Buckley, Greater Manchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buckley |
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 A view over Buckley towards the South Pennines |
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 Buckley
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| OS grid reference | SD906150 |
| • London | 170 mi (270 km) SSE |
| Metropolitan borough |
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| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ROCHDALE |
| Postcode district | OL12 |
| Dialling code | 01706 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Buckley is a suburban area located within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. It sits on the northern edge of Rochdale, near the beautiful South Pennines hills. Buckley is about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) north-northeast of Rochdale's town center. This area includes homes, farmlands, a brook, and even a prison.
Buckley has a long history, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon times. A Norman family, who later took the name 'de Buckley', became important landowners here after the Norman conquest of England. Their family played a big role in the area for many centuries.
Over time, Buckley became a key part of the township of Wardleworth. As the nearby town of Rochdale grew, Buckley was eventually absorbed into it in the 1870s. Buckley Hall, a historic building, changed from a grand home to an orphanage for boys, and later became HM Prison Buckley Hall.
Contents
Discovering Buckley: A Historic Area
Buckley first emerged as a settlement during the Early Middle Ages, following the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. The name Buckley comes from an Old English term meaning "bleak hill." This term changed over time, eventually becoming "Buckley."
The small village of Buckley was once part of the Anglo-Saxon manor of Hundersfield, located in the parish of Rochdale. It became more significant in the 11th century. It is believed that Norman knights, loyal to William the Conqueror, received the estate as a reward for their help during the Norman conquest of England. This is how the "ancient" Buckley family, who gave their name to the area, began in North West England.
Buckley's Ancient Roots
The earliest known member of the Buckley family was "Geoffrey de Buckley," who appeared in records during the 12th century. These records were about Stanlow Abbey, Whalley Abbey, and land exchanges in and around Buckley. The name Geoffrey is of Old French origin, and the use of 'de' in the family name shows their Norman background. Geoffrey de Buckley was a church leader, and his nephew, also named Geoffrey de Buckley, died in a battle in 1265. He is remembered in windows at Worcester Cathedral and Lichfield Cathedral.
At the heart of the Buckley estate was a watermill for grinding grain, which existed as early as 1335. Buckley Hall first appeared in written records in 1626. It was described as a "large, beautiful house" and was owned by families named Buckley. The Buckleys of Buckley used the hall as a place of worship and a home. They continued to be important local people, serving as priests, landowners, and military officers. For example, Geoffrey Buckley was a church leader in London in the 1470s. John Buckley, a military officer, fought during the English Civil War.
From Manor to Modern Town
When the manor of Hundersfield was divided into smaller local areas called townships, Buckley Hall and its surrounding area became part of Wardleworth township. Buckley seemed to be the "main property" of Wardleworth, including land in areas like Foxholes and Fieldhouse. The main line of the Buckley family continued to own Buckley Hall, while other family members started new families in places like Saddleworth and Shaw and Crompton.
The importance of the main Buckley family slowly faded as members moved away or passed on. The last member of the main branch was Captain William Buckley. In 1722, Captain Buckley had a serious disagreement with Major Samuel Crooke about a public pathway. Buckley was involved in a serious incident where Major Crooke died. Buckley faced legal consequences but received a light sentence. He passed away in 1730.
The decline of the Buckley family, along with the growth of the nearby town of Rochdale, meant the Buckley estate became less important. Buckley Hall passed from Captain William Buckley to his nephew, Thomas Foster, and then to his son, Edward Buckley. In 1786, Edward Buckley sold the hall and estate to Robert Entwisle.
As Rochdale grew, it began to expand into Buckley. In 1825, part of Wardleworth was included in the area managed by local officials working to improve Rochdale. A law was passed in 1839, allowing Rochdale's Water Works Company to build a reservoir in Buckley. Buckley Wood Reservoir was completed in December 1841 and held over 24 million imperial gallons of water. By 1851, Rochdale had expanded significantly into Wardleworth. In 1872, the remaining area of Wardleworth became part of the Municipal Borough of Rochdale, bringing Buckley entirely into Rochdale.
Large-scale textile factories were introduced to Buckley with the building of Buckley Mills. Buckley became a Victorian area with a mill, homes for workers, and Buckley Hall as the mill owner's house. In 1860, the Schofield family, who were merchants, took ownership. Buckley Mills were visited by Henry Pelham-Clinton, 6th Duke of Newcastle in September 1873.
