| Audenshaw | |
|---|---|
 Audenshaw Cemetery | |
  Audenshaw Location withinGreater Manchester | |
| Population | 11,419 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SJ925975 |
| • London | 160 mi (257 km)SSE |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MANCHESTER |
| Postcode district | M34 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Audenshaw is a town inTameside,Greater Manchester, England, 4.9 miles (7.9 km) east ofManchester.Historically part ofLancashire, in2011 it had a population of 11,419.[1]
The name derives from Aldwin, aSaxon personal name, and theOld English suffixshagh meaning "Woodland".Nico Ditch, anearly-medieval linear earthwork possibly built as a defensive barrier againstVikings, runs through the area. Medieval Audenshaw was a division of thetownship ofAshton in the county ofLancashire.[2] Audenshaw expanded as a centre fortextile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution and theVictorian era with inhabitants employed in hat-making, cotton-spinning, calico-printing, and silk-weaving.[3] In 1974, AudenshawUrban District became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside.
The name Audenshaw is a corruption of its earlier nameAldwinshagh which derives from Aldwin, aSaxon personal name, combined with theOld English suffixshagh meaning "Woodland".[4]
Nico Ditch, a medieval linearearthwork, runs through the area. Stretching 6 miles (9.7 km) from Ashton Moss in the east to just east ofStretford in the west, the origin of the ditch is unclear.[5] According to legend, it was completed in a single night by the inhabitants of Manchester, as a protection against Viking invaders in 869–870,[6] and that it was the site of a bloody battle between Saxons and Danes and thatGorton andReddish got their name from the battle, "Gore Town" and "Red-Ditch".[7][8] Despite the legend, the U-shape of the ditch – as opposed to the usual V-shape of military earthworks – and the absence of an associated bank indicates that Nico Ditch was probably a boundary marker.[9] Although it is thought to be earlier, the earliest documented reference to Nico Ditch is in a charter detailing the granting of land in Audenshaw to the monks of theKersal Cell. In the document, dating from 1190 to 1212, the ditch is referred to as "Mykelldiche", and a magnum fossatum, Latin for "large ditch".[10]
In 1877, part of the original village of Audenshaw was demolished to make way for the threeAudenshaw Reservoirs. Also destroyed to allow the construction of the reservoirs was a section of Nico Ditch.[11]
During theEarly Middle Ages Audenshaw is supposed to have been athanage held bySaxons,[4] but following theNorman conquest of England fell within thehistoric county boundaries ofLancashire, and noted as a division ofAshton, an ancienttownship and parish within thehundred of Salford.[2] The division of Audenshaw spanned the village of Audenshaw, and the outlying settlements of Danehead, Hooleyhill, Littlemoss, North-street, Walkmill, Waterhouses and Woodhouses.[4] This arrangement persisted until the creation of Audenshaw's first local authority, alocal board of health in 1870.[2] Audenshaw Local Board of Health was a regulatory body responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation in the locality. Under theLocal Government Act 1894, the area of the local board became theAudenshaw Urban District, a local government district in the Ashton-under-LynePoor Law Union andadministrative county of Lancashire.[2] Under theLocal Government Act 1972, the Audenshaw Urban District was abolished, and Audenshaw has, since 1 April 1974, formed anunparished area of theMetropolitan Borough of Tameside, within theMetropolitan county ofGreater Manchester.[2]
Audenshaw was previously represented inParliament by theDenton and Reddish constituency. Since its creation in 1983, the constituency has been held by theLabour Party, At53°28′27.5″N2°6′44″W / 53.474306°N 2.11222°W /53.474306; -2.11222 (53.4743°, −2.1122°), 160 miles (257 km) north-northwest ofcentral London and 5 miles (8 km) east of Manchester, Audenshaw stands at the head of the Dane valley.[4]Guide Bridge is an area of Audenshaw.[13]
Since the2023 review of Westminster constituencies, Audenshaw has been represented byAngela Rayner of theLabour Party as part of theAshton-under-Lyne constituency. In the2024 United Kingdom general election, her majority over the second-placedReform UK candidate was 6,971.
