Bury, Greater Manchester

Market town in Greater Manchester, England

This article is about the town. For the larger local government district, see Metropolitan Borough of Bury. For other uses, see Bury (disambiguation).

Town in England

Bury

Town

Market Place

Town Hall

St Mary's Church

Whitehead Clock Tower

Victoria Wood Statue

Fusilier Museum

Transport Museum

Bury

Location within Greater Manchester

Area| 11.61 sq mi (30.1 km2)
Population| 81,101 (2021 Census)
• Density| 6,985/sq mi (2,697/km2)
OS grid reference| SD805105
• London| 169 mi (272 km)
Metropolitan borough|

* Bury

Metropolitan county|

* Greater Manchester

Region|

* North West

Country| England
Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Areas of the town|

List

* Blackbridge
* Chesham,
* Elton
* Fairfield
* Fernhill
* Fishpool
* Free Town
* Higher Woodhill
* Hollins
* Jericho
* Limefield
* Nangreaves
* Pimhole
* Redvales
* Starling
* Tottington (Town)
* Town Centre
* Walmersley
* Walshaw
* Woolfold

Post town| BURY
Postcode district| BL0, BL8, BL9
Dialling code| 0161
Police| Greater Manchester
Fire| Greater Manchester
Ambulance| North West
UK Parliament|

* Bury North

Website| bury.gov.uk

List of places

England
Greater Manchester

53°35′35″N 2°17′53″W﻿ / ﻿53.593°N 2.298°W﻿ / 53.593; -2.298

Bury (/ˈbɛri/, /ˈbʊri/) is a market town on the River Irwell in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England.[1] It had a population of 81,101 in 2021, while the wider borough had a population of 193,846.[2]

The town was originally in the historic county of Lancashire but has been a part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester since 1974. Bury emerged in the Industrial Revolution as a mill town manufacturing textiles. The town is known for the open-air Bury Market and black pudding, the traditional local dish.

Sir Robert Peel was born in the town. Peel was a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who founded the Metropolitan Police and the Conservative Party. There is a memorial and a monument for Peel, the former stands outside Bury Parish church and the latter overlooks the borough on Holcombe Hill. The town is 5 miles (8 km) east of Bolton, 6 miles (9.7 km) south-west of Rochdale and 8 miles (12.9 km) north-west of Manchester.

## History

[edit]

### Toponymy

[edit]

The name Bury (also earlier known as Buri and Byri) comes from an Old English word, meaning castle, stronghold or fort, an early form of modern English borough[3] (German burg).

### Early history

[edit]

Bury was formed around the ancient market place but there is evidence of activity dating back to the period of Roman occupation. Bury Museum has a Roman urn containing a number of small bronze coins dated for AD 253–282 which was found north of what is now the town centre.[4] Under Agricola, the road-building programme included a route from the fort at Manchester (Mamucium) to the fort at Ribchester (Bremetennacum) which ran through Radcliffe and Affetside. The modern Watling Street, which serves the Seddons Farm estate on the west side of town, follows the approximate line of the Roman road.

The most imposing building in the early town would have been Bury Castle,[5][6] a medieval manor house built in 1469 for Sir Thomas Pilkington. It sat in a good defensive position on high ground overlooking the Irwell Valley.[6] The Pilkington family suffered badly in the Wars of the Roses when, despite geography, they supported the House of York. When Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, Thomas Pilkington was captured and later executed. The outcome of the battle was the Lancastrian Duke of Richmond being crowned Henry VII by Sir William Stanley. As a reward for the support of his family, Thomas Stanley was created Earl of Derby and, amongst other lands, the confiscated Pilkington estate in Bury was presented to him.[4]

The ancestral home of the Earls of Derby is Knowsley Hall on the outskirts of Liverpool. The family maintains a connection with Bury in various ways—the Derby High School is named after them. When the school opened in 1959 the 18th Earl of Derby was patron and the school's badge is based on the Earl's coat of arms. The 15th and 16th earls were both supporters of Bury Grammar School, both financially and in terms of land, and one of the school houses is named Derby in their honour.[7] The town is home to the Derby Hall and formerly also the Derby Hotel, opened in February 1850.[8]

The castle remains were buried beneath the streets outside the Castle Armoury until properly excavated for the first time in the 1970s.[6]

Between 1801 and 1830, the population of the town more than doubled from 7,072 to 15,086. This was the time when the factories, mines and foundries, with their spinning machines and steam engines, began to dominate the landscape. In 1822 Bury Savings Bank[9] opened on Silver Street established under government control and later became TSB.

### Industrial Revolution

[edit]

Probate evidence from the 17th century and the remains of 18th-century weavers' cottages in Elton, on the west side of Bury, indicate that domestic textile production was an important factor in the local economy at a time when Bury's textile industry was dominated by woollens, and based upon the domestic production of yarn and cloth, as well as water-powered fulling mills.[10][11]

Development was swift in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The establishment in 1773 by the family of Sir Robert Peel of Brooksbottom Mill in Summerseat, north of the town, as a calico printing works marked the beginning of the cotton industry in Bury. By the early 19th century, cotton was the predominant textile industry, with the Rivers Roch and Irwell providing power for spinning mills and processing water for the finishing trades. Development was further promoted when the town was linked to the national canal network by the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal, fully opened in 1808. The canal was provided with water from Elton Reservoir, fed by aqueducts from a weir on the Irwell, north of what is now the Burrs Country Park. The Burrs is also the site of another mill developed by the Peel family, first founded in 1790. The remains are displayed for the public. There were seven cotton mills in Bury by 1818 and the population grew from 9,152 in 1801, to 20,710 in 1841, and then to 58,029 in 1901.

