cake originating in Bury. Bury is also famous for tripe, though there is little demand for this in modern times.
Notable residents
Statue of Robert Peel in Bury
Pre 20th century
★ Henry Dunster, born in Bury, at Bolholt, in 1609 and became the first President of Harvard University, USA. Based his development of the university on the British model eg Cambridge, where he had studied at Magdalene College.
★ Kay, John, the inventor of the Flying Shuttle, one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution. He was born to a yeoman farming family at Park, a tiny hamlet just North of Bury, on June 17th, 1704. A memorial to John Kay stands in the heart of Bury - in Kay Gardens.
★ Peel, Sir Robert (1788-1850), the 19th century British Prime Minister best known today for the repeal of the Corn Laws and his introduction of the modern police force (hence the terms "Bobbies" and "Peelers"), was born in Bury. A monument, Peel Tower, now exists to his memory. As this is situated nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, it is easily recognizable for miles around. The tower itself was not built for Sir Robert, but to provide work for local workers and was later dedicated to him. A statue of Sir Robert Peel stands in Market Place, outside the Robert Peel public house.
★ Lord Hewart of Bury, born Gordon Hewart in Bury in 1870, died 1943. A Liberal MP, then Attorney General and Cabinet member and eventually Lord Chief Justice from 1922 to 1940. Author of the phrase 'It is not merely of some importance but is of fundamental importance that justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done'.
20th & 21st centuries: Sports personalities
★ Goram, Andy, professional football player for numerous teams including Manchester United F.C.
★ Harris, Reg, world cycling champion was born in Birtle, near Bury.
★ Holland, Matt, professional football player for Charlton Athletic F.C.
★ Kelly, Barrie, sprinter who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica and Edinburgh and two European championships, Budapest in 1966 and Athens in 1969. He was British Champion, indoors and outdoors at 60m and 100m several times during this period.
★ Neville, Gary, professional football player for Manchester United F.C.
★ Neville, Philip, professional football player for Everton F.C.
★ Neville, Tracey, twin sister to Phil Neville and professional netball player for England.
★ Neville, Neville, father to Gary, Philip and Tracey,
★ Parry, Gareth (Gaz), Rock Climbing. One of Britain's most successful rock climbers. A former British champion in 1996 and 2002. Competed for Great Britain at the highest level for many years. Current British bouldering team coach.
★ Smith, Lawrie, yachtsman, arguably Britain's most successful racing sailor. Leant to sail at Elton Sailing Club, Bury. Won bronze medal at Barcelona Olympics in 1992 , and the Fastnet Race. Skippered British Challenger in America's Cup and finished fourth in Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989/90.
★ Thornley, Ben, former professional football player for Manchester United F.C.
20th & 21st centuries: Music, television and the media
★ Atkinson, Gemma, actress and glamour model was born in Bury.
★ Blair, Cherie, wife of the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was born in Bury.
★ Boyle, Danny, film producer and director was born in Radcliffe, near Bury.
★ Cotton, Antony, born Antony Dunn in Bury. Actor and regular in Coronation Street (Sean Tully). Pupil at Woodhey High School, Holcombe Brook.
★ Crompton, Richmal, author was born in Ramsbottom, near Bury.
★ Elbow, contemporary/alternative rock band was formed in Bury.
★ Jack, Donald, Canadian-based author born in Radcliffe, near Bury.
★ Little, Ralf, actor was born in Bury.
★ Littler, Matt, Hollyoaks actor was born in Bury.
★ Marsh, Connor, child actor was born in and lives in Bury.
★ Noble, guitarist from British Sea Power is from Bury.
★ Riley, Lisa, actress and TV presenter was born in Burnley but raised in Bury, attending St Gabriel's R.C. High School.
★ Sanderson, Nikki, actress, singer and glamour model was born in Bury.
★ Shaw, Suzanne pop singer, formerly of Hear'Say, was born in Bury and attended St Gabriel's R.C. High School.
★ Skellern, Peter, musician, was born in Bury. Attended Derby High School.
★ Wallace, Ian, drummer with various groups including King Crimson. Born in Bury, pupil at Bury Grammar School.
★ Williams, Layton, actor and dancer.
★ Wood, Victoria, comedienne and actress, was born in Prestwich and attended Bury Grammar School For Girls.
★ Allen, Fiona, comedienne and actress, lives in Bury.
Members of Parliament
★ Burt, Alistair, Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire North East was born in Bury and was head boy at Bury Grammar School
★ Chaytor, David, Member of Parliament for Bury North was born in Bury. Educated at Bury Grammar School.
★ Crausby, David, Member of Parliament for Bolton North East was born in Bury. Educated at the Derby High School.
Twin towns
★ Angoulême, a town and commune in south-western France
★ Tulle, a small town in the Correze Department. Originally twinned with Prestwich.
★ Schorndorf, a medieval market town to the east of Stuttgart, capital of Baden-Wurttemberg.
★ Woodbury, New Jersey, USA.
★ Datong, a town in China.
References
1. History of Bury
2. Bury MBC Visitors' Guide
3. Rootsweb.com
4. Bury F.C. Youth and Centre of Excellence Official Web Site
5. Bury FC official web site
6. Bury F.C. Official Web Site
7. The Met arts centre
8. Bury Art Gallery and Museum
9. BBC News Story
10. Bury Grammar School Website
11. BBC Story
12. BBC Story
13. Ordnance Survey Map showing Harcles Hill and Bull Hill on Holcombe Moor to the north-east
14. Bury Parish Church
15. BBC News Report, Bury Black Pudding & Bury's World Famous Market
External links
★ Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
★ East Lancashire Railway
★ Bury Art Gallery and Museum
★ Bury Church of England High School
★ Listed buildings in Bury
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
Featured Companies
| Golf Holidays International | |
| ITC Tours | |
| CHT Christian Holy Land Tours | |
| Vellinga's Travel Service |
Bury Companies
Below is the list of travel companies in Bury we have in our travel directory
- Travel Agents (5)
- Accommodation (2)
