Wigan Album

Apparently called Longshoot because of the significance of the higher land and aiming at the opposition in the English Civil War.

That is such a good photo Veronica. Times might have been harder & less pristine but there was such character.....all that has been lost except for images like this. Thanks for finding & posting it.

Im finding it hard to get my bearings here?
I thought Longshoot more or less overlooked the centre of the rugby ground? If you took a picture today from the same spot where would you be stood?

It's all right looking at these run down depressing images of Wigan when your living in pristine East Anglia

I believe the name LONGSHOOT derives from the name of a piece of land in medieval times which was called a "SHOOT"

That's right Ron. I've found a post by jo anne in Communicate dated 27/2/13. taken from Past Forward 55 p14-15.
The Medieval Fields of Wigan.
Nowadays, few people passing Longshoot Health Centre in Wigan would be aware that the name Longshoot is one of the last local reminders of a system of farming which was introduced at the time of the Viking invasion and lasted until the middle years of the nineteenth century. This was the open-field system, in which the arable land of settlement consisted of a large number of strips, which were arranged in rectangular shaped groups known as "furlongs", "shots" or "shoots". The shoots could be of different lengths so there were long shoots and short shoots. The shoots themselves were arranged in groups known as a "field". Each of these huge fields would have its own individual name.

Thank you, jo anne.
I wonder if that's how Great Acre, the next street but one to Longshoot, got it's name?

Don't worry Jack, no doubt not everywhere in '' East Anglia'' was pristine in days gone by. Nor are some areas pristine now. The slum areas of Kings Lynn were only demolished in the 1960s. I am sure if you looked you could find photos similar to the one posted by Veronica.

“ It was not until the early 10 Century that Wigan entered into a period of significant change. It was then an influx of Norse settlers appeared. Their move into the NW of England was a gradual colonisation….
The Norse settlement was initially on the opposite side of the River Douglas and the name of ‘ Scholes’ is a reminder of that settlement. They also established a settlement at Skelmersdale”.

John Hannah
‘History and Guide of Wigan’.

Veronica, Scholes certainly does have a lot of history. I don't know if there was any archaeological digs around Scholes when the demolitions were going on, and if not there should have been, wonder what or could have been found.
I know there was digs around Wallgate when they were demolishing as I remember reading about when an immense pile of buried Oyster shells was found near Chapel Lane, it was said an Inn was there at one time, and according to the information on here the Crown & Anchor was on the corner of Chapel lane and Queen Street, so it could have been that or even one that had been there before.
John Hannavy, who's book you mentioned would probably know as he was once at Wigan College and has written books on the history of Wigan, so maybe there's mention in his books of any digs at Scholes at the time. Had a look on the web and he's now a Professor of Art & Design over at Bolton.

I’ll have another look Cyril. I have had the book years and I get it out now and again. The history spans up to the present day. I find it fascinating. There’s a lot about the Civil War as well. Spell check has changed his name! It just gets worse! Even after you read it through it changes words…

My family lived here for a long time in Mint Court.

When I was a little boy living in Scholes in the 1950s, my Granddad always tod me the name came from the Civil wat when Oliver Cromwell fired a cannon at the Royalist troops in the battle of Wigan Lane. Mind you my Granddad also firmly believed that Oliver Cromwell was a cobbler from Bolton who started the Civil War when King Charles insulted his wife. Even after I got my A level in English History ( including the Civil War) he would not believe it as anything different.

I vaguely remember being told there was some damage to the Parish Church from cannon shot. I don’t know if that is true or not though. Growing up in Scholes you heard all sorts of tales.

Cyril, John has moved on from Bolton, a while ago. He’s been living in Wiltshire for quite some time now, a prolific writer.

B, thanks for that, I only knew him to say hello too when my son and his son were friends and they lived local, though that was the 1990s. I do remember them moving to Standish and of course the books on Wigan history, and so now in Wiltshire, well Wigan's loss is Wiltshire's gain, and happy to know John is still writing.

I don't think that's Longshoot, but the question is, 'where is Longshoot'? is it a road or an actual place?
To me it's more like the Hardybutts area.

That’s definitely Longshoot John Noakes. Hardybutts would be to the left of the picture and further down. Scholes leading to Whelley behind the photographer. Played around there many times as a school girl in the holidays. The streets below lead on to Greenough St. I wonder if the cobbles are still there …

It's Longshoot Brew. Longshoot the street was more or less at right angles to the Brew and led to the entrance to Greatacre bowling green.