Following this, railways were opened, linking the town from Bury Bolton Street railway station to Manchester (via Prestwich and Radcliffe), to Rawtenstall and to Accrington. From the Knowsley Street railway station there were connections to the neighbouring mill towns of Bolton, Heywood and Rochdale. As well as the many cotton mills, other industries which thrived included paper-making, calico printing and some light engineering. The town expanded to incorporate the former townships of Elton, Walmersley and Heap, and rows of terraced houses encircled the town centre by the turn of the 19th century. Districts such as Freetown, Fishpool and Pimhole were transformed from farmers' fields to rows of terraces beside the factories and mills.

The houses were of the most limited kind, without basic facilities, sewers or proper streets. The result was the rapid spread of disease and high mortality rates in crowded areas. In 1838, out of 1,058 working class houses in Bury investigated by the Manchester Statistical Society, 733 had 3–4 people in each bed, 207 had 4–5, and 76 had 5–6.[12] Social reformers locally and nationally were concerned about such issues, including Edwin Chadwick. One report that prepared the ground for the reform of public health matters, commissioned by the then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, asked local doctors for information. King Street, Bury, was highlighted: it had 10 houses, each with one bedroom, and a population of 69. The average age of death in Bury was 13.8 years. Towns like Bury were likened to 'camps'[13] where newcomers sought work in mill, mine or forge. Many, often from Ireland, found shelter in lodging houses. Thirty-eight in Bury were surveyed.[14] Seventy-three per cent had men and women sharing beds indiscriminately, 81% were filthy and the average was 5.5 persons to a bed.

Although Bury had few of the classic late-19th-century spinning mills that were such a feature of other Lancashire towns, a group known as Peel Mills are still in use at Castlecroft Road. Immediately north of the town centre, their name is another reminder of the link with the Peel family.

### Lancashire Fusiliers

[edit]

Main article: Lancashire Fusiliers

Lancashire Fusiliers War Memorial at Whitehead Gardens

According to writer Geoffrey Moorhouse, no history of Bury is complete without reference to its role as the regimental town of the Lancashire Fusiliers.[15]

In 1688, Prince William of Orange (later King William III) landed at Brixham, Devon. He asked Colonel Sir Robert Peyton to raise a regiment containing six independent companies in the Exeter area. This regiment absorbed the previously enscripted men housed at the Wellington Barracks, who would have been any men over the age of 21. These men became the Lancashire Fusiliers once they joined William's of Orange Men. Following successful recruitment, a regimental depot was established at Wellington Barracks in 1881.[16] This barracks were originally built as a response to the Chartist movement, who were a mass movement of working-class men who protested via petition signatures.

The People's Charter called for six reforms to make the political system more democratic:

1. A vote for every man aged twenty-one years and above, of sound mind, and not undergoing punishment for a crime.
2. The secret ballot to protect the elector in the exercise of his vote.
3. No property qualification for Members of Parliament to allow the constituencies to return the man of their choice.
4. Payment of Members, enabling tradesmen, working men, or other persons of modest means to leave or interrupt their livelihood to attend to the interests of the nation.
5. Equal constituencies, securing the same amount of representation for the same number of electors, instead of allowing less populous constituencies to have as much or more weight than larger ones.
6. Annual Parliamentary elections, thus presenting the most effectual check to bribery and intimidation, since no purse could buy a constituency under a system of universal manhood suffrage in every twelve months.

Chartists saw themselves fighting against political corruption and for democracy in an industrial society, but attracted support beyond the radical political groups for economic reasons, such as opposing wage cuts and unemployment.[17]

### Recent history

[edit]

Terraced housing in Bury 1958

The post-war period saw a major decline in the cotton industry and, as with many neighbouring towns, Bury's skyline was soon very different, with countless factory chimneys being pulled down and the associated mills closing their doors permanently. The old shopping area around Princess Street and Union Square was demolished in the late 1960s, and a concrete precinct was built to replace it. This development was replaced by the Mill Gate Shopping Centre in 1995.[citation needed]

On 23 November 1981, an F0/T1 tornado formed over Whitefield and subsequently moved through Bury town centre and surrounding areas.[18]

In 2010, a £350 million shopping development opened up around the Rock.[citation needed] The main street is populated mainly by independent shops and food outlets. At the top end of the street is a shopping area with a multi-screen cinema, bowling alley, and department stores including Marks & Spencer, Primark, H&M, Clarks, and The Range

Bury also benefited from other facilities in the early 2010s including a new medical centre and office accommodation close to Bury Town Hall. A decision by Marks and Spencer to vacate its store in the Mill Gate Shopping Centre and move into a new larger one on The Rock emphasised a change of clientele in the town.[citation needed]

The town centre is famous for its traditional market, with its "world famous" black pudding stalls.[citation needed] Bury Market was also once famous for its tripe, although this has declined in recent decades. The Bury Black Pudding Company, owned by the Chadwick family,[19] provides black pudding to retailers such as Harrods, and to major supermarkets, and the market is a destination for people from all over Greater Manchester and beyond. The last 30 years have seen the town develop into an important commuter town for neighbouring Manchester. Large-scale housing development has taken place around Unsworth, Redvales, Sunny Bank, Brandlesholme, Limefield, Chesham and Elton. The old railway line to Manchester Victoria closed in 1990 and was replaced by the light rapid transit system Metrolink in 1992. The town was also linked to the motorway network with the opening of the M66, accessed from the east side of the town, in 1978.

