Worsley

• 1. Origins And Toponymy

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  The name Worsley first appeared in a Pipe roll from 1195 to 1196 as Werkesleia. This document recorded a claim by Hugh Putrell regarding land near Barton-upon-Irwell and the village itself. The spelling Worsley did not appear until 1444, centuries after that initial mention. Scholars agree that the final part of the name comes from an Old English word meaning cleared land among woodland. The beginning of the name remains a subject of debate among place-name experts like Victor Watts.

  Watts divided the variations into three types based on historical records. Type one includes forms like Werkesleia from 1195 and Wrkesley from 1292. These look like they originate from an Old English personal name called Weorc. If this is true, the name meant Weorcs clearing. Types two and three include spellings such as Wurkythesle from 1246 and Workedesle from 1278. These could come from an unattested feminine name named Weorcgyth. That would make the meaning Weorcgyths clearing. Another theory suggests these names point to a Common Brittonic word for forest. This would mean the settlement grew from a forest called Wer-ked.

• 2. Roman Roads And Early Settlements

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  Two Roman roads run through the area connecting Mamucium with Coccium. One passes near Drywood and over Mosley Common while another follows the course of the present-day A6 road. In 1947 a hoard containing 550 Roman coins was found near a quarry in Boothstown. These coins dated between AD 250 and 275. The discovery provided evidence of activity during the Romano-British period.

  In 1958 archaeologists found the head of a man on Worsley Moss. They originally thought he was no more than 20 years old when he died. Later examination after finding Lindow Man re-dated him to approximately the 2nd century AD. Anglo-Saxons controlled much of the area around Manchester later. They defeated the British at the Battle of Chester in AD 615. Edward the Elder rebuilt fortifications at Manchester in AD 924. He captured all land between the rivers Mersey and Irwell making it demesne in the Kingdom of Wessex.

• 3. The Bridgewater Canal Revolution

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  Francis Egerton, the third Duke of Bridgewater, built the Bridgewater Canal starting in September 1760. Work commenced that month and the first boat crossed on the 17th of July 1761. James Brindley brought technical expertise suggesting a route across the River Irwell into Manchester. An aqueduct to cross the river was built relatively quickly for the time. One writer said the finished canal would be the most extraordinary thing in the kingdom if not Europe.

  Worsley Delph served as the entrance to the Dukes underground mines with two entrances allowing access to Starvationer boats. These boats could carry up to 30 tons of coal each. The Duke employed craftsmen for boat-making plastering blacksmithing and mining. Josiah Wedgwood wrote in a diary entry from 1773 that Worsley had the appearance of a considerable Seaport Town. The Duke had built some hundreds of houses adding considerably to their number every year. Coal seams slanted downwards requiring deeper mining during the 17th century before the canal arrived.

• 4. Industrial Decline And Modern Housing

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  The mines ceased production in 1887 marking the end of an era for the village. With the expiration of the Bridgewater Trust in 1903 the village began to change significantly. The Dukes warehouse and works on what is now Worsley Green were demolished. A memorial fountain to the Duke was built from bricks of the works chimney. In 1937 Sir Montague Maurice Burton opened the Burtonville Clothing Works along the East Lancashire Road. This Art Deco factory employed 3,000 people by 1938.

  Large overspill estates were built under the Housing Act 1919 for veterans of the First World War. A larger change came after the Second World War when the City of Salford rehouse many inhabitants. The Worsley Project built 4,518 new houses in the urban district. 18,000 people were rehoused under this scheme which included new facilities shops and schools. Another housing estate was constructed during the 1970s north of Worsley Green. An Anti Aircraft Operations Room was built in the 1950s and still exists in wooded land west of town.

• 5. Governance And Demographic Shifts

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  Worsley Urban District gained land from Barton-upon-Irwell Civil Parish in 1921. It also gained Little Hulton Urban District area in 1933. Under the Local Government Act 1972 in 1974 Worsleys Urban District status was abolished. It became part of Salford Metropolitan District instead. In 1955 Swinton and Pendlebury Borough gained a small part of Worsley Urban District. Following a 2006 review the Boundary Commission recommended creating a modified constituency called Worsley and Eccles South.

  The ward had a population of 9,833 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001. Of these 4,801 were male and 5,032 female. The ward is the fifth least populous in Salford and third least densely populated. There were 4,102 households including 632 married couples without children. 642 households were occupied by pensioners living alone. Unemployment stood at 0.9% in April 2006 comparing well to Salford as a whole where the figure reached 3.7%. The area is considered one of the more affluent parts of Salford.

• 6. Landmarks And Conservation Efforts

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  Worsley Village was designated as a conservation area in 1969 by the former Lancashire County Council. The area covered about 100 acres and included 40 listed buildings initially. This list has since increased to 48 listed buildings such as the Packet House and Delph sluice gates. Much of the area around the canal and Worsley Delph was restored between 1966 and 1967. Iron oxide from mines stained water bright orange for many years.

  A £2.5 million remedial scheme removed this colouration completed in 2004. As of 2017 much of the canal centered on the Delph remains bright orange despite efforts. Parts of Worsley are currently being considered as World Heritage Sites. Wardley Hall dates from around 1500 but was extensively rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. Worsley Old Hall is a Grade II listed building near Walkden Road said to have been moated though no signs remain today. The Royal Horticultural Society announced plans for garden restoration at Worsley New Hall opening in 2021 as RHS Garden Bridgewater.