Urmston

infobox UK place
map_type= Greater Manchester
country = England
official_name= Urmston
latitude= 53.4487
longitude= -2.3747
population = 45,730 (2001 Census)
population_density=3,902 per mi² (1,507 per km²)
metropolitan_borough= Trafford
metropolitan_county = Greater Manchester
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Stretford and Urmston
post_town= MANCHESTER
postcode_area=M
postcode_district=M41
dial_code= 0161
os_grid_reference= SJ766947
london_distance= 165 miles (265 km) SE

Urmston (Audio|En-uk-Urmston.ogg|pronunciation) is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of around 46,000.cite web |url=http://www.gmcro.co.uk/guides/gazette/gazframe.htm |title=A select gazetteer of local government areas, Greater Manchester County|author=Anon|publisher=Greater Manchester County Records Office|accessdate=2008-06-10|date=2003-07-31] It lies about six miles (10 km) to the southwest of Manchester City Centre, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire. The southern boundary is marked by the River Mersey and the Mersey Valley, with Stretford lying to the east and Flixton to the west. Davyhulme lies to the north of the town centre. Urmston covers an area of 4,799 acres (19 km²).

The town has early medieval origins. Until the arrival of the railway in 1873, Urmston was a small farming community. The railway acted as a catalyst, transforming the town into a residence for the middle classes. Today, Urmston is one of the major urban areas within Trafford: it includes the areas of Davyhulme, Flixton, and Partington.

History

In 1983, during an excavation by South Trafford Archaeological Group, fragments of Roman pottery were found in the area now occupied by Urmston cemetery – previously the site of Urmston Old Hall – suggesting that there may have been a Roman settlement on the site. [Nevell (1997), p. 17, 20.] In the early 13th century, Lord Greenhalgh and his family lived Highfield House (under what is now the M60 motorway).

Shortly after the Norman Conquest, between 1069 and 1070, William the Conqueror led a military campaign against the Saxon Earl Edwin, who ruled England north of the River Mersey. On the campaign's successful conclusion, William gave his kinsman Roger de Poictou all of the land between the River Mersey and the River Ribble. Part of this land was in turn given to Albert de Greslet, who towards the end of the 12th century, bestowed as much land as a team of oxen could plough in one year upon Orme Fitz Seward, the son of Edward Aylward. [cite web |title=Urmston.Net |publisher=The Urmston Partnership |url=http://www.urmston.net/local_history.asp |accessdate=2007-04-20] It is probable that the name Urmston is derived from Orme's Easton, or Ormestun, the "tun" or dwelling of Orme Fitz Seward.

The Manor of Urmston was rented by a family using the local surname. The earliest known member of the Urmston family is Richard de Urmston, who was recorded in 1193–4 as giving 40 shillings "for having the king's good will".cite web |title=Townships: Urmston | publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=52999 |accessdate=2007-08-24] Orme Fitz Seward's land passed to Richard de Trafford in the 13th century.cite web |title=Urmston Area |publisher=Trafford Council |url=http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/cme3173.htm |accessdate=2007-04-04] The de Trafford family later lost the land, but won it back as the result of a duel.

Urmston Old Hall was the home of the manorial lord, and a centre of power in the area during the Middle Ages. The Old Hall was completely rebuilt in brick and timber in the late 16th century. New Croft Hall, also in Urmston, was the residence of a wealthy freeman and may have been moated. Urmston was only one of three manors in Trafford to have had two medieval halls, the others being Hale and Timperley. Neither of the halls has survived to the present day. [Nevell (1997), p. 49, 74.]

Farming was the main occupation in Urmston until the early 19th century, when weaving became a significant source of employment, although this later declined due to competition from large industry. In 1848, the population was recorded as being 771, with around 80% of the land being farmed. [cite web |title='Urchfont - Uxbridge', A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 424-28 |publisher=British History Online |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=51365 |accessdate=2007-04-26] The opening of the Cheshire Lines Railway in 1873 allowed the town to grow as a commuter town: between 1871 and 1901 the population grew by over 500%, from 996 to 6,594. By 1901, farming had virtually died out in Urmston, and the town became a residence for the middle classes. [Nevell (1997), p. 62, 86-87, 100.]

In 1948 the then Minister for Health, Aneurin Bevan, conducted the symbolic inauguration of the National Health Service at Davyhulme's Park Hospital, now renamed Trafford General Hospital.