## Governance

[edit]

The highest-polling party in each ward in the 2011 United Kingdom local elections Arms of the former Bury County Borough Council (abolished 1974)

The town was initially a parish in the Hundred of Salford, containing the townships of Heap, Elton, Walmersley with Shuttleworth, Tottington Higher End and Lower End, Musbury, and Cowpe with Lench, the latter two being in the Hundred of Blackburn.[20] From the 18th century, it was seen over by a select vestry with a "board of guardians for the poor". Improvement commissioners were added before the borough charter was granted in 1876. In 1889, the town's status was raised to that of a county borough of Lancashire.

The coat of arms was granted in 1877 and its symbols represent local industry. In the quarters are representations of the anvil (for forging), the golden fleece (the wool industry), a pair of crossed shuttles (the cotton industry) and a papyrus plant (the paper industry). Above them are a closed visor capped by a mayfly and two red roses. The Latin motto "Vincit Omnia Industria" translates as "work conquers all".

With the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, Bury merged with the neighbouring municipal boroughs of Radcliffe and Prestwich, together with the urban districts of Whitefield, Tottington and Ramsbottom in 1974 to become the Metropolitan Borough of Bury. The borough is part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.

On 3 July 2008, a referendum was held in the borough to decide whether it should be ruled by a directly elected mayor. The proposal was rejected by the voters.[21]

## Geography

[edit]

Further information: Geography of Greater Manchester

Bury

Climate chart (explanation)

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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
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Source: [22]
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Bury is located on the edge of the western Pennines in North West England, in the northern part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area. Its position on the River Irwell has proved important in its history and development. Flowing from north to south, the river divides the town into two parts on the east and west sides of the valley, respectively. The town centre sits close to, and above, the river on the east side. Bury Bridge is a key bridging point, linking the east side of town and the town centre with the western suburbs and Bolton beyond. Other bridges across the river are few—there is one at Radcliffe Road to the south and one at Summerseat to the north. There is a bridge at the Burrs, but it serves a cul-de-sac and does not allow full east–west access. To the south, the main tributary (the River Roch, flowing from the east) joins the Irwell close to another significant bridging point, Blackford Bridge. This carries the main road south (the A56) towards Manchester. Industrialisation of the area in the past dramatically reduced the fauna present in the river, and sewage continues to pollute the river today. The Irwell is considered one of the most polluted rivers in the UK.[23]

Bury experiences a warm temperate climate with warm summers and cool winters owing to the shielding effect of the Western Pennine Moors. Summer is the driest time of the year with low rainfall. Bury rarely experiences temperatures over 30 °C (86 °F), due to oceanic north easterly winds. In summer, the temperature is warm and Bury experiences much sun. Winters are cool; temperatures can drop below freezing between December and March. There is not much extreme weather in Bury; floods are rare since the town is on higher ground, although flood is occasionally seen in Ramsbottom. Early summer thunderstorms bring high rainfall.

For purposes of the Office for National Statistics, Bury is part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area.

## Demography

[edit]

At the 2001 census the town of Bury had a total population of 77,211, whereas the wider Metropolitan Borough had a population of 183,200.[24][25]

Population growth in Bury since 1801  Year  | 1801  | 1811  | 1821  | 1831  | 1839  | 1851  | 1881  | 1891  | 1901  | 1911  | 1921  | 1931  | 1951  | 1961

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Population  | 19,915  | 24,986  | 30,655  | 42,305  | 55,577  | 63,803  | 39,238  | 41,038  | 58,029  | 58,648  | 56,403  | 56,182  | 58,838  | 60,149
Source: Vision of Britain[26]

## Landmarks

[edit]

See also: List of Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester, Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester, Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester, and List of public art in Greater Manchester

Attractions in Bury include:

