24 History of the 



Townley had laid ; and the outfcnce then built forms the present 

 boundary.'' (c) 



Harrison, in his Descriptioti of England, remarks : — " The 

 Irwell is a notable water which riseth above Baco]i, and goeth 

 thence to Rossendale, and in the way to Aytenfielde it taketh in a 

 water from Haselden. After this confluence, it goeth to Newhall, 

 Brandlesham, Bury, and above Radcliffe joineth with the Rache 

 water, a fair stream. Being therefore past these two, our Irwell 

 goeth on to Clifton, Holland, Edgecroft, Strangways, and to Man- 

 chester, where it uniteth with the Yrke, that runneth thereinto by 

 Royton, Middleton, Heaton Hill, and Blakeley. Beneath Man- 

 chester also it meeteth with the Medlocke, that cometh thither 

 from the N.E. side of Oldham, and between Clayton and Garret 

 Halls, and so between two parks falling into it about Holm. 

 Thence our Irwell goeth forward to Woodsall, Whicleswijc, Eccles, 

 Barton, and Denelham, it falleth near unto Flixton, into the water 

 of the Mersey. 



Yrke, Irwell, Medlocke, and Tame, 



When they meet with the Mersey, do lose their name." 



The first mention of the Irwell is to be found in the charter 

 of Brandwood, by Roger de Lacy, about the year 1200. With 

 respect to the origin of the name, opinions differ. 



Mr. Whitaker, the historian of Manchester, states that the Irwell 

 springs from a double fountain near the upper part of a hill 

 between Broadclough and Holme ; that it carries its waters on the 

 western side of Mancenion, and was therefore denominated Ir 

 Gaeil, Irwell, Irwill, or the western torrent. This explanation is 

 plausible, and is worthy of consideration in any investigations as to 

 the origin of the name. 



Dr. Whitaker, the historian of Whalley, entirely differs from the 

 conjectures of his namesake, and he elaborately endeavours to 

 prove that the word is deduced " from a nearer and less venerable 

 source than the British language." He states that " Ere, in the 



(c) Hist. Whalley, pp. 365, 366. 



