Turton, Lancashire

Turton is a historical area in the North West of England. It is divided between the ceremonial counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The Turton area is located north of Bolton and south of Blackburn. The area historically formed a township in the ancient parish of Bolton le Moors. The principal village in the township is now known as Edgworth. neighbouring with Entwistle, Crowthron and Chapletown. The area of the former township is now divided between two local authorities. North Turton is part of the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen in Lancashire, and South Turton is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester. Although no longer used as an administrative area, the name of Turton is still used as an historical area.

Turton means "Thor/Þor's village", from the Old Norse personal name Thor/Þor and Old English tun "farm, village". It was recorded as Thirtun in 1185 and variously recorded as Turton in 1212, Thurton in 1277 and Terton alias Torton in 1282.

The Scandinavian etymology would seem to fit, considering that there are other place-names in the area of this origin.

Between Chapeltown and Egerton are the remains of prehistoric stone circles on moorland at Cheetham Close which date back to the Bronze Age. These stone circles are the earliest evidence for settlers in the Turton area. One of the circles was 15 metres (51 ft) in diameter and some of the stones were several feet in height. In the 19th century there were many uninvited visitors to the site which caused the local farmer, a tenant of Turton Tower, to break it up in 1871 using his team of carthorses and sledge hammers. Before this happened, antiquarian, Gilbert French, had made sketches, maps and plans and written a detailed description which is now in Bolton Reference Library.

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