Blackrod facts for kids

This page is about the settlement and civil parish. For the parliamentary position, see Black Rod.

Blackrod
Blackrod's parish church of St Katharine
Blackrod shown within Greater Manchester
Population	5,001 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	SD615105
• London	177 mi (285 km) SE
Metropolitan borough	Bolton
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BOLTON
Postcode district	BL6
Dialling code	01942/01204
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Bolton West

Blackrod is a settlement and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, in Greater Manchester, England. It is 3.9 miles (6.3 km) north-northeast of Wigan and 6.6 miles (10.6 km) west of Bolton. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, Blackrod had a population of 5,300, but reduced to 5,001 at the United Kingdom Census 2011.

Historically a part of Lancashire, Blackrod was once a centre for coal mining

History

The name Blackrod derives from the Old English, blaec and rodu, meaning a "dark clearing". The first mention of the town dates to 1189, when it was recorded as Blacherode. It was recorded as Blakerodein 1200, and Blacrode in 1220. Another suggestion is that "rod" may refer to Holy Rood, Cross of Christ.

Blackrod is reputed to be the site of a Roman station and they built a fort on the northern side of the town, on what is now a residential area called Castle Croft. The A6 road is built along the course of a Roman road that passes below the hill on which the town is built.

In the first half of the 12th century the manor of Blackrod was held by William Peverel, but was confiscated by the king and in 1190 it was granted to Hugh le Norreys. In 1212 Hugh de Blackrod was tenant. In 1223 Hugh Norreys became lord of Blackrod and the manor descended through his family. Mabel Norris heiress of Blackrod and Haigh married Roger de Bradshaw and the manor remained with the Bradshaws until the 16th century.

Arley Hall was an estate in the west of the township held by William le Walsh in 1393 and later by Standishes and Norrises. The hall was a moated manor house and is now the site of Wigan Golf Course.

After the Industrial Revolution the main industry of the town was coal mining and there was a brickworks. In 1869 the collieries operating in Blackrod included Anderton Hall, Dootson Vauze, Park Hall, Rigby Hill, Marklands and Blackrod. The Scot Lane Colliery employed 628 men underground and 122 surface workers in 1923, it closed in 1932. There were formerly bleachworks, a calico-printing works and weaving mill was built in 1906.

Geography

Blackrod is situated on hilly ground near the River Douglas, west of the West Pennine Moors, and covers 2,344 acres. It lies west of the M61 motorway, which divides it from Horwich. In the west is Arley, now the site of a golf course and to the south is Scot Lane.

Between Blackrod, Lostock and Horwich is Red Moss, a 116.6 acre (47.2 hectare) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which was designated in 1995 because of its biological interest. Red Moss is the best example of lowland raised mire in Greater Manchester and is one of 21 SSSIs in the area. The site is managed by the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

Demography

For more details, see Demography of Greater Manchester

Population change

Population changes in Blackrod since 1801
Year Population ±% 1801 1,623 —     1811 2,111 +30.1% 1821 2,436 +15.4% 1831 2,591 +6.4% 1841 2,615 +0.9% 1851 2,509 −4.1% 1861 2,911 +16.0%	Year Population ±% 1871 3,800 +30.5% 1881 4,234 +11.4% 1891 4,021 −5.0% 1901 3,875 −3.6% 1911 3,896 +0.5% 1921 3,867 −0.7% 1931 3,599 −6.9%	Year Population ±% 1939 3,072 −14.6% 1951 3,153 +2.6% 1961 3,606 +14.4% 2001 5,300 +47.0% 2011 5,001 −5.6%
Sources: (a) Local population statistics. (b) A vision of Britain of through time. (c) Neighbourhood Statistics.

Religion

The earliest mention of a chapel in Blackrod was in 1338 when Dame Mabel de Bradshagh endowed a chantry priest to say divine service and mass in the chapel of St Catherine. The present church, dedicated to St Katharine of Alexandria, is of Norman design though Elizabethan work can still be seen. The parish church was enlarged in 1776, galleries added in 1837, the roof renewed in 1894, the chancel rebuilt in 1905 and nave in 1911. During this time the spelling was changed to Catherine, and then again to the current Katharine. There are six bells in the west tower, cast in 1776, renewed in 1922, and the clock was illuminated in 1947.

A full refurbishment of the belfry installation was completed in 2015.

Transport

Blackrod is served by Blackrod railway station on the Manchester to Preston Line which opened in 1841 and where there was a branch line to Horwich. Mineral lines served the various collieries.

The main road through the township was the A6, Manchester to Preston road which now bypasses the town centre. The B5408 goes through the town. There are roads to Horwich and Aspull. The M61 motorway, part of the national motorway network between the M60/M62 (Manchester orbital motorway) and the M6 (Preston) was opened on 28 November 1969 by Fred Mulley, Minister of Transport.

Bibliography

• Kay, Margaret M. (1966), The History of Rivington and Blackrod Grammar School (2nd ed.), Manchester: Manchester University Press