Thornham, Greater Manchester

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.583123
longitude= -2.135204
official_name= Thornham
population=
metropolitan_borough= Oldham
metropolitan_borough1= Rochdale
metropolitan_county= Greater Manchester
region= North West England
constituency_westminster= Oldham West and Royton
constituency_westminster1= Rochdale
post_town= OLDHAM / ROCHDALE
postcode_district = OL2 / OL16
postcode_area= OL
dial_code= 0161 / 01706
os_grid_reference= SD910096
static_

static_image_caption=St John the Evangelist Church, Thornham
london_distance=

Thornham is the name of a suburban area and ecclesiastical parish overlapping the towns of Middleton, Royton and Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, level.

Historically a part of Lancashire, Thornham was once a township within the extensive parish of Middleton. This township, which encompassed the outlying hamlets of Slattocks, Buersill Head and Tandle Hill, ceased to be following the Local Government Act 1894 when it was divided between Middleton, Royton, and Rochdale.cite book |last=Brownbill|first=J|coauthors=William Farrer|title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5|publisher=Victoria County History|date=1911|pages=173-174|isbn=978-0712910552] A large part of this area was formerly known as Gravel Hole, owing to its mass pits of gravel. To this day, many maps still refer to Thornham by this name.

Governance

Lying within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire since the early 12th century, Thornham was a township in the ecclesiastical parish of Middleton and Oldham poor law Union. In 1879 part of the township was included in the area of the commissioners for the improvement of Middleton and Tonge townships, and in 1886 became part of the Municipal Borough of Middleton. In 1879 other parts of the township were included in the Royton and Castleton-by-Rochdale Local boards of health. In 1894 the township was dissolved and its area divided between Middleton, Royton Urban District and Castleton-by-Rochdale Urban District, with the latter district divided between the County Borough of Rochdale and Municipal Borough of Heywood in the year 1900.

Education

Thornham is served by "Thornham St. James Cof E Primary School" (which lies within the border of Royton and is thus administered by Oldham L.E.A) and "St John's CE Primary Thornham" (which lies within Rochdale, and thus administered by Rochdale L.E.A. [ [http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/system_pages/repositories/schools/st_johns_ce_primary_thornham.aspx St John's CE Primary Thornham - Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council ] ]

External links

* [http://www.stjohnthornham.org.uk/ www.stjohnthornham.org.uk] , website for Thornham's parish church St John's.

References