| Constituency | Holder | |
|---|---|---|
| Ashton-under-Lyne | Angela Rayner |
Audenshaw is anelectoral ward ofTameside, England.[14]
The ward is represented by three councillors: Oliver Ryan (Lab),[15] Maria Bailey (Lab),[16] and Teresa Smith (Lab)[17]
| Election | Councillor | Councillor | Councillor | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Allison Seabourne (Lib Dem) | Peter Wright (Lib Dem) | Karen Wright (Lib Dem) | |||
| 2006 | Colin White (Lab) | Peter Wright (Lib Dem) | Karen Wright (Lib Dem) | |||
| 2007 | Colin White (Lab) | Wendy Brelsford (Lab) | Karen Wright (Lib Dem) | |||
| 2008 | Colin White (Lab) | Wendy Brelsford (Lab) | Jean Brazil (Lab) | |||
| 2010 | Colin White (Lab) | Wendy Brelsford (Lab) | Jean Brazil (Lab) | |||
| 2011 | Colin White (Lab) | Maria Bailey (Lab) | Jean Brazil (Lab) | |||
| 2012 | Colin White (Lab) | Maria Bailey (Lab) | Teresa Smith (Lab) | |||
| 2014 | Oliver Ryan (Lab) | Maria Bailey (Lab) | Teresa Smith (Lab) | |||
| 2015 | Oliver Ryan (Lab) | Maria Bailey (Lab) | Teresa Smith (Lab) | |||
| 2016 | Oliver Ryan (Lab) | Maria Bailey (Lab) | Teresa Smith (Lab) | |||
| 2018 | Oliver Ryan (Lab) | Maria Bailey (Lab) | Teresa Smith (Lab) | |||
indicates seat up for re-election.
Neighbouring districts and places. | |
|---|---|
| 2001 UK census | Audenshaw[18] | Tameside[19] | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 12,790 | 213,043 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 96.5% | 91.2% | 91% |
| Asian | 1.6% | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.3% | 1.2% | 2.3% |
According to theOffice for National Statistics, at the time of theUnited Kingdom Census 2001, Audenshaw had a population of 12,790. The 2001 population density was 10,860 inhabitants per square mile (4,193/km2), with a 100 to 93.2 female-to-male ratio.[20] Of those over 16 years old, 28.4% were single (never married), 43.3% married, and 8.8% divorced.[21] Audenshaw's 5,260 households included 29.0% one-person, 38.5% married couples living together, 8.8% wereco-habiting couples, and 11.4% single parents with their children.[22] Of those aged 16–74, 33.4% had noacademic qualifications, similar to the Tameside average (35.2%), but above that of England (28.9%).[19][23]
In 1951 the breakdown of social class in Audenshaw was recorded as 22.7% middle class and 19.3% working class. By 1971, this had changed to 23.4 middle class and 17.2% working class. The rest of the population was made up of clerical workers and skilled manual workers.[24]
At the 2001 UK census, 80.28% of Audenshaw's residents reported themselves as being Christian, 1.1% Muslim, 0.6% Hindu, 0.3% Buddhist, and 0.1% Sikh. The census recorded 11.0% as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 6.7% did not state their religion.[25]
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1939 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,275 | 2,772 | 3,781 | 4,891 | 5,374 | 5,427 | 6,327 | 7,024 | 7,308 | 7,958 | 7,216 | 7,977 | 7,876 | 8,461 | 12,015 | 12,661 | 12,122 | 11,901 | 10,771 | 13,173 | 12,790 |
| Source:A Vision of Britain through Time[26][27][28] | |||||||||||||||||||||
The area is served byGuide Bridge railway station, which is a stop on theGlossop andHope Valley Lines.Northern Trains provides regular services toManchester Piccadilly,Glossop,Hadfield andRose Hill Marple.[29]
Audenshaw railway station used to serve the town. It opened on 1 November 1887, shortly after theLondon & North Western Railway opened the Denton and Dukinfield branch from Denton Junction toDukinfield station on theGreat Central Railway.[30] It was closed in 1950.[31]
The area is now served byAudenshaw tram stop on theEast Manchester line of theManchester Metrolink; it provides services westbound toEccles andMediaCityUK and eastbound toAshton-under-Lyne.[32]
Bus services are operated byBee Network; key routes that serve the area include:[33]
