Bury Metropolitan Borough

Bury, Bury,once a quiet market town, has numerous claims to fame. The towns's name goes back to Saxon times and it is thought the name might, originally, have meant, 'a place of strength'. Remains from the Bronze age, have been found, including a funeral barrow near Ramsbottom. These finds, along with others, can be viewed in Bury's museum. In Roman times the borough lay on the route between Manchester (Mamuciam), through Prestwich and Radcliffe, towards Roman Ribchester. In later centuries its position, midway along the road between Rochdale and Bolton, was important in its early development.

After the Norman Conquest the barony of Tottington, including lands around Bury, was given to Roger de Poitou. It later passed into the hands of the Pilkington family, who forfeited the lands when they supported Richard lll against Henry, and lost. The newly crowned Henry lV rewarded his supporter, Thomas, Lord Stanley with the lands and title of Earl of Derby.

Like many other areas, Bury suffered badly during the years of the Black Death and, with fewer men to work the land, sheep were brought into fields that had once been ploughed for growing crops. It was a turning point for the economy as Bury became an important centre for wool and woollen cloth. Then, in the 18th century, a man was born in Walmersley who would change everything. He was John Kay, the inventor of the 'flying shuttle', an invention that would turn the weaving industry upside down. The industrial revolution had arrived.

Like all industrial towns Bury had an uphill struggle to reconcile the needs of the exploding population of workers with the desires of the factory owners to make the biggest profit possible. A canal arm was constructed to bring in the necessary coal and heavy goods to 'feed' the needs of the manufacturing industries. One of these, paper making, became of great importance to the town's economy right up to the middle of the last century, along with the manufacture of the necessary machinery.

Say 'Bury' and many people will finish the phrase with, 'black pudding', a delicacy of the town made from a mixture of blood, fat, cereal and suet, boiled (prerably) and eaten piping hot. Visit the town and you'll soon find a shop that has them for sale! John Kay may have put Bury firmly on the map of history with his invention but the town can also lay claim to another great man: Robert Peel, and his eponymous 'Peelers', the original police force. His monument stands by the Parish Church and the Peel Tower, also in his memory, stands on Holcombe Hill, overlooking his domain.

Bury is home to the Lancashire Fusiliers, founded over 300 years ago, and a regiment that has seen action all over the world, with no less than 6 VCs to their credit at Gallipoli, in WW1.

One of the attractions to Bury now, in the early years of the 21st century, is the restored East Lancashire Railway. Most weekends see the restored steam engines and coaches running along the line from Heywood through Bury to Rawtenstall. At frequent intervals there are special event days to appeal to the wider public and these include Thomas the Tank engine days for the children, Christmas specials and war-time re-enactments.

It's relatively modern town centre and the covered shopping area is popular and thriving. The busy market days attract a wealth of diverse traders and operate on 3 days of the week: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The town's popularity has been further enhanced by the arrival of the Metrolink, the tram link with Manchester, Salford Quays and Altrincham.

The Borough's areas are Bury East , Bury West, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Tottington & North Manor plus Whitefield & Unsworth