Our Town & History
Bury is a great town with a fascinating history. It is known throughout the UK for its market (held on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays) that draws 12 million shoppers every year. Mill Gate Shopping Centre is right next door to the Market – in fact, both front the town's Market Square – and more than 13 million shoppers visit annually.
The town is easily accessible by road and the Metrolink tram/train service which terminates at Bury. The reopening of the East Lancashire Light Railway which runs daily from Bury (Bolton Street) to Rawtenstall is also a huge draw for fans of steam and those who hanker for the nostalgia of yesteryear.
Bury was famous for paper-making – a major industry in the area for more than a century that brought much wealth and prosperity to the town. Large paper manufacturing companies like Bibby and Baron, Ramsbottom's Trinity Paper Mills, and the East Lancashire Paper Mills, produced much of the nation's paper requirement until quite recent times. Much of the world's paper–making machinery was also manufactured in Bury. Courses on paper–making are still run at Bury College. The town is also famous for its notorious Bury Black Pudding, a local delicacy, served boiling hot and eaten as a takeaway snack (available at the town's market on market days).
Outside the parish church stands a monument to one of Bury's most celebrated men, Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister, and founder of the Metropolitan Police Force.
The name Bury (earlier known as "Buri" and "Byri") comes from a Saxon word, probably meaning "a stronghold". In ancient times the whole area was almost certainly covered in woodland, marsh and moorland and was probably inhabited by nomadic herdsmen. A Bronze Age funeral barrow has been located at Whitelow Hill in nearby Ramsbottom. Several ceramic urns were unearthed here and are now on display in the Bury Museum. The Romans are believed to have arrived in Bury around 78 AD and Agricola, the Governor of Britain built roads out from his new fortress as Mamuciam (the origin of Manchester), one of which, Watling Street, crossed the Borough through Prestwich across the River Irwell at Radcliffe and continuing on through Affetside towards to Ribchester. Parts of the road are still visible today particularly around Affetside. It has been suggested that the village of Ainsworth may be near to or the site of Roman Coccium as the place has always been known by the nickname "Cockey Moor".
During medieval times, most of Bury was held by the De Montbegons, Lords of the Manor of Tottington. This barony had been granted to Roger De Poitou at the end of the 11th century. By the 14th century, the manor had passed into the possession of the Pilkington family until 1485 when the lands of Sir Thomas Pilkington were forfeited because of his allegiance to Richard III. Later, under a new king, Henry, the lands were granted to one of his staunchest supporters, Thomas, Lord Stanley, who for his services was created Earl of Derby. The Stanley family have been Lords of the Manor ever since. In the south of the area most of the land was acquired by purchase of Lord Grey de Winton and his successor, the Earl of Wilton, is still the present owner.
In the Middle Ages the "Black Death" led to a shortage of labour. Land previously ploughed fell into decay. Large areas were turned into pastures and sheep were reared. It was at this time that Bury appears to have become a centre for wool and woollen cloth. Little had changed in Bury until the beginning of the 18th century, when a revolution took place in the textile world. John Kay, born at Walmersley in Bury, developed the so-called "Flying Shuttle" and revolutionised cotton weaving, hastening the progress of weaving as a fully mechanised industrial process. During the Industrial Revolution the town grew at an astonishing rate. In 1791 the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Company was formed, and thereafter coal was brought to the town by narrowboat directly from Worsley through the Bridgewater Canal and Castlefield Basin in Manchester.
The area has always had a military connection with the Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment (later "The Fusiliers") based at their headquarters on Bolton Road. Since their founding 300 years ago they have many battle honours including Gallipoli in the Great War, winning six VCs.
