Heaton, Greater Manchester
Heaton is a mostly residential district and council ward of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It lies about two miles north west of Bolton town centre. It is bounded by Deane to the south, Markland Hill to the west and Smithills and Halliwell to the north.
Historically within the boundaries of the county of Lancashire, Heaton was created a township in the 12th century. It was in the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Deane in the hundred of Salford. Its name derives from the Old English heah and tun meaning enclosed ground on high land and it was recorded as Heton in 1227 and Heton under Horewich in 1332.
In the reign of Edward I Richard de Hulton had a charter of free warren in his demesne lands here. The Heatons were an important family in the Deane area. They date back to the 12th century and originated from around Ulverston in north Lancashire. From the 14th century some of the Heaton family held land in Heaton-under-the forest (or Heaton-under-Horwich) in the parish of Deane. This family lived in Heaton Old Hall and built Heaton New Hall. From this family they gave their surname to Deane's township of Heaton.
Heaton lies 2½ miles north west of Bolton on the lower south facing slopes of the West Pennine Moors. The township covered 1630 acres, its boundary is the River Croal to the south and is crossed by the road from Bolton to Chorley and contains the area of Markland Hill. The underlying rocks are Coal Measures containing sandstone and slate.
Christ Church, Heaton has its origins in a second-hand iron church erected in 1878. The present church, designed by architect R. K. Freeman took a year to build and cost about £4,000 and was consecrated in 1896.
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