Pendlebury is a small town located around 4 miles outside of Manchester City Centre. At the last census, the population of Pendlebury was 13,000.
Industrial History
While Pendlebury has been inhabited at several points throughout history, notably being the home to Agecroft Hall, the home of the Lord of the Manor of Pendlebury during the Tudor period, it is perhaps best known for its coal industry.
Up until the 1990s, Wheatshief Colliery in Pendlebury was providing the bulk of employment for the area. The huge decline in the coal industry during this period meant that Wheatshief Colliery is no longer operational. However, Agecroft Commerce Park is currently located on the old site.
Economy
In the 19th Century, the principle industry for the town was cotton. The only mill that still stands is Newton Mill. This can be found on Lees Street in Pendlebury. However, it is no longer operational as a cotton mill. It is now a business centre.
Acme Mill, which no longer stands, was the first cotton mill in the United Kingdom to be electrically powered. Now sitting on its site is a small housing estate.
Owing to its central location, The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is based within Pendlebury. This delivers a small amount of cash to the economy, but not that much.
Nowadays, Pendlebury is very much a commuter town. The bulk of employment can be found outside of the town, with many of the inhabitants working within Manchester and Salford. There is a small amount of development going on at the old site of Agecroft Colliery, but it certainly is not enough to fuel the entire economy of Pendlebury.
Agecroft Hall
Agecroft Hall has an interesting history. It is no longer standing in Pendlebury, but it certainly is still standing. In fact, it is standing in a whole other country.
Agecroft Hall was a Tudor-period home. It was designed to provide residency for the Lord of the Manor of Pendlebury. Nobody knows exactly what constructed on the property started, but it probably began during the reign of Henry VII.
With the Lord of the Manor position abolished, there was nobody to live in the home during industrialisation. In fact, industrialisation had a devastating impact on the property. Railway tracks ran just outside, and it dirtied the water surrounding the property. It eventually fell into disrepair including a failed roof that needed repair. It was put up for auction.
It was sold at auction in 1925. The building was then completely dismantled and shipped to Richmond, Virginia, United States. It was then reconstructed, and it looks similar to how it would have stood during the Tudor period, even the area it is located in looks very similar to Pendlebury. It is now a tourist attraction.
High Anglican St. Augustine’s Church
This church was built during the 19th Century. For a long while, it was known as the miners’ cathedral because many of the people who attended the church worked down in the mines.
Those who visit the church will notice that there is a memorial. This memorial was designed to pay tribute to 178 people who died at a disaster at Clifton Hill Colliery in 1885. 65 of the victims are buried in the grounds of the church.
In recent years, no doubt due to declining church attendances, the church fell into a state of disrepair, although it is still used for worship. There are several campaigns in place which have the intention of sprucing up the church a little bit. These campaigns have been incredibly successful, and it is likely that the church will go through several minor renovations over the coming years. Hopefully, including a new roof.