Wigan

[5] The name Wigan is probably a Celtic place-name : it might be a diminutive form of Brittonic *wīg "homestead, settlement" (later Welsh gwig), plus the nominal suffix -an has also been suggested (c.f.[16] Over the years chance finds (coins and pottery) provided clear indications that a Roman settlement existed at Wigan, although its size and status remained unknown.[18] The excavated remains of ditches at Ship Yard off Millgate were consistent with use by the Roman military and possibly formed part of the defences for a fort or a temporary camp.More remains were excavated to the south, in the area of McEwen's Yard (opposite the baths), where foundations of a large and important building were discovered, together with many other Roman features.This suggests a Roman fort occupied the crest of the hill, taking advantage of the strategic position overlooking the River Douglas.[20] The evidence gained from these excavations shows that Wigan was an important Roman settlement, and was almost certainly the place referred to as Coccium in the Antonine Itinerary.Wigan was incorporated as a borough in 1246 following the issue of a charter by King Henry III to John Maunsell, the local church rector and lord of the manor.The Royalists seeing an opportunity to engage the divided force turned around to engage but Lilburne decided to hold his ground deploying cavalry on Wigan Lane and infantry in the hedgerows to the sides, The Royalists made several charges but after two hours were unable to break the Parliamentarian line and were forced to flee after being overwhelmed by superior numbers.Wigan, being almost equal distance from Liverpool and Manchester received high immigration rates of Irish people in the 1800s following the Great Famine (Ireland).The slow decrease in the working class goes against the trend for a steeper national decline, reinforcing the perception of Wigan as a working-class town.However, plans for a £125 million 55-acre (22 ha) textiles centre on the site with 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 m2) of manufacturing and research space,[79] in co-operation with the Chinese state-owned trading company Chinamex, fell through.[85] The bakery chain Galloways Bakers,[86] and William Santus & Co. Ltd, the confectioner and producer of Uncle Joe's Mint Balls, are both based in Wigan.[87] According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents aged 16–74 was 22.4% retail and wholesale, 18.8% manufacturing, 10.2% health and social work, 8.6% construction, 8.0% property and business services, 7.4% transport and communications, 6.5% education, 5.2% public administration, 4.1% hotels and restaurants, 2.7% finance, 0.7% energy and water supply, 0.4% agriculture, 0.1% mining, and 4.8% other.There is no evidence the legend is true, as there is no record that Lady Mabel was married to anyone other than Sir William Bradshaigh, and several facets of the story are incorrect.Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and funded through public donations, the monument is now a Grade II* listed building and commemorates the fallen soldiers from the town in the First World War and other conflicts.It was home to the Snake Pit, one of the world's most prominent catch wrestling gyms, founded by professional wrestler Billy Riley.In 2016, the Warhawks made the playoffs in their rookie season and in 2017 lifted their first silverware, winning the Coventry Cougars Charity Tournament.Wigan & District Motor Club, formed in 1973 by motorsports enthusiasts, runs stage rallies at Three Sisters Race Circuit.Local bands that gained wider repute include the Verve, the Railway Children, Witness, the Tansads, Limahl of Kajagoogoo and Starsailor.In 2021, the Lathums continued the town's popular music tradition by scoring a UK number one with their debut studio album How Beautiful Life Can Be.[citation needed] A local tradition since the 1980s is Boxing Day fancy dress[134] which, in recent years, has received national media coverage.[137] The town currently has a host of venues putting on gigs for upcoming local bands, including Feast at The Mills, The Boulevard, The Old Courts and The Swinley.The festival brings together a significant number of socialist organisations and sympathetic musicians to celebrate the life, ideas and influence of the Wigan-born, Gerrard Winstanley, founder of the Diggers (True Levellers) Movement.[87] In the television series Wallace and Gromit, the title characters live at the fictional 62 West Wallaby Street in Wigan.Increased traffic in recent years, encouraged by retail development, has resulted in very congested main roads for most of the day.Avanti West Coast provides express trains to London Euston, Birmingham, Lancaster, Carlisle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.Northern operates trains to Preston and Blackpool North and a regular local service along the line to St Helens and Liverpool Lime Street.[150] A horse tramway was built in 1880 by the Wigan Corporation and leased to a succession of private companies to operate services to Pemberton, Aspull and towards Standish.[citation needed] The town's tram, trolleybus and bus fleet was always painted in crimson and off-white colours, with ornate gold lining out until the outbreak of World War II.[153] The current network of local buses, coordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and departs from the Wigan bus station in the town centre.