Wigan

Wigan is a Town in the county of Greater Manchester.

Wigan, a significant town situated in Greater Manchester, England, stands as a testament to a rich industrial past and a heritage that dates back to the Roman times. Historically part of Lancashire, the town expanded drastically during the Industrial Revolution, particularly due to its coal mining and textile manufacturing industries. The remnants of this era, including the impressive Wigan Pier, a wharf on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, serve as stark reminders of the town’s vibrant history. Today, Wigan Pier has evolved, no longer bustling with industrial activity, but an emblematic site featuring a mixture of residential, cultural, and leisure spaces.

The town of Wigan is not only known for its industrial endeavours but also for its significant contributions to music and sports. It is home to the World Pie Eating Championship, which whimsically nods to the local affection for pies, and the town’s inhabitants are colloquially known as “pie-eaters”, a nickname that historically stems from a miners’ strike in the 1920s. In music, Wigan’s Northern Soul scene, particularly at the famous Wigan Casino, was a significant cultural phenomenon in the 1970s. The Casino, an iconic nightclub, attracted scores of enthusiasts to its regular all-nighters, putting Wigan on the map of Britain’s music scene.

Sports also play a considerable role in Wigan’s cultural identity. The town is home to the Wigan Warriors, one of the most successful Rugby League clubs in the UK, and Wigan Athletic, a professional football club. The devotion to these teams is palpable, with local support permeating everyday life and contributing to the town’s unique character.

Moreover, Wigan offers a blend of urban and natural spaces. The town centre is a bustling hub with an array of shops, traditional pubs, and eateries, while on the outskirts, you’ll find beautiful green spaces and country parks, such as Haigh Woodland Park, offering residents and visitors a respite from urban life. The town continues to evolve, balancing its industrial past with modern developments, all while maintaining a strong sense of local identity and community spirit.

Wigan postcode: WN1 3RN

Retail in Wigan

There are great places to visit near Wigan including some great towns, hills, hiking areas, old mines, ancient sites, round cairns, ruins, historic sites, lakes, historic monuments, rivers and streams, woodlands, geological features, historic buildings, nature reserves, villages, country parks, waterfalls, events, bluebell woods, sssis, parks, shopping centres, gardens, canals, cities, museums, disused railway lines, moated sites and airports.

Don't miss Bolton, Westhoughton, Horwich, Little Lever, Salford Quays, Rochdale, and Littleborough's towns if visiting the area around Wigan.

The area around Wigan features a number of interesting hills including Winter Hill, Winter Hill Summit, Adam Hill, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, The Great Knoll, and Burnt Edge.

Shaly Dingle, Winter Hill Summit, Hole Bottom, Hole Bottom Mining Area, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, and Burnt Edge are great places to visit near Wigan if you like hiking areas.

Old Mines to visit near Wigan include Shaly Dingle, Winter Hill Mines, Winter Hill Tunnel, Rivington Moor Colliery (ruin), Rivington Moor Brickworks (ruin), Hole Bottom Mining Area, and Wildersmoor Pit Kilns (ruin).

Ancient Sites to visit near Wigan include Winter Hill Tumulus, White Brow Cairn, Noon Hill, Two Lads, Hanging Stone, Rivington Cup Marked Stone, and Rainsough Hill Camp.

Winter Hill Tumulus, White Brow Cairn, and Noon Hill are great places to visit near Wigan if you like round cairns.

There are a number of ruins near Wigan including Rivington Moor Brickworks (ruin), Winter Hill Brick and Tile Works, Ouzel Hall (site of), Wildersmoor Pit Kilns (ruin), Prospect (ruin), Rivington Moor Bell Pits (ruin), and Burnt Edge Colliery (ruin).

Hole Bottom, Winter Hill Brick and Tile Works, and Hole Bottom Mining Area are great places to visit near Wigan if you like historic sites.

The area around Wigan features a number of interesting lakes including Reservoir Of Dean Mills, The Turton Reservoirs, Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, Jumbles Reservoir, Wayoh Reservoir, Rivington Lakes And Reservoirs, and Yarrow Reservoir.