Governance

Civic history

[
Urmston Urban District Council.] Once a township within the parish of Flixton, Urmston became an urban district of the administrative county of Lancashire, under the Local Government Act 1894. The Local Government Act 1972 abolished the Urban District of Urmston and in 1974 Urmston became a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester.

Political representation

The parliamentary constituency of Stretford and Urmston was formed in 1997. Since its creation, the constituency has been represented by Beverley Hughes MP, who is a member of the Labour Party.

Urmston is one of the four major urban areas in Trafford, the other three being Altrincham, Sale and Stretford. In local elections for Trafford Council, Urmston is split into five wards; Bucklow-St. Martins, Davyhulme East, Davyhulme West, Flixton and Urmston. Like every other ward in Trafford they are each represented by three local councillors, giving Urmston 15 of the 63 seats on Trafford Council; as of the 2007 local elections 12 of these seats were held by the Conservative Party and 3 by the Labour Party. [cite web |url= http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/cme3173.htm |title=Urmston area |author= |publisher=Trafford MBC |date= |accessdate=2007-08-04] The wards elect in thirds on a four yearly cycle.

Geography

Urmston occupies an area of convert|7.5|sqmi|km2|1, at coor dms|53|26|55|N|2|22|29|W|city (53.4487, -2.3747); it is approximately convert|137|ft|m|0 above sea level at its highest point. [cite web | title= Urmston, United Kingdom | work= Global Gazetteer, Version 2.1 | publisher= Falling Rain Genomics, Inc | url= http://www.fallingrain.com/world/UK/0/Urmston.html | format= HTTP | accessdate= 2007-07-02] The land is relatively flat, sloping gently from north to south.

Urmston comprises the local areas of Davyhulme, Flixton, and Urmston,cite web | title = Urmston Area | publisher = Trafford Council | url = http://www.trafford.gov.uk/content/maps/urmston/ | format = HTTP | accessdate = 2007-07-19] with the River Mersey forming the southern boundary.cite web | title = Urmston | publisher = Trafford Council | url = http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/cme3184.htm | format = HTTP | accessdate = 2007-07-21] For administrative reasons, Partington is sometimes considered to be part of Urmston. The most southerly part of Urmston lies within the flood plain of the River Mersey, an area known as Urmston Meadows, part of the Mersey Valley. Much work was carried out in the 1970s to canalise the Mersey, in an effort to speed up the flow of floodwater, and so reduce the risk of flooding. [cite web | title= Mersey Bank Park and the River Mersey | publisher= Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service | url= http://www.merseyvalley.org.uk/site/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=77 | format= HTTP | accessdate= 2007-07-02] Upstream emergency floodbasins such as Sale Water Park, lying just to the east of Urmston, have also been constructed. [cite web | title= Mersey Bank Park and the River Mersey | publisher= Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service | url= http://www.merseyvalley.org.uk/site/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=77 | format= HTTP | accessdate= 2007-07-02]

The M60 Manchester orbital motorway passes through the northern half of Urmston, from southeast to northwest, and the M62 motorway lies just to the west.

The Thirlmere Aqueduct also passes through the Urmston area.

Urmston's climate is generally temperate, with few extremes of temperature or weather. The mean temperature is slightly above average for the United Kingdom. Annual rainfall and average amount of sunshine are both slightly below the average for the UK.cite web |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/areal/uk.html |author=Met Office |title=Annual UK weather averages |publisher=Met Office |date=2007 |accessdate=2007-04-23]

Demography

As of the 2001 UK census, 82.3% of Urmston’s residents reported themselves as being Christian, 0.7% Muslim, 0.2% Hindu, 0.1% Jewish, 0.1% Buddhist and 0.1% Sikh. The census recorded 11.2% as having no religion, 0.1% had an alternative religion and 6.8% did not state their religion. Urmston is in the Catholic Diocese of Salford, [cite web |title=Catholic Diocese of Salford |url=http://www.salforddiocese.org.uk/parishes/masstimes.html#DIOCESAN_MAP| accessdate = 2007-08-12] and the Church of England Diocese of Manchester. [cite web | title = The Church of England Diocese of Manchester | url = http://www.manchester.anglican.org/default.asp | accessdate = 2007-08-12]

