Lees, Greater Manchester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lees | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Population: | 10,132 (2001 census) |
| Ordnance Survey | |
| OS grid reference: | [1] |
| Administration | |
| Metropolitan Borough: | Oldham |
| 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: | {{{Fire}}} |
| Ambulance: | North West |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | OLDHAM |
| Postal district: | |
| Dialling code: | |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | Oldham East and Saddleworth |
| European Parliament: | North West England |
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Lees is a village with a population 10,132 (2001 census), lying two miles to the east of Oldham town centre in Greater Manchester, England. The village lies on the steep foothills of the Pennines, and is one of seven areas which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham.
Lees borders Springhead, which is part of Saddleworth - also an area in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. The border between the two is known locally as "County End", as this is the historic county boundary between Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire.
Contents |
[edit] Geography and administration
The village consists of a small cluster of shops and businesses on either side of the A669 Lees Road, surrounded by some terraced houses and some small estates. Lees is separated from the main conurbation of Oldham by a small amount of green belt land in the valley of Leesbrook, on either bank of the River Medlock.
Between 1894 and 1974, Lees constituted Lees Urban District, within the administrative county of Lancashire. As it was situated entirely between the county borough of Oldham and the West Riding of Yorkshire, it constituted an exclave of the administrative county of Lancashire.
[edit] History
[edit] Early history
The settlement dates back to the 14th Century, and is thought to have been named after former retainer of the manor, John de Leghes. In the early 19th Century the village gained a reputation for its mineral springs, but the Industrial Revolution brought cotton spinning to the town in the form of eleven mills, changing the character of the village completely (as indeed the rest of the Oldham area).
[edit] Recent growth
Lees has grown in size recently in terms of both amenities and residential population, in its role as a commuter village for people working in Oldham and West Yorkshire. It is also home to several medium-scale commercial and distribution companies.The main street is notable for the number of Pubs in close proximity. Starting with the "Lees Brook", then "The Angel" followed by "The Oddfellows", "The Swan" and finally "The Red Lion" with further up the hill (technically in Springhead) "The Railway & Commercial" AKA "The Front House" and "The Commercial" AKA "The Top House"
A Saddleworth & Lees area committee meets regularly to discuss the progress of the villages.
[edit] Notable residents
- Helen Bradley, acclaimed artist.
[edit] External links
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