MIDDLETON, GREATER MANCHESTER

'Middleton' is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England.
Historically part of Lancashire, it is approximately halfway between Rochdale and Manchester, and has a population of around 45,000. In the early 1960s the population was over 50,000.

Contents

Geography and administration

History

Culture

Landmarks and attractions

Cultural events and venues

Sport

Transport

Education

Primary

Secondary

Further education

Notable people

Trivia

References

External links

Geography and administration

Since 1974 the town has been in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale in Greater Manchester, having previously formed a municipal borough in the administrative county of Lancashire.

History

Middleton (middle town) derives its name from its location between four other towns: Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester. It owes much of its history to the Industrial Revolution, when it was a significant mill town, with links to the silk industry stretching back to the 19th century.
The town's local newspaper, the ''Middleton Guardian'' has a history going back to Victorian times.
JW Lees houses its brewery at Middleton Junction. The brewery owns several pubs in the Greater Manchester area.

Culture

Landmarks and attractions

'Middleton Parish Church of St Leonard'
St Leonard's was completed in 1524, incorporating two stone arches made of stonework from an earlier Norman church built on the site. A wooden Saxon Church is believed to have occupied the site long before the Norman church was built, in around 1100.^[1]
The present church was built by Sir Richard Assheton, in celebration of the knighthood granted to him by Henry VIII for his part in the Battle of Flodden Field, the largest battle ever fought between Scotland and England. The Flodden Window, in the sanctuary, is thought to be the oldest war memorial in the UK. It memorialises on it the names of the Middleton archers who fought at Flodden Field in 1513.
The church also has one of the finest collections of brasses in the area, including the only brass in the UK of a Civil War Officer in full armour, Major-General Sir Ralph Assheton.
'The Old Boar's Head Inn'
Situated below the parish church, on Long Street, this was originally a coaching inn on the road between Chester and York. It is said to date from at least 1632.
Most of Middleton's other main buildings were designed by Edgar Wood, an influential English architect of his day.

Cultural events and venues

Middleton has a busy leisure centre and also a civic centre. There are plans to re-develop both places to improve the area in which they are situated and the services they currently offer.

Sport

Middleton is also host to many local clubs for various sports, one of which is Middleton Cricket Club who are currently playing in the Central Lancashire Cricket League. Three golf clubs are within easy reach of the town centre; North Manchester, Manchester and Heaton Park.

Transport

Recently a brand new Middleton Bus Station was built in place of the old one, next to the Middleton Arndale shopping centre. The bus station is purported to have been (at time of construction) the most expensive bus station in Europe.
Middleton is located close to junction 19 of the M62 Motorway.
The nearest train station is Mills Hill railway station, on the border of Middleton and Chadderton.

Education

A list of schools and colleges that are situated in the Middleton area.

Primary

★ Alkrington (County) Primary School

★ Boarshaw Community Primary School

★ Elm Wood Primary School

★ Furrow Community School

★ Hollin Primary School

★ Langley Primary School

★ Little Heaton Church of England Primary School

★ Middleton Parish Church of England Primary School

★ Parkfield Primary School

★ St. Gabriels Church of England Primary School

★ St. John Fisher Roman Catholic Primary School

★ St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School

★ St. Peters Roman Catholic Primary School

★ St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Primary School

★ St. Michaels Church of England Primary School
(As of September 2008, Furrow Community School and Langley Primary School will merge and be re-named Bowlee Park Community School and will operate from the existing Furrow site)

Secondary

★ Alderman Kay School

★ Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School

★ Middleton Technology School

★ The Queen Elizabeth School (but will change its name in 2007 to St. Annes Academy)

Further education

★ Hopwood Hall College - Middleton Campus, Rochdale Road. This was formerly De La Salle teacher training college from 1946 to 1989, the chapel of which was the architectural prototype for Liverpool's Roman Catholic cathedral. The chapel still exists but its spire is no longer topped with a cross.
The college benefits from its massive grounds and leisure facilities which were developed over many years by the De La Salle College. Hopwood Hall itself is in a very dilapidated condition and has been a cause for concern for many years.

Notable people

A list of famous people that are from, or have lived in, Middleton:

★ Thomas Langley, b.1363 Cardinal of Roman Catholic Church. Bishop of Durham, Lord Chancellor of England, England's first foreign secretary. Born Middleton

★ Steve Coogan, comedian and actor

★ Martin Coogan, radio DJ and front man of The Mock Turtles

★ Brendan Coogan, TV presenter, best known for presenting BBC's Top Gear

★ David Gedge, of the Indie bands The Wedding Present and Cinerama

★ Archie (aka Arthur) Kelly, comedian and actor in ''Phoenix Nights''

★ David May, former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers footballer

★ Bob Smithies, TV presenter and author

★ Samuel Bamford, political writer and poet, leader of Middleton weavers at Peterloo massacre

★ Clint Boon, Inspiral Carpets band member and DJ

★ Samantha Howarth, costume designer for the film ''Gladiator''

★ Suranne Jones, Coronation Street actress

★ Peter Cowap, guitarist. His ‘Blue Plaque’ resides in the Old Boars Head

★ Basil D'Oliveira, England cricketer, lived on Rochdale Road during his 2 or 3 years at the club in the early 1960s.

★ Nedum Onuoha, Manchester City footballer.

★ Jim Allen, controversial award-winning playwright of ''The Spongers'' and ''Raining Stones''.

★ Bill Keeth, author of the novels ''Every Street in Manchester'' and ''Manchester Kiss''.

★ John Richmond, fashion designer and former Cardinal Langley student

★ Paula Wilcox, star of TV programme "The Lovers" wth Richard Beckinsale lived on Mainway

★ Kenny Clements, ex Manchester City was from Middleton

★ Tommy Booth, ex Manchester City was from Middleton

★ Colin Crompton, comedian lived in Middleton

★ Maartin Allcock, sessions guitarist and member of Fairport Convention was from Middleton

★ Dougie Flood, club owner lived here. Reputed to have turned Kray twins back from Manchester Piccadilly

Trivia

People from Middleton are sometimes known as "Moonrakers". According to tales this was due to poachers stashing their ill-gotten wares in ponds and pretending to rake the moon's reflection off the ponds, claiming to the authorities that they were trying to recover the green cheese (ie. the moon).
Langley, a large council housing estate in Middleton, was the setting and location for Ken Loach's 1993 film ''Raining Stones'' starring Bruce Jones. It was also the setting for the 1978 TV play, ''The Spongers''. Both were written by Jim Allen who lived in Middleton and helped build the Langley estate as a young builder.

References

1. The Church Building

External links

★ Brief history of Middleton

★ Historical Middleton by John Dean