Place Information
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Atherton is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Built on and around seven brooks, it has an industrial past with a history of coal mining, cotton milling, and nail manufacture. The town's population according to the 2001 census was 19,859. History
Romano-British coins and evidence of a Roman road and Bronze Age settlement have been found in the Atherton area. The area was long associated with coal mining and nail manufacture. In the 19th century Atherton was a township in the parish of Leigh, focused on the village of Chowbent. During the Industrial Revolution the cotton industry became established here. As the population grew, the resulting town was called Atherton, although the name Chowbent is still sometimes used by locals. There are some fine examples of historic buildings in and around Atherton, including the 17th-century Alder House, Chowbent Chapel (1722), and St John's Church (1879). Research Tips
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