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Worsley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (January 2007) |
Worsley is a town in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England.
It is known as the start of the Bridgewater Canal.
The canal runs from what used to be a quarry at Worsley Delph – where it links with the old coal mine workings of the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater – to Castlefield in Manchester. This canal is fed by the water drained from these mine workings, known as the Worsley Navigable Levels, and it is known as the first true canal in England (as opposed to a river navigation), however, the Sankey Canal which is to the west, towards Liverpool, was constructed several years before the Bridgewater and has true claim to this title. When the canal was in use (other than for leisure), the village had many industries to support the life of the canal. There is a monument to the Duke of Bridgewater on the village green. His home, Worsley Old Hall, still stands, but Worsley New Hall and the Brick Hall, the home of his descendants are now demolished.
Famous people to come from Worsley include the actress Helen Cherry (the granddaughter of Jesse Wallwork the managing director of Bridgewater Estates), Mary Wibberley (the writer), England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, England cricketers the Tyldesleys, Kenneth Wolstenholme (the Television commentator), the world's only non-Spanish bull fighter. It is also the home of footballers David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Alan Ball, Frank Worthington and Jason Wilcox[citation needed].
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Coal has been mined around Worlsey since the 14th century, originally in open-cast pits. The coal seams in the area tend be be fairly thin, and to slant downwards from north to south, and so deeper mining became necessary during the 17th century.[1]
The 3rd Duke of Bridgewater's nephew, Francis, inherited his uncle's fortune and became Lord Ellesmere. He is recorded as saying that he found Worlsey to be "a God-forsaken place, full of drunken, rude people with deplorable morals".[2]
- Cooper, Glynis (2005). Salford: An Illustrated History. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. ISBN 1859834558.
- Robinson, John Martin (1986). The Architecture of Northern England. Macmillan. ISBN 0333373960.
- Photographs of the canal at Worsley
- Duke of Bridgewater Archive from the University of Salford site
- The Duke of Bridgewater's Underground Canal at Worsley
- Photos of "old" Worsley
- Worsley history site
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