"Preserving and
Promoting the History and Heritage of
Chadderton"
Chadderton, a town of some 33,000 people lies in
the foothills of the Pennines in the south-east of the
county of Lancashire. It is situated on the edge of the
Lancashire coalfield, and is drained by the River Irk and
several of its tributaries. The land is generally
undulating, rising from around 90 metres [300
feet] above sea level in the west to about 140 metres
[450 feet] in the east, although the hilliest
parts are in the north where a maximum of 155 metres
[509 feet] is reached at Chadderton
Heights.
The name Chadderton - ancient alternatives being
Chatterton and Chatherton - is derived from the Celtic
'Cader' or 'Cater' signifying a fortified place in the
hills, with the Anglo-Saxon suffix 'tun' indicating a
settlement. After the Norman Conquest the township formed
the south-eastern boundary of the Fee or Estate of
Tottington, with the Barons Montbegon of Hornby Castle,
near Lancaster, and later the Barons Lacy of Clitheroe
Castle, as the great overlords.
Under the feudal system Chadderton had its own
local lords, and the Manor of Chadderton and Foxdenton
was of importance at county and national level,
providing Lancashire with six High Sheriffs, and
the Isle of Man with a Governor. Other members of the
manorial families resident at Chadderton and Foxdenton
Halls, were to be knighted by various monarchs for
services to the nation ad crown. The most famous people
who were descended from the original manorial family were
William Chadderton, Bishop of Chester and later Lincoln,
and Lawrence Chadderton, first Master of Emmanuel
College, Cambridge, and one of the co-translaters of the
Authorized Version of the Bible.
Within the Duchy and County Palatine of Lancashire,
Chadderton formed part of the Hundred of Salford for
civil jurisdiction. In 1873, a Local Board of Health was
formed to administer the growing town and, in 1894, this
became an Urban District Council of eighteen members. For
ecclesiastical purposes Chadderton was originally part of
the Parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham, within the extensive
Diocese of Lichfield. This was later divided to form the
Diocese of Chester, and eventually the Diocese of
Manchester.
The Chadderton Historical
Society was founded in May 1975, just twelve
months after local government re-organisation and in the
past quarter century has undergone periods of
expansion and consolidation . Our first meeting
place was the historic old school in Healds Green,
which dates from 1789, and it was amid such rural
surroundings that the Society became established on
the local scene.
Eventually the need to find a
more suitable location,closer to the centre of
Chadderton life and more convenient for
public transport, led to the Society
approaching Oldham MBC in 1986, to enquire about the
use of Chadderton Central Library for meetings, displays
of material and storage of artefacts. Support and
permission were forthcoming and in May 1987, the Twelfth
A.G.M. was the first meeting to be held at the
library.
As the membership increased,
and our archives continued to grow, it became obvious
that premises of our own, where permanent displays of
material could be exhibited, were required in the long
term. In 1996, the Society took its first step towards
obtaining suitable premises in Chadderton Town Centre
where a 'Heritage Centre' could be established.
This project has not been without its problems but is is
hoped that the year 2001 will see the scheme become a
reality.
Back in 1991, the Society was
re-organised, gained charitable status, and adopted a
constitution. In this document our main objective is
stated to be: "...to promote the advancement of education
by developing public interest in all aspects of local
history."
In furtherance of this
objective the Society is empowered to:
a)
Undertake
original research into aspects of Chadderton's
history;
b) Make
available to the public the results of such
research;
c) Undertake the
compilation and organisation of local history material
which shall form the archives of the
Society;
d) Undertake the
organisation of displays of local history material.
e) Carry out
archaeological excavations with guidance from
professional bodies;
f) Provide
comment and give advice, when required, on matters
appertaining to the history and heritage of
Chadderton;
g) Invite guest
speakers to address members of the Society on subjects of
a historical nature;
h) Organise
visits to places of local and general
interest.