| Audenshaw compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census | Audenshaw[34] | Tameside[35] | England |
| Population of working age | 9,151 | 152,313 | 35,532,091 |
| Full-time employment | 45.9% | 43.5% | 40.8% |
| Part-time employment | 11.9% | 11.5% | 11.8% |
| Self-employed | 6.8% | 6.5% | 8.3% |
| Unemployed | 2.8% | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 13.5% | 13.3% | 13.5% |
Prior to theIndustrial Revolution, the main occupation in Audenshaw was that of farming. The earliest recorded agriculture in the Tameside area was in Audenshaw in the period 1190–1212.[36] As was the case in neighbouringDenton, in the 19th century most of Audenshaw's residents were occupied in the hatting industry, the manufacture of cotton and silk, andcalico printing.[4]
According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment Audenshaw's residents aged 16–74 was 20.3% manufacturing, 18.7% retail and wholesale, 10.1% property and business services, 9.0% health and social work, 8.2% construction, 6.8% transport and communications, 6.3% education, 6.2% public administration, 5.2% finance, 3.8% hotels and restaurants, 0.9% energy and water supply, 0.4% agriculture, 0.1% mining, and 4.0% other. Compared with national figures, the town had a relatively high percentage of residents working in manufacturing (14.8% in England).[37]
The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 2.2% students were with jobs, 3.0% students without jobs, 4.7% looking after home or family, 6.5% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.7% economically inactive for other reasons.[34]
There are nine Grade IIlisted buildings in Audenshaw*.[38] These include two lodges which were originally a single barn,[39][40] a trough and pillar,[41] and St Stephen's Church. The church was constructed in 1846, at a cost of £2,900 (equivalent to £350,000 in 2023)[42] and provided space for a congregation of 750.[43]
Ryecroft Hall, a Grade II listed building,[44] was donated to the people of Audenshaw by the local Member of Parliament,Austin Hopkinson, in 1921.
The war memorial at the entrance to Audenshaw Cemetery is also a Grade II listed building and commemorates the 140 men from Audenshaw who lost their lives inWorld War I. Standing 15 feet (4.6 m), it features a bronze statue of a soldier standing on top of a square column; the sculptor wasPercy George Bentham.[45] There are slabs of black granite on the fours sides of the column with the names of the deceased. Unveiled in 1920 before a 10,000 strong crowd, it cost £1,300 (£70,000 in 2023).[42][46]
There are two nursery schools,[47] five primary schools,[48] and one secondary school in Audenshaw.[49] Opened in 1932 as Audenshaw Grammar School for Boys,[43]Audenshaw School is now the only secondary school in the town. In 2008, the school was the most successful in the borough in terms of proportion of pupils attaining five or more A*–C grades atGeneral Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) including maths and English (64% in Audenshaw School compared with the average of 41.8% for Tameside and 47.6% for England)[50][51] and most points per pupil atA-level.[52] It is a specialisttechnology college.[53] Until 1964, secondary education was also provided by Poplar Street Primary School which was built in 1914, although its primary school still exists.[43]
TheAudenshaw Greyhound Racing and Sports Ground existed from the turn of the 20th century, initially as an athletic andcoursing ground and then as atrotting track,speedway dirt track andgreyhound racing track until 1934. This is not to be confused with the Athletics stadium that existed on the south side of the Manchester Road.[54] Audenshaw is also home to the historic rugby club Aldwinians RUFC, once captain by England'srugby union captain from 1956 to 1958,Eric EvansMBE.
, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009, 22 July 2004, retrieved3 September 2009
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