Travel to Leigh, Greater Manchester Map
Leigh, Greater Manchester tourist guide map of landmarks & destinations by Walkfo
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When travelling to Leigh, Greater Manchester, Walkfo’s has created a travel guide & Leigh, Greater Manchester overview of Leigh, Greater Manchester’s hotels & accommodation, Leigh, Greater Manchester’s weather through the seasons & travel destinations / landmarks in Leigh, Greater Manchester. Experience a unique Leigh, Greater Manchester when you travel with Walkfo as your tour guide to Leigh, Greater Manchester map.
Leigh, Greater Manchester history
Toponymy
Leigh is derived from the Old English leah which meant a place at the wood or woodland clearing, a glade and subsequently a pasture or meadow . Legh was spelt Legh in 1276, Leech, 1264; Leeche, 1268; Leghthe, 1305, Leght, 1417; Lech, 1451 and Legh, 16th century . Westleigh, the west clearing, was Westeley in 1237, Westlegh and Westlay in 1292 .
Early history
The earliest signs of human activity in Leigh are evidenced by a Neolithic stone axe and a bronze spearhead from south of Gas Street . A single Roman coin was found at Butts in Bedford .
Townships
In the 12th century the ancient parish of Leigh was made up of six townships . Weekly markets were held by the parish church and a cattle fair held twice-yearly .
Civil War
Leigh was divided in its allegiance during the English Civil War . Some of the population supported the Royalists’ cause while others supported the Parliamentarians . A battle was fought in the town on 2 December 1642, when a group of Chowbenters beat back .
Industrial Revolution
Work was supplied from Manchester by agents who brought work weekly to an inn . At first the work was done to supplement the income of local farmers and their families . The cloth woven in Leigh was fustian, a sort of rough corduroy .
Coal mining
Parsonage Colliery, the last pit to be sunk in Leigh, was one of the deepest in the country, going down to over 3,000 ft (900 m) The entire Lancashire Coalfield is closed to deep mining, although several open-cast mines are still in operation elsewhere in the county .
Manufacturing
Mansley’s Rope works on Twist Lane made rope by hand, using a rope walk . Anchor Cables had a large works close to the Bridgewater Canal . Another major 20th century employer was Sutcliffe Speakman, which made activated carbon and brick-making equipment .
Leigh, Greater Manchester map & travel guide with history & landmarks to explore
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With 60 travel places to explore on our Leigh, Greater Manchester travel map, Walkfo is a personalised tour guide to tell you about the places in Leigh, Greater Manchester as you travel by foot, bike, car or bus. No need for a physical travel guide book or distractions by phone screens, as our geo-cached travel content is automatically triggered on our Leigh, Greater Manchester map when you get close to a travel location (or for more detailed Leigh, Greater Manchester history from Walkfo).
| Travel Location: Travel Area: | Leigh, Greater Manchester [zonearea] | Audio spots: Physical plaques: | 60 0 | Population: | [zonesize] |
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Tourist Guide to Leigh, Greater Manchester Map
Leigh, Greater Manchester map historic spot | Leigh, Greater Manchester map tourist destination | Leigh, Greater Manchester map plaque | Leigh, Greater Manchester map geographic feature |
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