Wigan

Wigan, a municipal, parliamentary, and county borough of Lancashire, on the Douglas (a feeder of the Ribble's estuary), 15½ miles S. by E. of Preston, 18½ NE. of Liverpool, and 18 WNW. of Manchester. Situated in the heart of a rich coalfield, and commanding easy communication by both rail and water, it is an ancient place, on the site, it is thought, of a Roman station, but owes its present development to the growth of the cotton industry. The manufactures include calicoes, gingham, tablecloths, fustians, linen, iron, paper, &c., some of its cotton-mills and ironworks being among the largest in England. All Saints' parish church, a stately edifice dating from the 14th century, was in great measure rebuilt in 1856; and there are also the county buildings (1888), public hall (1853), market-hall (1877), free public library (1878), infirmary (opened by the Prince of Wales, June 4, 1873; enlarged 1884), baths (1882), grammar-school (1619; rebuilt 1876), and a public park (1878) of 27 acres, laid out at a cost of £20,000. A prescriptive borough, whose privileges were confirmed by Henry III., Edward II. and III., Richard II., and Charles II., Wigan returned two members to parliament from Edward VI.'s reign till 1885, when their number was reduced to one. It became a county borough in 1888. Pop. (1831) 20,774; (1881) 48,194; (1891) 55,013. In 1642 Wigan was occupied for the king by the Earl of Derby, but it was twice taken by the parliamentarians; and in 1651 the earl was defeated here by Lilburne. Prince Charles Edward on his southward march passed through the town. Its most eminent native is the apologist Leland. See W. Sinclair's History of Wigan (2 vols. 1882).