Prestwich is a town found in Bury, Greater Manchester. It is 4.7 miles from Bury, 3.3 miles from Manchester, and 3.1 miles from Salford. At the last census, the population of Prestwich was 31,693.
While it is impossible to know now, it is likely that there was a Roman Fort built in the area. This is because a Roman road went through the area where Prestwich now stands. In fact, Bury New Road follows the exact same line that the old Roman Fort followed. Roman coins have been found in the local area, as well as at Prestwich Golf Course.
Prestwich did not start to come into its own until the Middle Ages. The area had four oxgangs of land in 1212. The land passed through various owners over the years, but it was not until the 18th Century when the area really started to expand. In fact, up until that point it was just various farms and the population was 670, a far cry from the population nowadays.
It was the building of a railway in the local area which caused the area of Prestwich to explode in size, as well as the coming together of various settlements. In 1881, the railway resulted in a lot of merchants starting to build large villas in the town. It took just a few years for the population to explode to 12,800. By 1961, Prestwich was a suburb of Manchester.
Prestwich hospital was originally an asylum. At the time, it was the largest asylum in Europe. It is now, of course, jut a hospital.
Prestwich is known for having of the largest Jewish populations in the United Kingdom. It is the Jewish-owned shops which give a distinctive feel to the high street in the town. There is also slightly more traditional shopping, including the large Longfield Centre. Prestwich is now one of the more affluent areas in Manchester. The bulk of the residents do not work within the town, with many of them heading into Manchester and other nearby areas to work. This means that the town functions in much the same way as when the merchants were around; as a base of operations.
Prestwich has some fantastic transport connections. There are four different tram stations within the town, taking people right into Manchester and Bury. There is also a park and ride that also takes people into Manchester. These trams stand on the old site of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, which took people into Manchester, although it was closed down in 1991.
One of the most recognisable buildings within Prestwich is the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin. This is a Grade I listed building and actually is one of the reasons why Prestwich exists now. Prestwich grew because it was the central part of the parish. The church has been in place since at least 1500, although there has been a building standing in the areas since 1200.
In addition to this, there are several other churches including a Roman Catholic Church, mosques, and several synagogues to cater to the Jewish population. There are also various cemeteries for the residents of the town.
Prestwich is also an area loved by botanists. Richard Buxton published a book on the various plants found around Manchester. In the early 20th Century, several gardens started to spring up around Prestwich including Kersal Moor and Mere Clough. They are still studied to this day for the unique plants that they have. If you really wish to see the amazing botanical life of the area, though, then you will need to head into Prestwich Forest Park, which is 200 hectares of pure nature.