The area around Wigan boasts some of the best historic monuments including Two Lads, Holy Well Spring, Bury Castle, Worsley Green Monument, and Hyde War Memorial.

Wigan has some unmissable rivers and streams nearby like Rushtons Brook, Holden's Brook, Stones Bank Brook, Cadshaw Brook, Roscow Clough, Dean Brook, and Raveden Brook.

There are a several good woodlands in the Wigan area like Fox Hill Plantation, Ousel Nest Quarry, Walker Fold Woods, Raveden Clough, Roscow's Tenement Clough, Dean Wood - Rivington, and Rivington Hall Wood.

Jumbles Fossil Tree, Fairy Battery, The Margery Flags at Rivington Pike, Tigers Clough, and Jepsons Clough are great places to visit near Wigan if you like geological features.

Bradshaw Brook Viaduct, Turton Tower, Prospect Tower, Archway at Turton Tower, Medieval Style Railway Bridge at Turton Tower, Smithills Hall, and Sheephouse Farm are some of Wigan best historic buildings to visit near Wigan.

The area around Wigan features a number of interesting nature reserves including Ousel Nest Quarry, Doffcocker Lodge, Nob End SSSI, Leverhulme Park, Darcy Lever Gravel Pits, Aspull Sough, and Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve.

Cadshaw, Rivington, Barrow Bridge, Bromley Cross, Chapeltown, Darcy Lever, and Whelley are some of Wigan best villages to visit near Wigan.

Don't miss Smithills Country Park, Moses Gate Country Park, Cutacre Country Park, Darcy Lever Gravel Pits, Hollingworth Country Park, Haigh Country Park, and Pennington Flash's country parks if visiting the area around Wigan.

Wigan's best nearby waterfalls can be found at Roscow Clough Waterfall, Smithills Hall Park Waterfall, Langshaw Ford Weir, Raveden Clough Waterfall, Raveden Plantation Waterfall, Yarrow Reservoir Overflow Cascade, and Upper Rivington Reservoir Yarrow Outflow.

Places near Wigan feature a number of interesting events including Rivington Pike Easter.

The area around Wigan boasts some of the best bluebell woods including Dean Wood - Rivington, Rivington Hall Wood, Horrocks Wood, Old House Ground Plantation, and Etherow Country Park.

SSSIs to visit near Wigan include Nob End SSSI.

Wigan's best nearby parks can be found at Queens Park, Hall Lee Bank Park, Moss Bank Park, Wythenshawe Park and Gardens, Gorton Park, Debdale Park, and Heaton Park.

The area around Wigan features a number of interesting shopping centres including Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park, Manchester Christmas Markets, The Trafford Centre, and Manchester Arndale.

The Rock Garden, The Walled Garden at Moss Bank, and RHS Garden Bridgewater are some of Wigan best gardens to visit near Wigan.

Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal at Prestolee, The Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Haigh, Top Lock at Wigan, Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Crooke, The Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Shevington, Rochdale Canal Western Section, and Bridgewater Canal are some of Wigan best canals to visit near Wigan.

Don't miss Salford, and Manchester's cities if visiting the area around Wigan.

Wigan has some unmissable museums nearby like Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Imperial War Museum Salford, and Lancashire Mining Museum at Astley Green.

Wigan's best nearby disused railway lines can be found at The Old Whelley Line, Lancashire Union Joint Line, Ringley Road Station (ruin), Clifton - Accrington and Colne Line (disused), and Linnyshaw Loopline.

Don't miss Wigan Golf Club's moated sites if visiting the area around Wigan.

There are a number of airports near to Wigan including Manchester Airport.

Wigan History

There are some historic monuments around Wigan:

Areas of Wigan

Like most towns and cities Wigan is comprised of a number of areas, once separate villages or small towns and parishes now part of Wigan.

Wigan History

Areas of Wigan

Places to see near Wigan

History of Wigan

Lakes near Wigan

Canals near Wigan

Rivers near Wigan

Things to do in Wigan

Shopping in Wigan

Where to Eat in Wigan

Services and Trades in Wigan

Wild Roe Deer