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Wigan, England

Wigan
Wigan Pier and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.jpg
Wigan Pier, a former wharf on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Wigan is located in Greater Manchester
Wigan
Wigan
Wigan shown within Greater Manchester
Population 103,608 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference SD583055
• London 176 miles (283 km) SE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town WIGAN
Postcode district WN1-WN3, WN5, WN6, WN8
Dialling code 01942
Police Greater Manchester
Fire Greater Manchester
Ambulance North West
EU Parliament North West England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester
53°32′41″N 2°37′54″W / 53.5448°N 2.6318°W / 53.5448; -2.6318Coordinates: 53°32′41″N 2°37′54″W / 53.5448°N 2.6318°W / 53.5448; -2.6318

Wigan /ˈwɪɡən/ is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, 7.9 miles (13 km) south-west of Bolton, 10 miles (16 km) north of Warrington and 16 miles (25.7 km) west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total population of 97,000 in 2011, whilst the wider borough has a population of 318,100.

Historically in Lancashire, Wigan during classical antiquity was in the territory of the Brigantes, an ancient Celtic tribe that ruled much of what is now northern England. The Brigantes were subjugated in the Roman conquest of Britain during the 1st century, and it is asserted that the Roman settlement of Coccium was established where Wigan lies. Wigan is believed to have been incorporated as a borough in 1246 following the issue of a charter by King Henry III of England. At the end of the Middle Ages it was one of four boroughs in Lancashire established by Royal charters; the others were Lancaster, Liverpool, and Preston.


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