Wigan Album
Market Place, Wigan
9 Comments
Photo: Keith
Item #: 23704
The top photo is from around 1900 and the lower one from around the 1860's. Moot Hall which can be seen on the bottom right of the lower photo was demolished in 1869 - apparently this is a rare if not unique photo of the building.
Keith, the building just visible on the lower right of the photo is actually the old Town Hall with shambles beneath, there is a better photo of it in existence but looking towards what is now Market Street and The Crofters on the corner of Hallgate is visible. The photo was published in a book about 20 years ago, will try to find it.
Thank you A.W. I look forward to your photo. The wording accompanying the bottom photo reads, " the only known photograph to show the Moot Hall is the one of the Wallgate entrance to the Market Place. Part of the building including the colonnade, can be seen on the right ".
A further piece of information reads "The Moot Hall (the old one that is) was demolished and rebuilt in 1829......the Wigan Herald reported." the "new" Moot or Market Hall is fast completing, and presents a plain stone front with colonnade underneath; it's a great pity that its projection on the entrance to the Market Place could not have been obviated."
Notes from Wigan Trails related to the Market Place…...in 1634 Wigan with a population of about 4000 had 51 inns; 12 of them in Market Place.
By 1869 the total was 110 with another 80 beer sellers, 10 being in Market Place. The sites of several have been noted; others included the Queens Head, the Fleece and three more directly in front of the Parish Church.
These were the Black Horse adjoining Church Gates, the Bulls Head to the right and next door to it the White Lion.
The White Lion advertised “Family Port and Magassar Oil for footballers’ bruises” . . . . in addition “half-time and final score telegrams for Wigan Football Team - and I thought Sky was something new!
The building in the top photo still exists today, it's the "Moon under Water" previously the "Cross Keys Inn".
the two buildings to the right of it were demolished to enable Library St to be opened up
It seems that Market Place was the 'King Street' of it's day.
Keith, see if you can get a copy of the following books "Those Dark Satanic Mills" Pub Wigan Record Office 1981 isbn 0950764302 pages 62 & 71.
"Wigan Through Wickham's Window" A. D. Gillies 1988, published by Phillimore Publishing isbn 0850336538 Photos 86 & 87.
There are some good pictures of the old/new town hall, and Market Place in the mid 1800s. Wigan Library or the history shop should have these books.
Many thanks A.W. I'll certainly try, despite having now lived in the West Midlands for the last 40 years, you never "leave" your roots.
ART.....if is was the cross keys was it extended after the buildings on the right were demolished?
If you look a the Moon under Water now, you'll see that the corner is the same as the end of the building in the pic.
The opposite side of Library St was the old Midland Bank building