Login   |   Register   |   
Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

Wigan Town Wall, estimated

7 Comments

Wigan Town Wall estimated
Wigan Town Wall estimated
Photo: Keith
Views: 3,614
Item #: 32736
I have taken the following description from the Wigan Town Trail. "The town wall – probably in the form of an earth bank and ditch – enclosing an irregular oval shaped area roughly bounded by the River Douglas (old course), Dicconson Street, New Market Street, Wigan Hall, Dorning Street – King Street West – King Street;" and I have tried to superimpose the line of the wall on a "modern map" from around 1900.

Comment by: DavidH on 25th October 2020 at 08:27

Good one this Keith. Surprised to see that Hallgate doesn’t pass through the wall like Standishgate, Wallgate and Millgate do. Perhaps the street course was changed with time and urban development.

Comment by: Veronica on 25th October 2020 at 10:54

Very interesting it just shows how the very centre of Wigan materialised and the roads leading to it rise. You can imagine it in centuries gone by, as gradually it expanded more. Thank you for showing the 'idea' of it Keith. Makes it easier to visualise.

Comment by: Irene Roberts on 25th October 2020 at 11:14

This is very interesting and easy to see....so many of these pics of old maps require a magnifying glass! Thankyou for posting.

Comment by: Cyril on 25th October 2020 at 15:15

There's been discussions on here before about the Wigan Wall and the Gates, here's one:
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=30215&gallery=Bishopgate&offset=0

Was those guides free from the libraries at the time?
There's always one or two for sale on ebay for around a tenner, though one was up for £50 at one time.

Comment by: Carolaen on 25th October 2020 at 16:56

DavidH. In a lot of Northern towns the word "gate" in street names does not necessarily mean a gate as in an entrance. It is often derived from "gait" a Viking word meaning road or something you walk along.

Comment by: ex-WGS on 25th October 2020 at 17:51

I think we are wrong to think the term "gate" means as we currently understand it, i.e. an entry/exit point in a wall. I believe it is more like the Scandinavian word which just translates as "street", which may or may not go through the town wall.

Comment by: Keith on 26th October 2020 at 09:03

Hi Cyril, just seen your comment about guides. If you mean the Wigan Town Trail from where I took the information then just go to
https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Resident/Planning-and-Building-Control/Planning/Conservation-trees-and-hedges/Town-centre-trails.aspx
and you'll find Wigan and Leigh trails there.

Leave a comment?

* Enter the 5 digit code to the right of the input box. Don't worry if you make a mistake, you will get another chance. Your comments won't be lost.