Newton-le-Willows 1821-1851

The impact of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway on: Newton-le-Willows 1821-1851 Newton le Willows is situated on the lowlands of south Lancashire, on the route to the north by way of Warrington, Wigan and Preston. From Saxon times until 1830 the village of Newton was in the east of the township, situated on an inlier of bunter sandstone overlooking a crossing place on the River Deane; this sandstone area provided a dry site and a water supply from shallow wells. The remainder of the township is a broad spread of…

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CASTLE HILL, Newton-le-Willows

1980’s Archaeological Excavations. he text for this post is transcribed from two pamphlets that where produced at the time of the 1980s digs at Castle Hill, to aid public understanding of the work that was being carried out by the archaeologists from Liverpool. Pamphlet #1 Having received permission from the Department of the Environment to excavate a scheduled ancient monument, a North West Archaeological Trust Community Programme is now in the process of investigating an earthwork at Castle Hill, Newton-le-Willows. Although this mound is a recognisable landmark and still stands…

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The Vulcan Works – Making the Lion roar again

During the early part of 1979, Ruston Diesels Limited, the Company then occupying the historic Vulcan Foundry site, agreed to restore the locomotive Lion which had been a static exhibit for many years in the Transport Gallery of Liverpool Museum. This was to provide project work for apprentices and graduate trainees, and to enable Lion to participate in the forth-coming ‘Rocket 150’ celebrations. On 4 April, the engine arrived at Ruston’s looking rather incongruous on the back of an articulated lorry and during the next few weeks it was stripped…

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Digging into the roots of history

I recently purchased a number of the Burtonwood Brewery in-house ‘Top Hat’ magazines from the 1980s, in one of them was this article concerning the excavation of the Southworth Burial Mound which is between Winwick and Lowton. Digging into the roots of history Remnants of a long-lost civilisation have been unearthed from plough-blade depth on open farmland, close to a huge man-made crater which will eventually accommodate colliery waste. And to mark the sensational discovery, being hailed as the North’s most important prehistoric find of the last decade, the archaeology…

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Steam-Boiler Explosion at Newton

There was a Great Loss of Life by a Steam-Boiler Explosion at Newton.. 22nd Sept 1838 We regret to inform that the Viaduct Foundry on the Manchester & Liverpool Line of Railway at Newton in the Willows, the property of Messrs, Jones, Turner, and Evens, was on MOnday morning last the scene of a dreadful and fatal steam-boiler explosion, by which eight persons are already dead, and two others are lying without much hope of recovery. It appears that Messrs Jones & Co. employ about 200 men, and in the…

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Lady Hill – Newton-le-Willows

I noted that some questions have been asked about Lady Hill, a barrow or not a barrow? good question, I do not think its ever been investigated, The Rev Simpson conducted an investigation into the Castle Hill barrow/mound in the 1840s and it was also investigated in the c1988, but as far as I can discover, no investigations have been done on the the nearby Lady Hill mound. I have transcribed the following from the 1916 Vol II, J H Lane book on Newton. Its a description of the walk…

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The Public Library – Crow Lane, Newton

The first library in Newton-in-Makerfield was, we believe, the one in connection with the Mechanics Institute held at the Printing Works. It contained some 400 volumes, which had a fair number of readers. Adult members paid 2s. 6d per quarter, 1s 6d. to the library, and 1s to the newsroom; junior members paid 1s. 3d. per quarter, 9d to the library and 6d to the newsroom. In the first quarter (April, May, June, 1853) there were 41 members. In 1868 the now extensive library in connection with the Viaduct Institute,…

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Newton le Willows: 1830 – 1945

I have spent the last few hours transcribing a thesis by Lynton J. Smith which I was loaned by Geoff Simm into a text file, so that It could be used here into the website, Its a splendid work on the growth of Newton le Willows & Earlestown between 1830 – 1945, at the moment the thesis is missing a few diagrams, but all the text is here, I will add some maps later. NEWTON LE WILLOWS: URBAN GROWTH UNDER THE MICROSCOPE 1830-1945 The spread of urban areas in this…

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Castle Hill by the Rev. Edmund Sibson

The following account was written in 1843 by the Rev. Edmund Sibson, once Curate at Winwick, and after- wards Vicar of St. Thomass, Ashton-in-Makerfield, and is entitled “An Account of the Opening of an Ancient Barrow called Castle Hill, near Newton-in-Makerfield, in the County of Lancaster” This Photo of Castle Hill is from the 1916, Vol II, History of Newton in Makerfield, by J H Lane. edited and coloured from the original by Steven Dowd Mr Bainess Description. “At the distance of half a mile from and to the N.…

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Antiquarian notes on our Neighbourhood

Historical and antiquarian notes on Warrington and its Neighbourhood By John Babson, Esq. The object of the present communication will be to combine as well as I can the evidence from historical records, local traditions, and existing remains, so that each may throw light upon the other, and afford something like a continuous history of the district you have passed through this afternoon. The earliest remains we have to notice are the Tumuli, of which we have two marked on the Ordnance Map, to the east, and a little to…

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The Barons of Newton

Devices and Armorial Bearings of the Barons of Newton and their Kindred. This is a fragment of the seal of Warin Banastre, son of Robert Banastre, and heir to his brother Richard, who died 23rd April, 1205. This seal was appended to a grant in ” Waletona,” to one Alured, and is amongst the muniments of the Leghs of Lyme, which have supplied most of the seals here engraved. fig. 1 The deed to which this seal is appended being without date, it is uncertain whether it was used by…

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Crow Lane Hall & Newton Serjeants

This building, probably the oldest in the township, was formerly a moated grange, vestiges of the moat being visible in the boyhood days of some of our septuagenarian residents. It is said to have been the abode of the serjeant (or bailiff) of the lord of the manor, a post of great importance in olden days, and corresponding to that of sheriff of more recent times. Its very probable that the Serjeants (or Sergeants as the name later became), who resided at Crow Lane Hall in the 15th, 16th, and…

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Newton Cricket, Bowling, and Tennis Club

On the April 13th, 1858, a meeting was held in the Assembly-room, High-street, Newton-le-Willows, for the formation of a cricket club, W. Mercer, Esq., in the chair. A sum of upwards of £50 was announced as subscribed in the room. Officers were there-upon appointed, with W. J. Leah, Esq., as patron ; W. Mercer, Esq., president; Dr. J. W. Watkins, secretary ; and George McCorquodale, Esq., treasurer. On May 30th following the opening game was played. The ground was in excellent condition, and there was a good attendance of members.…

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Southworth Burial Mound

Southworth Burial Mound Take Myddleton Lane (the ‘Eastern avenue’ off the Winwick mound) out of Winwick towards Culcheth and it will lead down the ley line towards Croft where it becomes Southworth Lane as it passes the ancient Southworth Hall over the M6 motorway. In the fields to the right Victorian Historical Journals from the Warrington Historical Society mention there may have been the burial mounds though these are now lost being ploughed flat, and in the field to the left on the Newton side, between the motorway and Southworth…

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St Peters Church

Below are a few images that show some of the many changes made to St Peters over the years. St Peters Church (approx 1835) This picture of St Peters is from about the year 1835 and clearly shows the Church without its bell tower, also visible in this image, standing to the left side of the church is the obelisk which was later removed to the centre of Earlestown Market, where it still stands. St Peters Church (approx 1910) In this lower of the two images you can clearly see…

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