Walkden First

History of Walkden

Walkden’s name derives from the Old English “denu,” meaning a valley, and possibly from “Wealca,” an Old English personal name meaning fuller. The town has been known since at least the 13th century, with its name appearing in records from 1246.

A Roman road once crossed the area along what is now the A6 road through Walkden and Little Hulton. In a 1313 land dispute, a jury declared Walkden too small to be considered a hamlet or town, calling it “only a place in Farnworth.”

During the 15th century, Walkden covered a larger area, extending into Farnworth and Little Hulton. In 1765, the area known as “Walkden Moor” was the subject of a parliamentary Enclosure Act. By 1786, the Duke of Bridgewater owned over half the land, making him the largest landowner. Walkden was once dominated by coal mines and textile manufacturing.