Bury Bolton Street railway station at the East Lancashire Railway

* Bury Art Museum, containing the Wrigley collection of paintings, which includes works by J. M. W. Turner, Edwin Henry Landseer, John Constable and Peter De Wint. The building, by Woodhouse and Willoughby in 1899, was described by Pevsner as "probably the best building in Bury."[27]
* Bury Castle is a fortified manor house built in the mid-13th century by Sir Thomas Pilkington and is now protected as a scheduled monument; the foundations have been excavated and have been open to the public since 2000.[5][6]
* Bury Parish Church, on the Market Place in the centre of the town, is a Grade I listed building.[28][29]
* Bury's 'World-Famous' Market has been in operation for nearly 600 years; the original licence for a market was granted in 1444. In 2006, of 1,150 markets in the UK, Bury Market was voted the best 'British Market of the Year' by the National Association of British Market Authorities. The market was also selected as BBC Radio 4's Food and Farming Awards Market of the Year in 2008. It receives over 1,000 coachloads of visitors every year.[30]
* Castlesteads is an ancient promontory fort and scheduled monument.
* Peel Tower, Harcles Hill,[31] above Holcombe village, Ramsbottom. The tower was built in remembrance of Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and founder of the Metropolitan Police, who was born in Bury and was responsible for the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. Hundreds of people climb to the tower each year on Good Friday. Historically this gathering had a principally religious purpose, since the hill was said to be strikingly similar to the hill that Jesus climbed (Calvary) before his crucifixion on Good Friday.

Whitehead Clock Tower

* Whitehead Clock Tower stands in Whitehead Garden, separated from the Town Hall by a railway cutting. It was erected in 1913 as a memorial to Walter Whitehead, a surgeon of international repute who was born in the town.
* East Lancashire Railway, a heritage railway which runs from the town to Heywood, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall. Based at Bury Bolton Street railway station.[32]
* The Fusilier Museum, a regimental museum of the Lancashire Fusiliers on Moss Street in Bury.[33]
* Manchester Road, Silver Street and environs contain many examples of Late Georgian brick terrace and York stone housing.[27]

Bury is home to several fine sculptures and pieces of public art. Edward Hodges Baily's 1851 statue of Sir Robert Peel stands in the centre of town,[34] while Lutyens' Lancashire Fusiliers War Memorial can be found outside the Fusilier Museum.[35] George Frampton's 'cheering fusilier', a tribute to those who died in the Boer War, stands in Whitehead Garden near the town hall.[36] The Kay Monument, a solid pavilion with a stone dome capped with a bronze Fame, commemorates John Kay,[37] the inventor of the flying shuttle which revolutionised the weaving industry. Designed by William Venn Gough in 1908, it holds a number of sculpted bronze plaques by John Cassidy.[38] Contemporary works include Ron Silliman's text piece From Northern Soul (Bury Neon) at Bury Interchange.[39]

## Transport

[edit]

Bury is connected to other settlements via bus services, Metrolink and the heritage railway.

Between 1903 and 1949, the Bury Corporation Tramways network served the town. The network connected Bury with electric trams to Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield, Unsworth, Heywood, Walmersley, Breighmet, and the neighbouring Rochdale Corporation Tramways.

Class 504 at Bury Interchange station

Bury Bolton Street railway station, first opened in 1846 and substantially rebuilt in the 1880s and again in the 1950s, once provided rail services to Accrington and Bacup via Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall to the North, Holcombe Brook via Tottington on the branch line to the North West, and Manchester via Radcliffe, Whitefield, and Prestwitch to the south. After the lines to the north were closed to passengers between 1952 and 1972, the station is now home to the heritage East Lancashire Railway, which serves Heywood, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall but does not provide a regular commuter service.

A Metrolink Tram in Bury Interchange

Bury was also served by Bury Knowsley Street railway station until its closure in 1970. Bury Knowsley Street station had passenger services travelling east–west through Bury, connecting the town directly to both Bolton and Heywood. After October 1970 services to and from Manchester were the only passenger rail services connecting Bury to the national rail network. Bury to Manchester Victoria rail services were provided by Class 504 units, which were third-rail operated, in the 1970s and 1980s. Bury Interchange opened in March 1980 close to the site of the former Knowsley Street station (which was demolished in the early 1970s). It was the replacement for the Bolton Street railway station (which was subsequently taken over the East Lancashire Railway heritage line in 1987), and initially incorporated a railway station, with services to Manchester Victoria, and a bus station. Third-rail-powered heavy rail passenger services integrated with the national rail network ceased in 1991, with Metrolink taking over the line and trams operating the line since April 1992. As a result, Bury has not had a conventional heavy rail link to the national network since 1991.

Currently, most buses are run by the Bee Network (Which replaced those run by Diamond North West, Go North West, Vision Bus, and Rosso busses within county lines), with regular services to Manchester, Bolton, Rochdale, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Nangreaves, Farnworth, Norden, Heywood, and Pendleton. Rosso continues to run services to Rossendale, Blackburn and Burnley. The bus station is connected to the Bury Interchange Metrolink tram stop, to provide a vast complex of inter-modal transport. There is also a free car park at the rear of the complex and a cycle hub for parking bikes during the day. The station is located in the centre of Bury, close to Bury Market, the Millgate Shopping Centre, the Rock and the main square. There are plans to demolish and rebuild the interchange starting in 2027; it will be the first in Greater Manchester to be Carbon Neutral.[40]

Manchester Metrolink operates trams to Altrincham and Piccadilly from Bury. There is generally a service every 6 minutes from Bury to Manchester city centre, with every other tram continuing to Altrincham. Plans are in place to extend the Metrolink line to connect with Rochdale via the East Lancashire Railway line through Heywood,[41] as well as a new station near Elton Reservoir to accommodate upcoming housing developments. [42]

## Education

[edit]

Further information: List of schools in Bury

Derby High School is one of Bury's comprehensive schools. It was opened in 1959 and its patron is the Earl of Derby.

