About Westhoughton

Westhoughton is situated approximately 2 miles south west of Bolton and approximately 12 miles from Manchester. Frequent bus services and the rail network provide easy access to the neighbouring towns and cities.

Westhoughton is conveniently situated for the M61 Manchester/Preston motorway.

Manchester City Airport (Barton) is the nearest Municipal airport and caters for light domestic, helicopter traffic and sports flying. This can be reached via the M61 and M60. Manchester International Airport (Ringway) is Manchester’s national and international hub, and connects Manchester with the rest of the UK and the world at large. This can be reached via the M61, M60 and M56.

The population of the town is approximately 25,000.

Market days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Toponymy

The name Westhoughton is derived from the Old English, “halh” (dialectal “haugh”) for a nook or corner of land, and “tun” for a farmstead or settlement – meaning a “westerly settlement in a corner of land”. It has been recorded variously as Halcton in 1210, Westhalcton in 1240,Westhalghton in 1292, Westhalton in 1302 and in the 16th century as Westhaughton and Westhoughton

The people of Westhoughton are known as “Howfeners” or “Keawyeds” (cow heads) or a combination of the two “Keawyedners”, and the town is known as “Keawyed City”. Supposed folklore (“re-invented” in the Edwardian period) describes a farmer who found his cow with its head stuck in a five barred gate, and, rather than damage the gate, cut the cow’s head off, as the cow cost less than the gate. The Village of Tideswell in Derbyshire shares this same legend.

Map of the District

Find out all about Westhoughton here. Westhoughton is situated approximately 2 miles south west of Bolton and approximately 12 miles from Manchester. Frequent bus services and the rail network provide easy access to the neighboring towns and cities.

Westhoughton is conveniently situated for the M61 Manchester/Preston motorway.

The population of the town is approximately 25,000.

Market days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Keaw Yed legend

A person who hails from Westhoughton is known as a ‘Keaw Yed’ which is Lancashire dialect for ‘Cow Head’.

According to local legend, a farmer found one of his cows with its head stuck in a five bar gate and in order to free it, he sawed off the cow’s head instead of sawing the gate. Hence the term ‘Keaw Yed’. This of course is nonsense and the term ‘Keaw Yed’ refers to the town’s strong link with the Cotton Industry. There were many hand weavers in Westhoughton prior to the era of weaving cotton in local mills and a weaver carrying a roll of cloth across his/her shoulders gave the impression of a cow’s head silhouetted against the sky line. We are proud that poets and performers preserve the Keaw Yed Legend, Lancashire Dialect and local traditions.

Industry

Over the years there has been a decline in the traditional local industries of mining and weaving. These have been replaced by modern industries such as plastics, bottling, canning, double glazing, furniture manufacture etc., and many local people are employed on the industrial estates and in small units throughout the town.

Celebrities

We are proud that the following famous celebrities come from Westhoughton:

Robert Shaw – actor and author
Tommy Woodward and Jack Bruton – footballers
Francis Lee – World Cup footballer
Billy Farrimond, Dick Pollard, Dick Tyldesley and Michael Watkinson – cricketers;
Ethel Johnson – Olympic Athlete
The Houghton Weavers – Folk Group
Wingates Brass Band – Band

In 2009, the Westhoughton Town Council sited special “Welcome to Wingates” boundary signs in honour of Wingates Band. In 2014, the Westhoughton History Group sited a Blue Plaque at the entrance to Wingates Square, which was the birthplace of Wingates Band in 1873 and is still the home of the band today.

Information taken from Bolton.Gov.UK