Buckley Hall was demolished in the 1860s by the Schofields and rebuilt as a grand, four-story red brick mansion in a fancy Italianate style. However, in 1882, Buckley Hall became empty after William Schofield's death. It stayed unoccupied until a Catholic charity became interested in 1887. Buckley Hall was found to be perfect for becoming an orphanage and school run by a Catholic charity from Belgium. Buckley Hall Orphanage officially opened on March 19, 1888, as a home for 28 boys. Construction of Eclipse Mill at Buckley began in 1899.
Where is Buckley? Its Geography
Buckley lies along the northern edge of both Rochdale and the Greater Manchester Urban Area. It is located on a raised area of ground at the foothills of the South Pennines. Its coordinates are 53.6312° North, 2.1421° West. This is about 11.1 miles (17.9 km) north-northeast of Manchester city centre and 170 miles (274 km) north-northwest of central London. The A58 road passes along Buckley's southern edge. The Buckley Brook flows south along Buckley's eastern side until it flows into Hey Brook, which then flows into the River Roch. Buckley Brook is named because it passes through Buckley.
Buckley has a mix of suburban, semi-rural, and rural areas. It doesn't have a strict border. It is surrounded by Great Howarth (to the northeast), Low Hill and Smallbridge (to the east), Howarth Cross (to the southeast), Fieldhouse and Wardleworth (to the south), Cronkeyshaw and Foxholes (to the southwest), Nook Farm (to the west), Healey (to the north east), and Birchin Head and rural land (to the north). Foxholes and Fieldhouse have been recorded as being part of Buckley.
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Healey | Birchin Head | Great Howarth | |
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Low Hill & Smallbridge | ||
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| Cronkeyshaw & Foxholes | Fieldhouse & Wardleworth | Howarth Cross |
How Buckley is Governed Today
In the Early Middle Ages, Buckley was governed as part of the Anglo-Saxon area called Hundersfield, which was in the Rochdale ecclesiastical parish. After the Norman conquest, Buckley was owned by Norman families. It was a private estate with land and buildings, held by the 'de Buckley' family. In 1576, Buckley was described as a "manor," still owned by the Buckleys, but under the authority of Sir John Byron, Jr..
When Hundersfield was divided into smaller areas called townships, Buckley became part of Wardleworth township in the county of Lancashire. The Buckley Brook formed a boundary between Wardleworth and Wuerdle and Wardle.
In 1825, after the end of the main Buckley family line, part of Wardleworth was included in the area managed by local officials working to improve the growing town of Rochdale. In 1872, the remaining area of Wardleworth became part of the Municipal Borough of Rochdale. Buckley then became Rochdale's northeastern boundary with the Wardle Urban District in 1894. This local governance continued until after a new local government law in 1972. In 1974, the old County Borough of Rochdale was replaced by the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, which is a local government district of Greater Manchester.
Buckley falls within the Rochdale constituency, which elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to the UK Parliament. As of 2026, the MP for Rochdale is Paul Waugh from the Labour and Co-operative Party.
Buckley Hall: A Changing Landmark
Buckley Hall has been the only significant landmark in Buckley. It first appeared in records in 1626, but was noted even then as an ancient hall. It once held a collection of valuable art and objects, which were sold off in 1884. A Catholic charity, the Brothers of Charity, worked to buy Buckley Hall and turn it into an orphanage for boys. The orphanage operated from 1888 until 1947.
Buckley Hall's Journey: From Home to Prison
To replace older prisons and manage the number of people in prison, the government of the United Kingdom decided to work with private companies to run some prisons. HM Prison Buckley Hall became one of the first privately managed prisons in the UK, holding medium-security prisoners. From 1966 to 1989, it served as a detention center for older young people.
The prison reopened in 1994. The old Buckley Hall mansion was then demolished, and new prison buildings opened in 1995. In 2002, HMP Buckley Hall reopened as a prison for women, with the first arrivals in April. Due to a rise in the number of men in prison in Britain, Buckley Hall became a prison for men again in September 2005. Prisoners began arriving in December 2005. In 2009, HMP Buckley Hall could hold up to 381 prisoners.
Community Services in Buckley
Buckley is policed by the Greater Manchester Police force, and falls within the Healey community area of Rochdale North. Rochdale Police Station is the closest police station. Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, from fire stations at Rochdale and Littleborough.
Hospital services are provided by The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Rochdale Infirmary had an emergency department, which closed in April 2011. Mental health services are available from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust at Birch Hill Hospital.
Local health services, like doctors, nurses, dentists, and pharmacists, are managed by NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale. Waste management is handled by the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority. Electricity is supplied by Electricity North West Ltd. United Utilities manages Buckley's drinking water and wastewater.