Colleges

* Bury College, formed from a merger of Bury Technical College, Peel Sixth Form College and Stand Sixth Form College
* Bury Grammar School has existed since 1570.[43]
* Bury Grammar School (Girls), formerly Bury Girls' High School, opened in 1884.[44]
* Holy Cross College, formerly Bury Convent Grammar School (In 2008, Holy Cross College was named the second best college in the country in relation to students' academic performance.[45])

High schools located in the town include

* Broad Oak High School
* Bury Church of England High School
* Bury Grammar School (Independent)
* Bury Grammar School (Girls) (Independent)
* Derby High School
* Elton High School
* St Gabriel's RC High School
* Tottington High School
* Woodhey High School

## Sport

[edit]

Bury F.C. is the town's local football club. Bury play in the North West Counties Premier Division, the ninth tier of English football. Bury gained worldwide publicity in August 2019 when the club were expelled from the Football League due to unpaid debts and poor ownership. In 2019, the phoenix Club Bury AFC was created, and merged with BFCSS in May 2023, returning to their former name a month later. The nickname for the club, the Shakers, has become a demonym for the residents of Bury.

The Lancashire Spinners are a basketball team based in Bury. They compete in the second-tier English Basketball League Division 1, and have done so since promotion from Division 2 in 2015. The club have close ties with nearby Myerscough College.

Bury Broncos are a Rugby League team based in the Prestwich area. Formed in 2008, they play in the North West Men's League and will compete in Division 1 in the 2021 season.

## Culture

[edit]

Heritage Buses in Bury Transport Museum

### Performing arts

[edit]

The Met arts centre, based in the Derby Hall on Market Street, is a small performing arts venue promoting a programme of theatre, music and comedy events.[46] The Met has hosted famous comedy acts such as Peter Kay, Jason Manford, Steve Coogan and Eddie Izzard in their days before fame.

### Museums and galleries

[edit]

Bury Art Museum is home to a fine collection of Victorian and 20th-century art, including works by Turner, Constable and Landseer.

The Fusilier Museum, home to the collection of the Lancashire Fusiliers, commemorates over three hundred years of the regiment's history. The museum occupies the former School of Arts and Crafts on Broad Street.

The Bury Transport Museum, part of the East Lancashire Railway, holds a collection of vintage vehicles and interactive displays. It is housed in the restored and Grade II-listed 1848 Castlecroft Goods Shed.

The Bury Black Pudding stall in Bury Market Ron Silliman's neon piece From Northern Soul (Bury Neon) on display at Bury Interchange, featured at the first Bury Light Night event

### Music

[edit]

The 2008 Mercury Music Prize-winning group Elbow,[47] fronted by Guy Garvey, hails from Bury. In 2009, the group was awarded the Freedom of the Borough after their 2008 album The Seldom Seen Kid won several accolades including a Brit Award and the Mercury Prize.[48]

Bury hosts several music festivals yearly, including the Glaston-Bury Festival on the August bank holiday weekend, and Head for the Hills Festival (previously known as Ramsbottom Festival) closing the festival season in mid-September. While Glaston-Bury hosts mainly local/upcoming bands, Head for the Hills hosts a wider range of talent, including bands such as Soul II Soul, The Proclaimers and Maxïmo Park. The festival also has a popular silent disco, where DJs battle for the larger audience. For the past two years, this battle has largely been dominated by the DJ team BABs, a brother and sister partnership from the local village of Edenfield.

### Food

[edit]

Bury is known for its black puddings[49] so much so, that it is not uncommon to see it marketed as "Bury Black Pudding" on a menu. Bury simnel cake is a variant of the cake originating in Bury. The town was also notable for tripe, though there is little demand for this in modern times.

### Events

[edit]

Inspired by the Nuit Blanche in Paris, Bury Light Night ran from 2011 to 2015. The event featured the streets of the town centre lit up with light installations and colourful projections, as well as performances and workshops at the Met, Rock, Kay Gardens, Art Museum, and Bury Castle amongst others. The event was cancelled after 2015 due to a mixed reception.[50]

## Media

[edit]

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada. Television signals are received from the Winter Hill TV transmitter.[51]

Bury is served by the local radio stations:[citation needed]

* BBC Radio Manchester
* Heart North West
* Smooth North West
* Greatest Hits Radio Bolton & Bury
* Capital Manchester and Lancashire
* Rochdale Valley, a community-based radio station which broadcast from its studios in Rochdale.[52]

The Bury Times is the local newspaper including regional newspapers Manchester Evening News and North West Enquirer.[53]

## Notable people

[edit]

Main article: List of people from Bury

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Statue of Sir Robert Peel by Edward Hodges Baily in Bury

* Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), the 19th century Prime Minister of the United Kingdom best known today for the repeal of the Corn Laws and his introduction of the modern police force (hence the terms "Bobbies" and "Peelers"), was born in Bury.[54] He is also notable for forming the famous British Police division, 'Scotland Yard' in London. A monument, Peel Tower, now exists to his memory. As this is situated nearly 1,000 feet above sea level, it is easily recognisable for miles around. The tower itself was not built for Sir Robert, but to provide work for local workers and was later dedicated to him. A statue of Peel stands in Market Place, outside the Robert Peel public house. The statue of Sir Robert has his waistcoat fastening the wrong way round.
* John Kay (1704 – c. 1779), the inventor of the flying shuttle, one of the key inventions of the Industrial Revolution. He was born to a yeoman farming family at Park, a hamlet just north of Bury, on 16 June 1704.[55] A memorial to John Kay stands in the heart of Bury in Kay Gardens.[56] He also features as one of twelve subjects of the Manchester Murals by Ford Madox Brown which decorate the Great Hall of Manchester Town Hall and depict the history of the city. The piece shows Kay being smuggled to safety as rioters, who feared their jobs were in danger, sought to destroy looms whose invention he had made possible. This was a key moment in the struggle between labour and new technology. He eventually fled to France and died in poverty.
* James Wood (1760–1839), mathematician, Dean of Ely and Master of St John's College, Cambridge, was born at Holcombe, Bury. A pupil at Bury Grammar School, he won an exhibition to St John's College and was a college tutor from 1789 to 1814. During this time he published The Principles of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. He was appointed Dean of Ely in 1820. He served as Master of St John's from 1815 and left his library to the college upon his death.[57]
* Professor Sir John Charnley (1911–1982), born the son of a Bury pharmacist. He wrote The Closed Treatment of Common Fractures, first published in 1950, which became a standard text for the subject. His subsequent achievement in developing hip replacement surgery, in 1962, is acknowledged as a ground breaking development that changed the approach to orthopaedic surgery. He established a centre for hip surgery at Wrightington Hospital, near Wigan where he worked. He was knighted for his work in 1977.[58] The John Charnley Research Institute at Wrightington Hospital near Wigan, was named in his honour.
* Andrew Higginson (born 1957), businessman and chairman of Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc[59]
* Cherie Blair (born 1954), barrister and wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

### Sport

[edit]

* Cyrus Ainsworth, cricketer
* Nicky Ajose, former Charlton Athletic footballer and coach at Exeter City F.C.
* Andy Goram, Scottish international footballer
* James Guy, Olympic gold medal swimmer in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo
* Barrie Kelly, sprinter who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, and the 1966 and 1970 Commonwealth Games in Jamaica and Edinburgh, respectively
* Rico Lewis, footballer for Manchester City[60]
* Gary Neville, former Manchester United F.C. captain
* Phil Neville, former Manchester United F.C. and Everton F.C. player and captain, and younger brother of Gary Neville
* Tracey Neville, netball international and sister of Gary and Phil Neville
* Scott Quigg, the current British super-bantamweight boxing champion and WBA Interim World Champion
* Lawrie Smith, yachtsman. He learnt to sail at Elton Sailing Club, Bury, and won a bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and the Fastnet Race.
* Callum Styles, footballer for Millwall and Hungary international
* Alan Tonge, footballer for Exeter City and Manchester United
* Kieran Trippier, footballer for Newcastle United and England international
* Adam Yates, professional cyclist and twin brother of Simon Yates
* Simon Yates, professional cyclist and twin brother of Adam Yates.

### Writers

[edit]

* Richmal Crompton (1890–1969), author, was born on Manchester Road, Bury; a blue plaque marks the house. Her father, Rev. Edward John Sewell Lamburn, taught Classics at Bury Grammar School.[61]
* Thomas Thompson, writer (1880–1951), author and broadcaster, born in Bury and lived there for his whole life.

### Actors

[edit]

Statue of Victoria Wood, in Library Gardens Ralf Little, 2010

* Steve Halliwell (1946–2023), actor best known as Zak Dingle in Emmerdale
* Victoria Wood (1953–2016), comedian, composer and actor from nearby Prestwich. Bury hosts her statue opposite Bury's central library.[62]
* Christian McKay (born 1973), actor, played Orson Welles in the film Me and Orson Welles.
* Jamie Lomas (born 1975), actor best known as Warren Fox in Hollyoaks. He is the brother of Charley Webb.
* Nigel Pilkington (born 1975), actor, writer and voice actor
* Antony Cotton (born 1975), actor and TV host best known as Sean Tully in Coronation Street
* Lisa Riley (born 1976), actress and TV presenter best known as Mandy Dingle in Emmerdale
* Ralf Little (born 1980), actor, best known for playing Antony Royle in The Royle Family and Johnny Keogh in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps; also a semi-pro footballer
* Suzanne Shaw (born 1981), singer, actress and TV presenter, won the show Popstars, member of Hear'say
* Matt Littler (born 1982), actor best known as Max Cunningham in Hollyoaks, a pupil at Elton High School
* Jennie McAlpine (born 1984), actress best known as Fiz in Coronation Street, a pupil at St Gabriel's Roman Catholic High School, Bury
* Gemma Atkinson (born 1984), radio presenter, former actress and model
* Charley Webb (born 1988), actress best known for playing Debbie Dingle in Emmerdale; sister of Jamie Lomas
* Helen Flanagan (born 1990), actress best known as Rosie Webster in Coronation Street
* Layton Williams (born 1994), actor, known for playing Stephen Carmichael in the TV series Bad Education

