WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



WIGAN 



be enumerated, but mention should be made of the 

 Sailors' Home, founded in 1852, which provides 

 cheap lodging and help for sailors when they are paid 

 off. And it should be noted that its continuous 

 existence, since in 1 809 it was founded as the Society 



for Preventing Wanton Cruelty to Brute Animals, 

 makes the local branch of the R.S.P.C.A. an older 

 body than the national institution. The David 

 Lewis Club and Hostel is an immense Rowton House 

 with a very handsome club in relation with it. 



WIGAN 



WIGAN 

 PEMBERTON 

 BILLINGE CHAPEL 

 END 



BILLINGE HIGHER 



END 



WINSTANLEY 

 ORRELL 



UPHOLLAND 

 DALTON 

 INCE 

 HINDLEY 



ABRAM 

 HAIGH 

 ASPULL 



This large parish was at the time of the Conquest 

 included within the hundred of Newton, with the 

 exception of its western townships, Upholland and 

 Dalton, which were within West Derby, and perhaps 

 also of Haigh and Aspull in the north-east. The 

 parish with the same exceptions became part of the 

 fee or barony of Makerfield. Aspull was either then 

 or later placed in the hundred of Salford, in which it 

 has remained till the present. Except in the town- 

 ship of Abram the geological formation consists entirely 

 of the Coal Measures. Coal was discovered and used 

 in the I5th century, or earlier ; the mines were ex- 

 tended, and during the last century became the pre- 

 dominant feature of the district. Other industries 

 have also grown up. 



Though Wigan was the meeting place of Roman 

 roads which traversed the parish, but few remains of 

 the Roman period have been discovered, and these 



chiefly at Wigan itself. From that time practically 

 nothing is known of the history of the district until 

 after the Norman Conquest. 



A town with busy traders grew up around the 

 church, and became a centre for the business of a 

 large part of the hundred, political and mercantile. 

 The rebellion of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in 

 13212, affected it through its rector and also 

 through the Holands, one of the chief local 

 families, who adhered to his cause. The only 

 monastery in the parish, Upholland Priory, was 

 founded in 1317, and Edward II stayed there a fort- 

 night when he passed through the district on his way 

 to Liverpool in 1323. 



The landowners were hostile to the Reformation, 

 and in 1630-3 the following compounded for the 

 sequestration of two-thirds of their estates for re- 

 cusancy by annual fines : Abram, Henry Lance, 



57 



