Walkden
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Walkden, a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England.
Neighbouring settlements include Little Hulton, Linnyshaw, Worsley, Farnworth , Hill Top, Wardley and Pendlebury
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[edit] History
Its history links it mainly to the Coal industry but also to Cotton mills. Underground canals still link Walkden to Worsley (famous due to the Bridgewater Canal), which were used to transport coal from the mines in Walkden until the Railways were used as an improved form of transportation. There is a Walkden railway station which is mainly used by commuters.
Also, the monument of St Paul's church, close to the town centre, has a fairly interesting history. After originally being located in the centre of a road, it was moved into the grounds of the church. Over time, four of the angels on the monument went missing. Not all of them have been found, and very recently, a project was completed to restore the stone monument. The work finished recently.
The clock now located near the Ellesmere Shopping centre (named after Lord and Lady Ellesmere), was originally used to alert coal miners of the ends/beginnings of their shifts. Its loud bell would toll, supposedly loud enough to catch the attention of the miners.
[edit] Education
Walkden has several primary schools and two main High Schools - Walkden High (a comprehensive schoool) and St George's (A Catholic school). Walkden High and St George's will both, in the near future, be demolished if recent Council plans go through. St George's will not be rebuilt. However, Walkden High will be re-constructed to the same name, but with a larger building, thereby increasing its student capacity.
Many of the towns primary schools are Church schools. They include: St Paul's Crompton Street, St Paul's Heathside, St Paul's Peel, Broadoak, Mesne Lea, North Walkden School and Christ the King. There is a St Paul's church, the school names derving from this.
[edit] Blackleach
Blackleach country park can be located in the old industrial area of Walkden. It was orignally created to be used by factories, but soon the factories moved and the reservoir was left. The lake was split in half, one half is now home to a Wildlife reserve, the other still acting as a reservoir.
One of the more famous factories of the Blackleach site was a factory which produced dyes. Some of the dyes were accidentally released into the air, and one of the hills in the park became a striking purple at its peak. Rumours spread about the hill and people began taking children, suffering with whooping cough, up the hill, believing it would cure them. White clothes hung up on neighbouring washing lines would too be tinged purple.
[edit] Ellesmere Centre
To the west of Walkden is a shopping precinct named the Ellesmere Centre. It is next to the retail park. The Ellesmere contains a few newsagents, a Hampsons bakery and a Greggs bakery. There is also a Quality Save and a Scribbles shop. There is an second floor where there are some other shops and resteraunts.
[edit] Churches
In Walkden, there are two Church of England buildings, St Paul's and St Mark's (may be referred to as in Worsely), a congregational church, a Methodist church and a Catholic church - Christ the King.
