Oldham

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Oldham

England, United Kingdom

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Oldham, urban area and metropolitan borough, metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, northwestern England.

The historic town of Oldham and the western part of the borough lie in the historic county of Lancashire, and the eastern part of the borough, including such areas as Uppermill, Saddleworth, Delph, and Denshaw, belongs to the historic county of Yorkshire. The borough lies on the northeastern periphery of Greater Manchester and on the western edge of the Pennines near the source of the River Medlock. It is named for the Oldham family, who lived in Werneth Hall during the Middle Ages.

Oldham was the center for an agricultural district with a woolen industry until the 19th century, when it became a major cotton-spinning and weaving town. By the early 21st century, the local economy was driven principally by advanced manufacturing, construction, and service industries (including health, digital, and financial services). Educational institutions include Oldham College and University Campus, Oldham, a partnership between Oldham College and the University of Huddersfield. Oldham is the home of several theaters, most notably Oldham Coliseum, which dates to 1885 and is among the longest-operating theaters in Britain.

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Much of the borough is still open countryside. Moreover, Oldham contains a bevy of parks and green spaces, including the Moston Brook Green Corridor, the Leesbrook Nature Park, and Glodwick Lows Local Nature Reserve. Oldham is the site of the Castleshaw Roman Forts, the remains of successive fortresses built by the Romans in about 79 ce and 105 ce, respectively, which were designated a national monument in 1979. There are also vestiges of Dowry Castle, a Victorian-era mansion that was dismantled not long after its completion in 1870 to make way for a reservoir project. Notable buildings include Oldham parish church, built in 1933, and the old Town Hall, built in 1841–42. Foxdenton Hall, Chadderton, a brick manor house dating from about 1700, was one of the homes of the de Trafford family. William Cobbett and Sir Winston Churchill were both members of Parliament from Oldham, and the composer Sir William Walton was born there. Area 54 square miles (141 square km). Pop. (2001) 217,273; (2011) 224,897; (2023 est.) 246,130.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Mindy Johnston.

Greater Manchester

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Greater Manchester

region, England, United Kingdom

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SalfordSalford Quays, Salford, Greater Manchester, England.

Greater Manchester, metropolitan county in northwestern England. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country and comprises 10 metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the cities of Salford and Manchester. Most of the metropolitan county, including the city centres of Manchester and Salford, is part of the historic county of Lancashire. However, parts of four boroughs—Trafford, Manchester, Stockport, and Tameside—belong to the historic county of Cheshire, and part of the borough of Oldham is in the historic county of Yorkshire. From 1974 to 1986 Greater Manchester was an administrative unit. In 1986 the metropolitan county lost its administrative powers, and its constituent boroughs became autonomous administrative units, or unitary authorities. Greater Manchester is now a geographic and ceremonial county without administrative authority.

The Pennines, dissected by deep valleys, rise to the east. Coalfields (mainly sandstones and shales) flanking the uplands form lower plateaus and benches. In the west are glacial clay-covered lowlands traversed by the River Mersey, which rises in the Pennines.

Manchester (Mamucium) was a focal point in the Roman road network. From the mid-17th century, when cotton began to be used in fabric manufacture, Manchester became important in the fustian trade. By the late 18th century, following mechanization and the development of the factory system, the region was dominant in the cotton textile industry. Towns such as Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, and Oldham, specializing in cotton spinning, rapidly expanded, and Manchester became the major market centre. Increased demand for coal resulted in the extensive exploitation of the coalfield in the 18th and 19th centuries, and mining settlements north and east of Manchester and around Wigan grew rapidly.

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The opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894 made Manchester a seaport, and the area became an important centre for manufacturing and engineering industries. In the second half of the 20th century the region attracted a variety of light industries, transport, and warehousing. The metropolitan area also become an important financial and administrative centre. Peripheral areas include much attractive countryside, and flourishing commuter settlements have developed since World War II. Area 493 square miles (1,276 square km). Pop. (2001) 2,482,328; (2011) 2,682,528.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Kenneth Pletcher.