Ok, I'm not from Wigan and am not old enough to remember first-hand. My thoughts were going off the position of the parish church tower in the pic in relation to the floodlights at the rugby ground. Also the rows of houses all seem to be running to the right of the pic and, in my opinion and from where I would classify as Longshoot, there would be no rows of houses to the right?

This photo, off album, is a good one to weigh it up - copy and paste -

https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/5/djae8n3t.jpg

I think Meg and myself know better John. We don’t need a map to tell us where we used to live and play. Children in those days played out and ventured all around the community they lived in. The only time we were indoors was at bed time or if it was raining cats and dogs then we’d go to baths or pictures or make things and entertain ourselves. It was just how it was. I’m probably looking back with “nystagmus’’
though! ;o))

Is this the path that leads down to Sullivan Way Surgery?

Yes Ron it is.

I know there’s a path to the doctors in that area but I haven’t been anywhere near there Ron since the late sixties when I changed Doctors. I wouldn’t mind having a walk behind those little shops in Scholes. I recall the Hairdressers
( Norman & Philip)and Greenhalgh’s shop that I could see from the 715 bus going past there.

My recollection of Longshoot is of a wide breed leading from Scholes to the Bowling Green and children's playground

Its entrance was flanked by th George and Dragon ,kept by the Duckworth's and Mother Heaton(of he Labour Pictures) 's mixed business
LOngshoot was a street of houses though I have no memory of them
To the north was Howard Stretto the south the half demolished condemned houses of Coop Street left for years as an open playground for lads such as I and my mates

We used to go from the Greenough St end to the Bowling Ground and playground. It was so we could go up the cobbled brew. We probably went home afterwards by Scholes. I can remember a brick wall we used to climb over as well. It was a change from the park.

Meg, I was always under the impression that Long Shoot came from the English Civil War but your interpretation and research I find fascinating. I hope there is more on this subject. Thank you.

You can Google the Past Forward they're all online.
I have a story on there re: Scholes with my Irish ancestors and Irene has as well which are very good Colin…fill your boots. I used to get them but with moving house I gave them away.

Colin. Credit for the information about the origin of Longshoot goes to
Jo anne who first posted it. All I did was enter Longshoot into search at the top of this page and scrolled through.
I don't know if you are aware but there is an index to "Past Forward" magazine which I found by searching under Past Forward and Publications. It's possible to download past editions of the magazine and the passage about Longshoot is taken from an article "The Medieval Fields of Wigan" by Bob Blakeman in issue 55. It's a fascinating read and I hope this information is of use to you

Nobody can agree where Longshoot actually is, never mind why it’s called that. We all know where Longshoot, the street, is, but I’ve heard grown men argue “no that’s Whelley” and “no it’s not, it’s Scholes”, both of which could be correct, or wrong, because non of them are real places, but are real roads and Wallgate’s the same.
I originate from Beech Hill or Springfield or Swinley sometimes. A bit of Wigan in any case.

Wiganmindedmon. I beg to differ. Anyone who comes from. Longshoot and the neighbouring streets knows that it is in SCHOLES not Whelley.

There we go ……. it nearly came to blows in work.

John Noakes - It's taken from the top left of the image you posted. Looking at the image, the two rows of houses on the left, that's Oxford Street, if you look at an old map.

Donald it wasn't the George and Dragon it was the Stag. Whellley Starts after EssexSt.

we used to call it primrose hill there

I am researching the family of my stepdaughter. Her father is a man from Wigan. I have some of his ancestors living, according to the 1881 census, at Hardys Yd 1, Longshoot, Wigan. Since I cannot find that address on present day maps, I guess that is a street that no longer exists. Does anyone know roughly where that street was located and when it disappeared?

Hardys Yard was located in between Queen Street and Princes Street.
It was situated approx where Kings butchers is now and the old St Thomas's club was.

Queen Street and Princess Street are in Wallgate.... Longshoot is in Scholes, so maybe there was another Hardy's Yard ?

Niclas... Maybe the Local Studies Team at The Museum Of Wigan Life can help. The address is
Museum of Wigan Life
Library Street
Wigan WN1 1NU
Tel: 01942 828128

https://www.wigan.gov.uk/museum

Yes that is Longshoot 'brew' spent a few winters sledging down there
(When winter was winter). To the right was the 'sandpit surrounded by what we thought were castle walls. Further down there were 2 housed in the right demolished 1968 ish then there was the Red pitch, used by us for football rugby, cricket, olympics etc..........oh happy days

Also Veronica... the cobbles are still there.together with the railings on the left last painted April 16th 1972. How do know ? my name is painted in the stones. I still take my grandchildren down to show them ......