There are three style. The Church of St Michael was first mentioned in 1189–91 although may be even older. It was rebuilt in 1815, 1824, and 1888. [Nevell (1997), p. 29, 106.] There are two listed structures in the grounds of the church, the sundial and the Jones Chest tomb. [cite web | title=Sundial at Church of St Michael | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=1&id=212987 | accessdate=2007-08-12] [cite web | title=Tomb at Church of St Michael | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?pid=1&id=212986 | accessdate=2007-08-12] The Church of St Michael is one of 11 Grade II* listed buildings in Trafford, and All Saints is one of six Grade I listed buildings in Trafford. [cite web | title=Planning and building control: listed buildings | publisher=Trafford MBC | url=http://www.trafford.gov.uk/cme/live/dynamic/Download.asp?c=docman2&f=pdf&id=5AD074D0-A2CF-4964-8188-E2333AA27652|format=PDF | accessdate=2007-12-14] clr

Notable people

Suzanne Charlton, BBC weather presenter and daughter of Bobby Charlton, was born in Urmston, [cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/bbcweather/forecasters/suzannecharlton.shtml |author= |title=Suzanne Charlton |publisher=BBC Online |accessdate=2007-08-14] as was Judy Loe, actress mother of Kate Beckinsale and wife of the late Richard Beckinsale. [cite web |url=http://www.holby.tv/db/index.php?id=38,202,0,0,1,0 |author= |title=Judy Loe |publisher= |accessdate=2007-08-14] Other people born in the town include actor and entertainer Matthew Kelly, [cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/135/135044_tonight_matthew_is_a_tv_killer.html |author=James Ducker |title=Matthew Kelly |publisher=Manchester Evening News |date=2004-10-28 |accessdate=2007-08-15] Manchester City footballer Michael Johnson, [cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/player/0,19754,11679_356749,00.html |author= |title=Michael Johnson |publisher= |accessdate=2007-08-14] and Lynda Baron, best known for playing Nurse Gladys Emmanuel in "Open All Hours". [cite web |url=http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/celebs/broadcasters9.html |author= |title=Lynda Baron |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2007-08-29] Actor George Coulouris was partly brought up in Urmston. [cite web |url=http://www.coulouris.net/gc_archive/pieces/outline.html |author= |title=George Coulouris |publisher= |date=1989 |accessdate=2007-08-14] Keith Hopwood, the rhythm guitarist of Herman's Hermits, attended Urmston Grammar School. [cite web |url= http://www.hermanshermits.com/keith.html |author= |title=Keith Hopwood |publisher= |accessdate=2007-08-15] Former Manchester United player David Herd has a home in Urmston; Herd has owned a local garage that still bears his name. [cite book |author=Garth Dykes |date=1994 |title=The United Alphabet |publisher=Polar Print Group Ltd |isbn=0-9514862-6 ]

The 18th-century caricaturist and satirical poet John Collier, who used the pseudonym Tim Bobbins, was born in Urmston in 1708. A self-styled Lancashire Hogarth, his first and most famous work, "A View of the Lancashire Dialect, or, Tummus and Mary", appeared in 1746, the earliest significant piece of Lancashire dialect to be published. [cite web |last=Poole |first=Robert |title=Collier, John (1708–1786)|work=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5919 |publisher=Oxford University Press |date=2004 |accessdate=2008-04-28] The local Wetherspoons public house "The Tim Bobbin" is named after him.

Cultural references

Urmston is mentioned in the BBC sitcom "dinnerladies", starring Victoria Wood and Julie Walters. Petula's (Walters) friend, Babs is seen repeating the lines "I come from Urmston." and "There's two ways to come from Urmston." She is later seen saying "They've chained up all the toilets in Urmston, but I know other places."

References

Notes

Bibliography

*cite book |first=Mike |last=Nevell |year=1997 |title=The Archaeology of Trafford |publisher=Trafford Metropolitan Borough with University of Manchester Archaeological Unit |isbn=1870695259
*cite book |first=Douglas |last=Rendell |year=1998 |title=Cinemas of Trafford |publisher=Jarvis Print Group Limited |isbn=0951256017

External links

* [http://www.askabouturmston.co.uk/ Ask about Urmston]
* [http://www.thisisurmston.co.uk Stretford and Urmston Messenger]
* [http://www.urmston.net Web site for Urmston and surrounding areas]

=External maps and

* [http://www.trafford.gov.uk/content/maps/borough.gifMap of the Borough of Trafford] from Trafford MBC
* [http://www.trafford.gov.uk/content/maps/urmston/mapurmston.gifMap of Urmston Town Centre] from Trafford MBC
* [http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/urmston/urmstonfromtheair.htm Urmston from the air]