Greenacres, Greater Manchester

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Greenacres
latitude= 53.546315
longitude= -2.082259
population =
population_density=
metropolitan_borough= Oldham
metropolitan_county= Greater Manchester
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Oldham East and Saddleworth
post_town= OLDHAM
postcode_district = OL4
postcode_area= OL
dial_code= 0161
os_grid_reference= SD945055
static_

static_image_caption=

Greenacres (pronounced locally as "Grinnicres"), or archaically Greenacres Moor, is an area of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the west side of the River Medlock opposite Austerlands in the parish of Saddleworth.

An upland area, rising gently in altitude from west to east, Greenacres is a residential area located next to parts of Clarksfield, Waterhead, Mumps and Derker, all in the east of Oldham.

Greenacres is perhaps most notable for being the site of one of Oldham's largest municipal cemeteries, appropriately named "Greenacres Cemetery", of which the land was purchased by Oldham Municipal Borough Council in 1850 and opened in 1857. It has allotments for both Church of England and Roman Catholic observants. Greenacres has also long been the site of a Nonconformist congregation.

History

Until 1807, Greenacres had been open moorland, but the area was urbanised with cotton mills and densely packed redbrick terraced houses as part of Oldham's rapid industrialisation in the 19th century.cite map|title=Oldham (East)|edition=1907|publisher=Alan Godfrey Maps|cartography=Ordnance Survey|isbn=1-84151-056-4|section=Lancashire Sheet 97.07] The main road from Oldham to Huddersfield passes through the locality, which also facilitated this urbanisation.

Asa Lees & Co. were cotton-spinning machinery manufacturers whom had their base at Greenacres.

Greenacres was once the site of shallow coal measures.cite book |last=Brownbill|first=J|coauthors=William Farrer|title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5|publisher=Victoria County History|date=1911|pages=67-76|isbn=978-0712910552] It also formed a significant part of the Oldham Above Town registration district.

Nonconformism

Greenacres has long been the site of a Nonconformist chapel and congregation. Greenacres Congregational Church has a history which spans virtually the whole period of non-conformity in the United Kingdom.cite web|url=http://www.congregational.org.uk/content.aspx?id=237|publisher=congregational.org.uk|author=|date=2007|accessdate=2007-11-13|title=Oldham - Greenacres|format=http]

Reverend Robert Constantine, the Minister of Oldham Parish Church was ejected from his church and livings in 1662 by the Act of Uniformity 1662 for not subscribing to a nationalised system of protestant beliefs and practices. In 1672 he began preaching to the people of Greenacres in a thatched cottage. After a short time they moved to a larger building nearby, and in 1699 yet again. In the 1780's, as the cause flourished, it became evident that those premises were inadequate and a decision was made to erect a larger and better Chapel suited to the requirements of the congregation and the surrounding community. This building, which still exists today, was built in 1794 opened in 1785.

Education

Greenacres is the site of Greenacres Primary School. [cite web|url=http://www.greenacres.oldham.sch.uk/|publisher=greenacres.oldham.sch.uk|author=|title=Welcome to Greenacres Primary School|date=2007|accessdate=2007-11-13|format=http]

References

External links

* [http://www.greenacreschurch.net/ www.greenacreschurch.net]
* [http://www.greenacrescommunitycentre.co.uk/ www.greenacrescommunitycentre.co.uk]