### Music

[edit]

* Guy Garvey, the lead singer of alternative rock band Elbow
* John Howard, singer-songwriter
* Christian Savill, guitarist with Slowdive
* Peter Skellern, singer-songwriter and pianist
* Ian Wallace, rock drummer with King Crimson, Don Henley, Bob Dylan and others, attended Bury Grammar School.
* David Whittaker, video game composer
* Elliot James Reay, singer-songwriter

### Members of Parliament

[edit]

* Sir David Trippier (born 1945), former Member of Parliament (MP) for Rossendale and Darwen. Educated at Bury Grammar School
* David Crausby (born 1946), MP for Bolton North East was born in Bury. Educated at the Derby High School
* David Chaytor (born 1949), former MP for Bury North was born in Bury. Educated at Bury Grammar School[63]
* Alistair Burt (born 1955), former MP 2001–2019 for North East Bedfordshire was born in Bury and was School Captain of Bury Grammar School. Prior to losing his seat to David Chaytor in 1997 he represented his hometown as MP for Bury North from 1983.

## Twin towns

[edit]

The Metropolitan Borough of Bury has five twin towns in China, France, Germany and the United States.[64][65][66] Two of these were originally twinned with areas within the Metropolitan Borough prior to its creation in 1974.

Country  | Place  | County / District / Region / State  | Originally twinned with  | Date  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

China  | Datong | Shanxi | Metropolitan Borough of Bury  | 2003  |
France  | Angoulême | Poitou-Charentes | County Borough of Bury | 1959  | After which the 'Angoulême Retail Park' and the road 'Angoulême Way' are named.
France  | Tulle | Limousin | Municipal Borough of Prestwich | 1969  |
Germany  | Schorndorf | Baden-Württemberg | Metropolitan Borough of Bury  | 1994  |
United States  | Woodbury | New Jersey | Metropolitan Borough of Bury  | 2000  |

## See also

[edit]

* Greater Manchester portal

* Listed buildings in Bury
* Healthcare in Greater Manchester
* Bury power station

