Hundred of Salford

Hundred of Salford. The Hundred of Salford was a historic division of the County of Lancashire, England, that existed from the early Middle Ages until the 19th century, and was bounded by the River Mersey to the south, the River Irwell to the north, and the Pennines to the east, near Manchester, Bolton, and Wigan. It was an important center of trade and commerce, with major towns like Salford, Eccles, and Pendlebury, and was also home to notable figures such as John Byrom, a Cambridge University graduate, and William Crabtree, a University of Oxford astronomer, who observed the Transit of Venus with Jeremiah Horrocks. The hundred was also influenced by nearby Liverpool, Preston, Lancashire, and Chester, and was connected to the West Riding of Yorkshire and Cheshire through the A6 road and the Bridgewater Canal.

Introduction

The Hundred of Salford was a significant administrative and geographic unit in Lancashire, with its own Court of Quarter Sessions and Assize Court, which heard cases involving notable individuals like Daniel Defoe and Jonathan Swift. The hundred was also an important center of learning, with institutions like Chetham's Library and the University of Manchester, which was founded by John Owens and Joseph Whitworth. The area was also home to prominent Church of England figures, including William Temple and John Moore (bishop), who served as Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of Ely, respectively. Additionally, the hundred was influenced by nearby York Minster and the Diocese of Chester, and was connected to the See of York and the Province of York through the A59 road and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Geography and History

The Hundred of Salford was situated in the south-central part of Lancashire, bordering the Hundred of West Derby to the west, the Hundred of Blackburn to the north, and the Hundred of Leyland to the east, near Preston, Lancashire, Clitheroe, and Burnley. The area was characterized by its rolling hills, valleys, and rivers, including the River Irwell and the River Mersey, which flowed through Manchester, Salford, and Warrington. The hundred was also home to several notable landmarks, including Manchester Cathedral, Salford Cathedral, and Ordsall Hall, which was visited by Queen Elizabeth I and King James I of England. The area was also influenced by nearby Lake District, Peak District National Park, and the Pennines, and was connected to the West Midlands (county), Staffordshire, and Derbyshire through the M6 motorway and the M62 motorway.

Administration

The Hundred of Salford was administered by a High Sheriff of Lancashire, who was responsible for maintaining law and order, collecting taxes, and overseeing the Court of Quarter Sessions, which heard cases involving notable individuals like Samuel Johnson and Oliver Goldsmith. The hundred was also divided into several parishes, each with its own church and parish council, which were responsible for providing local services and administering the Poor Law, which was influenced by the Speenhamland system and the New Poor Law. The area was also influenced by nearby Liverpool Town Hall and the Manchester Town Hall, and was connected to the Lancashire County Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority through the A56 road and the Metrolink.

Parishes

The Hundred of Salford comprised several parishes, including Salford, Eccles, Pendlebury, and Swinton, Greater Manchester, which were served by Church of England churches like Manchester Cathedral and Salford Cathedral, and were also home to notable Nonconformist figures like John Wesley and George Whitefield. The parishes were also influenced by nearby Bolton, Bury, and Rochdale, and were connected to the Diocese of Manchester and the Diocese of Liverpool through the A666 road and the East Lancashire Railway. Additionally, the parishes were home to prominent Methodist and Quaker communities, which were influenced by the Relief of Dissenters and the Toleration Act 1689, and were connected to the Society of Friends and the Methodist Church of Great Britain through the A6 road and the Bridgewater Canal.

Economic and Social History

The Hundred of Salford was an important center of trade and commerce, with major industries like textile manufacturing, coal mining, and engineering, which were influenced by the Industrial Revolution and the Transportation Revolution, and were connected to the Lancashire cotton industry and the Manchester Ship Canal through the M60 motorway and the M61 motorway. The area was also home to several notable canals, including the Bridgewater Canal and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which connected the hundred to the West Riding of Yorkshire and the East Midlands, and were influenced by the Canal Mania and the Railway Mania. The hundred was also influenced by nearby Liverpool Docks and the Manchester Docks, and was connected to the Port of Liverpool and the Port of Manchester through the A5058 road and the Merseyrail network. Additionally, the area was home to prominent social reformers like Robert Owen and Richard Cobden, who advocated for the Reform Act 1832 and the Factory Acts, and were connected to the Co-operative movement and the Chartist movement through the A6 road and the Bridgewater Canal. Category:Historic counties of England