Astley, Greater Manchester

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Astley







Statistics
Population:
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	SD699006
Administration
Metropolitan Borough:	Wigan
Metropolitan county:	Greater Manchester
Region:	North West England
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Greater Manchester
Historic county:	Lancashire
Services
Police force:	Greater Manchester Police
Fire and rescue:	Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
Ambulance:	North West
Post office and telephone
Post town:	Manchester
Postal district:	M29 7
Dialling code:	01942
Politics
UK Parliament:	Worsley
European Parliament:	North West England

Astley is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, situated twelve miles west of Central Manchester, just outside the larger town of Leigh, situated just off the busy East Lancashire Road, a major thoroughfare linking Manchester with Liverpool.

Astley was once part of the Lancashire mining belt, and had no fewer than four mining pits within it. The heritage if the mines is still reminant at the Astley Green Colliery Museum, which still retains one of its mine shafts, a feature that can be seen from around the local area.

The village area also covers a number of smaller localities, including Blackmoor, Astley Green, Gin Pit, New Hall Farm and Cross Hillock.

Past residents include Matt Aitken, of Stock Aitken and Waterman fame.