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Greater Manchester Gazetteer, Greater Manchester County Record Office, Places names – B, archived from the original on 18 July 2011, retrieved 17 October 2008
2. ^ "United Kingdom: Countries and Major Cities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
3. ^ A brief history of Bury, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, 1970, ISBN 0-9502472-0-0, archived from the original on 2 July 2010, retrieved 1 August 2009
4. ^ a b Dobb, Arthur J (1970), 1846 Before and After: A Historical Guide to the Ancient Parish of Bury, Bircle Parish Church Council
5. ^ a b Bury Castle, Bury Educational Schools Net, archived from the original on 24 June 2007, retrieved 4 January 2008
6. ^ a b c d Historic England, "Bury Castle (45189)", Research records (formerly PastScape), retrieved 4 January 2008
7. ^ Fallows, Ian B. (2001). Bury Grammar School: A History c.1570–1976. Bury: The Estate Governors of Bury Grammar School.
8. ^ "Demise of the Derby Hotel". 16 July 2013.
9. ^ "Bury Savings Bank".
10. ^ "Places > NW Cotton towns > Bury". Spinning the Web. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
11. ^ McNeil, Robina; Nevell, Michael (2000), A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Greater Manchester, Association for Industrial Archaeology, ISBN 978-0-9528930-3-5
12. ^ Bannister, Jean (1974), From Parish to Metro: Two Centuries of Local Government in a Lancashire Town, Bury Times, ISBN 978-0-9504263-0-3
13. ^ Smellie, Kingsley Bryce (1946), A History of Local Government, G. Allen & Unwin Ltd, ISBN 0-04-352016-2 `{{citation}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
14. ^ Health of Towns Commission, 1844
15. ^ Moorhouse, Geoffrey (1992), Hell's Foundations: A Town, Its Myths and Gallipoli, Hodder & Stoughton, ISBN 978-0-340-43044-6
16. ^ "Wellington Barracks". Archived from the original on 17 September 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
17. ^ Hilton, Boyd (16 February 2006). A Mad, Bad, and Dangerous People?: England 1783–1846. OUP Oxford. pp. 612–21\. ISBN 978-0-19-160682-3.
18. ^ "European Severe Weather Database".
19. ^ "Black pudding is back on the menu – in pictures". The Guardian. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
20. ^ "The parish of Bury | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
21. ^ "Bury elected mayor plan rejected", BBC News, 4 July 2008, retrieved 1 August 2009
22. ^ Bury, United Kingdom Weather Averages | Monthly Average High and Low Temperature | Average Precipitation and Rainfall days, World Weather Online, retrieved 23 May 2014
23. ^ Vinter, Robyn (30 March 2024). "'Would you swim in that?': Salford residents and visitors bemoan contaminated river". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
24. ^ Population: 2001 Census – Key statistics, Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, archived from the original on 28 September 2011, retrieved 13 February 2012
25. ^ [1] [dead link]
26. ^ Great Britain Historical GIS Project (2004), "Bury Tn/CP/AP through time. Population Statistics. Total Population", A vision of Britain through time, University of Portsmouth, archived from the original on 20 August 2016, retrieved 16 November 2011
27. ^ a b Pevsner, Nikolaus (1969). The Buildings of England: South Lancashire (1st ed.). London: Penguin. p. 98\. ISBN 0-14-071036-1.
28. ^ Historic England, "Parish Church of St Mary, Bury (1067236)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 1 August 2009
29. ^ Listed Buildings in Bury MBC (PDF), Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, November 2004, archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2006, retrieved 1 August 2009
30. ^ "Bury Markets – BuryMarkets Home Page". Burymarket.com. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
31. ^ "Map of 377500,417500". Streetmap.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
32. ^ "East Lancashire Railway – Steam Railway in Bury, BURY – Bury". www.visitbury.com. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
33. ^ Fusiliers' Museum, Lancashire
34. ^ Terry Wyke & Harry Cocks Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester, 2004, pp. 250–253
35. ^ "Fusilier Museum is officially opened", Bury Times, Newsquest Media Group, 1 October 2009
36. ^ Terry Wyke & Harry Cocks Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester, 2004, p. 256
37. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1969). The Buildings of England: South Lancashire (1st ed.). London: Penguin. p. 99\. ISBN 0-14-071036-1.
38. ^ Wyke, Terry; Cocks, Harry (2004). Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. pp. 244–6\. ISBN 978-0-85323-567-5.
39. ^ "Breathing new life into the Irwell Sculpture Trail: 3 new sculptures launched". Public Art Online. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
40. ^ "Bury Interchange". Bury Interchange | Bee Network | Powered by TfGM. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
41. ^ Swanson, Fiona-May; Lythgoe, George (15 June 2025). "'It's been promised for years', but now it's finally happening". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
42. ^ "Greater Manchester to get £2.5bn transport boost- including new Bury tram stop". Bury Times. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
43. ^ Fallows, Ian B. (2001). Bury Grammar School: A History c.1570–1976 (1st ed.). Bury: The Estate Governors of Bury GS.
44. ^ "A Short History" (PDF). bgsarchive. Bury GS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
45. ^ holycross.ac.uk
46. ^ "The Met – Theatre in Bury, BURY – Bury". www.visitbury.com. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
47. ^ "Elbow: 'Mercury win is best thing that's ever happened to us'". NME. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
48. ^ "Civic honour for town's high achievers", The Bolton News, Newsquest Media Group, 3 May 2009
49. ^ Bentley, James (2 February 2006), Bury Market: best in UK, BBC, retrieved 1 August 2009
50. ^ "Visitors to latest Bury Light Night left either dazzled or disappointed". Bury Times. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
51. ^ "Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. May 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
52. ^ "Rochdale Valley". Retrieved 7 October 2023.
53. ^ "Bury Times". British Papers. 22 September 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
54. ^ Prest, John (2004). "Peel, Sir Robert, second baronet (1788–1850)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/21763. Retrieved 1 August 2009. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
55. ^ Farnie, D. A. (2004). "Kay, John (1704–1780/81)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15194. Retrieved 1 August 2009. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
56. ^ Wyke, Terry; Cocks, Harry (2004), Public Sculpture of Greater Manchester, Liverpool University Press, ISBN 978-0-85323-567-5
57. ^ Sutton, C. W. (2004). "Wood, James (1760–1839)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29873. Retrieved 1 August 2009. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
58. ^ Duthie, R. B. (2004). "Charnley, Sir John (1911–1982)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/30920. Retrieved 1 August 2009. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
59. ^ "It's better to be lucky than good, says new Morrisons chairman Andy Higginson". Retrieved 27 November 2018.
60. ^ "Rico Lewis". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
61. ^ Cadogan, Mary (2004). "Lamburn, Richmal Crompton". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34386. Retrieved 1 August 2009. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
62. ^ "Bolton Evening News". BBC News.
63. ^ "About David". David Chaytor. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
64. ^ Bury Council : Twinning : China Retrieved 8 January 2010
65. ^ Bury Council : Twinning : France Retrieved 8 January 2010
66. ^ Bury Council : Twinning : United States of America Retrieved 8 January 2010

Sources

* Town Population figure
* Bury Savings Bank

## Further reading

[edit]

* William Farrer & John Brownbill, ed. (1911). "Townships: Bury". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Victoria County History. Constable. pp. 128–133\. ISBN 0-7129-1055-7. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
* Lord, John (1903). Bygone Bury. Rochdale: James Clegg, Aldine Press.
* barton, B. T. (1874). A History of the Borough of Bury and Neighbourhood in the County of Lancaster. Manchester: North of England Cooperative Printing Society.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bury, Greater Manchester.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Bury.

* Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
* Bury Districts
* Bury and District Local History Society
* Bury Archives Online Archived 7 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine

Neighbouring towns, villages and places.

| Tottington | Ramsbottom Edenfield | Norden

|
|

|  |
Ainsworth |

Bury

| Heywood
|  |
Radcliffe | Whitefield | Middleton

* v
* t
* e

Areas and suburbs of Bury

* Brandlesholme
* Fishpool
* Gigg
* Pilsworth
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* v
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Major settlements
(cities in italics)|

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See also: List of civil parishes in Greater Manchester

Rivers|

* Beal
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