Pemberton, Greater Manchester
Encyclopedia
Pemberton is an area of Wigan
, and an electoral ward
of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It lies on the southwestern bank of the River Douglas
, contiguous to Wigan's town centre, and east of the M6 motorway
. The area today serves as a predominantly residential suburb, and as a ward has a population of 13,638.
Historically
a part of Lancashire
, Pemberton was formerly a township
and parish in the hundred of West Derby
. Following the Industrial Revolution
, Pemberton became a densely populated industrial district
comprising a variety of coal mines, stone-quarries, brick manufactories, and cotton mill
s. Coal mining was the principal industry of what was described in 1911 as an "unpicturesque, bare and open" area. The former Pemberton Urban District
was amalgamated into the County Borough of Wigan
in 1904.
, the Old English bere meaning barley
plus the Old English suffix of -ton meaning a farm or settlement.
Unmentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1086, Pemberton does not appear in records until 1212, when it was documented to have been a thegn
age estate, or manor, comprising "two plough-lands", with an annual rate of 20 shilling
s payable by the tenant, Alan de Windle, to King John of England
.
There were several collieries in the area, and sandstone was also quarried. At Newtown were cotton mills and iron works. A well at Lamberhead Green (Pingate) was noted for its excellent water quality. The area is served by Pemberton railway station
.
in Wigan ecclesiastical parish, in the hundred of West Derby
, and was recognised as a civil parish
in 1866. From 1894 to 1904, the Pemberton parish constituted the Pemberton Urban District
. In 1904 the urban district was abolished with its territory transferred to the borough and local government County Borough of Wigan
. The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica describes Pemberton as being part of Wigan (which then formed 5082 acres). In 1920, the Pemberton parish was abolished and its former area was used to enlarge the Wigan
parish, making the area of the parish and county borough identical. Pemberton today is considered part of Wigan for purposes of the Office for National Statistics
, and in most reputable contemporary publications. This is also the approach taken also in several other modern online sources, which omit Pemberton as a standalone settlement.
The electoral ward of Pemberton covers the following neighbourhoods:
, Norley Hall, Marsh Green and Kitt Green. Pemberton and its adjoining district of Orrell
form one continuous residential area.
The soil is clay and loam, over Coal Measures and stone.
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, and an electoral ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
The Metropolitan Borough of Wigan is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. It is named after its largest component town, Wigan and also includes the towns of Leigh, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Ince-in-Makerfield, and Hindley. The borough was formed in 1974 and is an...
, 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 lies on the southwestern bank of the River Douglas
River Douglas
The River Douglas, also known as the River Asland or Astland, is a river that flows through Lancashire and Greater Manchester in the north-west of England...
, contiguous to Wigan's town centre, and east of the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
. The area today serves as a predominantly residential suburb, and as a ward has a population of 13,638.
Historically
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...
a part 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...
, Pemberton was formerly a 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...
and parish in the hundred of West Derby
West Derby (hundred)
The hundred of West Derby was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in northern England. It was sometimes known as West Derbyshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of West Derby .It covered the southwest of Lancashire, containing the ancient...
. Following the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, Pemberton became a densely populated industrial district
Industrial 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...
comprising a variety of coal mines, stone-quarries, brick manufactories, and cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
s. Coal mining was the principal industry of what was described in 1911 as an "unpicturesque, bare and open" area. The former Pemberton Urban District
Pemberton Urban District
Pemberton Urban District was an urban district from 1894 to 1904, when it was added to the County Borough of Wigan. It included the village of Pemberton....
was amalgamated into the County Borough of Wigan
County Borough of Wigan
The County Borough of Wigan was, from 1889 to 1974, a local government district centred on Wigan in the northwest of England. It was alternatively known as Wigan County Borough....
in 1904.
History
The name Pemberton derives from Penn-bere-tūn, which is believed to be a combination of the Celtic penn meaning hillHill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
, the Old English bere meaning barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
plus the Old English suffix of -ton meaning a farm or settlement.
Unmentioned 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...
of 1086, Pemberton does not appear in records until 1212, when it was documented to have been a 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, or manor, comprising "two plough-lands", with an annual rate of 20 shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s payable by the tenant, Alan de Windle, to King John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
.
There were several collieries in the area, and sandstone was also quarried. At Newtown were cotton mills and iron works. A well at Lamberhead Green (Pingate) was noted for its excellent water quality. The area is served by Pemberton railway station
Pemberton railway station
Pemberton railway station serves the Pemberton area of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. It is on the Wigan to Kirkby branch line.The station is situated on the A571 Billinge Road...
.
Governance
Pemberton was formerly a townshipTownship (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 Wigan ecclesiastical parish, in the hundred of West Derby
West Derby (hundred)
The hundred of West Derby was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in northern England. It was sometimes known as West Derbyshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of West Derby .It covered the southwest of Lancashire, containing the ancient...
, and was recognised as a civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in 1866. From 1894 to 1904, the Pemberton parish constituted the Pemberton Urban District
Pemberton Urban District
Pemberton Urban District was an urban district from 1894 to 1904, when it was added to the County Borough of Wigan. It included the village of Pemberton....
. In 1904 the urban district was abolished with its territory transferred to the borough and local government County Borough of Wigan
County Borough of Wigan
The County Borough of Wigan was, from 1889 to 1974, a local government district centred on Wigan in the northwest of England. It was alternatively known as Wigan County Borough....
. The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica describes Pemberton as being part of Wigan (which then formed 5082 acres). In 1920, the Pemberton parish was abolished and its former area was used to enlarge the Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
parish, making the area of the parish and county borough identical. Pemberton today is considered part of Wigan for purposes of the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
, and in most reputable contemporary publications. This is also the approach taken also in several other modern online sources, which omit Pemberton as a standalone settlement.
The electoral ward of Pemberton covers the following neighbourhoods:
- Kitt Green
- Lamberhead Green (OrrellOrrell, Greater ManchesterOrrell is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The area is contiguous to the town of Wigan itself and the centre of the district is situated to the west of the town centre...
) - Marsh Green
Geography
Described in 1911 as "unpicturesque, bare and open", Pemberton is predominantly made up of privately owned homes and local authority maintained housing, including Worsley MesnesWorsley Mesnes
Worsley Mesnes is a mainly residential area of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.Locally, the name is pronounced ....
, Norley Hall, Marsh Green and Kitt Green. Pemberton and its adjoining district of Orrell
Orrell, Greater Manchester
Orrell is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. The area is contiguous to the town of Wigan itself and the centre of the district is situated to the west of the town centre...
form one continuous residential area.
The soil is clay and loam, over Coal Measures and stone.
External links
- Wigan South, Wigan MBC.