Standish, Greater Manchester facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Standish
The Church of St Wilfrid, Standish, from Market Place, with well in foreground.
OS grid reference	SD560102
Metropolitan borough	Wigan
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WIGAN
Postcode district	WN6
Dialling code	01257
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Wigan

Standish is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically in Lancashire, it is located on the A49 road between the towns of Chorley and Wigan, a short distance from Junction 27 of the M6 motorway.

Standish railway station was on the West Coast Main Line, but it closed in May 1949. Victoria Colliery has closed and has become a housing estate. The Church of St Wilfrid is a Grade I listed parish church, lying within the locality.

History

The name Standish is derived from two Old English words stan, meaning stone, and edisc, a park or enclosure. Its name has been variously recorded as Stanedis in 1206, Stanediss in 1219, Standissh, Stanedich and Stanedissh in 1292 and Standisch in 1330. Langtree was recorded as Langetre in 1206 and Longetre in 1330. A Roman road passed through the township.

Standish and Langtree were part of the Penwortham barony in the 12th century and between 1150 and 1164, Richard Bussel, Lord of Penwortham gave them to his brother-in-law Richard Spileman. In 1212 Thurstan Banastre held them and later they were held by William de Ferrers Earl of Derby, and then by 'the lords of Leylandshire'. The tenants adopted the local surnames, Standish and Langtree.

In 1896 the Wigan Coal and Iron Company owned the Broomfield, Giant's Hall, Gidlow, John, Langtree, Robin Hill, Swire and Taylor Pits. The largest of these was the Langtree Pit with over 540 employees.

Geography

Standish lies to the south and Langtree to north of the area, Standish covering 1,696 acres, and Langtree which had two separated portions, 1,568 acres, a total of 3,264 acres. The River Douglas and Bradley Brook form the boundary on the eastern side, the Mill Brook which flows into the Douglas forms the western boundary. Standish is situated on a ridge of high land which rises to 370 feet and runs north to south across the township, near the river the land is between 120 to 160 feet. The underlying rocks are the coal measures of the Lancashire Coalfield.

Standish is on the A49 road between Chorley and Wigan, a short distance from Junction 27 of the M6 motorway.

Landmarks

The Parish Church of St Wilfrid is the only Grade I listed building in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.

Cross and stocks, Market Place

St Wilfrid's Parish Church is the only building with a Grade I listing in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan.

In the Market Place in front of the church is a late medieval cross, stone stocks and a 14th-century well, latterly used for washing.

Images for kids

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  For much of its history, Standish formed a local government district under the name Standish-with-Langtree.