'''Bolton''' is a town in Greater Manchester. The Metropolitan Borough of Bolton is the administrative area covering Bolton, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Horwich, Kearsley and Blackrod.
Overview of Bolton
Location
Bolton can be found in the North-West of England. It is located approximately 10 miles north west of Manchester City Centre.
History
Bolton has a Saxon heritage. Smithills was built on the site of Saxon Palace. The present Parish Church is the third on this site. the first church was Saxon. The town was important during the Civil War as a parliamentary stronghold. There was a Massacre in 1644 and the seventh Earl of Derby was executed in Churchgate on October 15th 1651. This last event is commemorated annually on the nearest Saturday outside ye olde Man & Scythe Inn by a street play. Hall i'th' Wood is a famous building worth visiting with its civil war and industrial revolution history. Many of its old mills and chimneys have gone but it still attracts visitors to modern and old attractions.
Famous Boltonians
Fred Dibnah, steeplejack.
Peter Kay, comedian.
Amir Khan, boxer.
Nat Lofthouse, footballer.
Damian Gough (Badly Drawn Boy), musician.
Johnny Ball, TV presenter.
Thomas Cole, artist.
Jospeh-William Foster, founder of Reebok.
Vernon Kay, TV presenter.
Sir Harold Walter Kroto, Nobel Prize winner.
Lord William Hesketh Lever, industrialist.
Sajid Iqbal Mahmood, cricketer
Bill Naughton, author
Sir Ian McKellen, actor.
Mark Radcliffe, radio presenter.
Robert Whitehead, inventor of the self-propelled torpedo
Samuel Crompton, inventor.
Richard Arkwright, inventor of the modern factory system
Jason F Kenny, Gold and Silver medal-winning track cyclist
Talk
Danny Jones of the boyband McFly is originally from Bolton.
Districts
Districts in the Bolton area are Breightmet, Farnworth, Great Lever, Leverhulme, Little Lever, Harwood, Horwich, The Haulgh, Tonge Moor, Tonge Fold, Halliwell, Smithhills, Lostock, Bradshaw, Egerton, Bromley Cross, Toppings, Kearsley, Bradley Fold, Hall i'th' Wood, and Moss Bank.
Get in
By Air
Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool Airport. There is a good direct train service from Manchester Airport to Bolton.
By Train or Coach
Bolton's railway station is located to the south of the Town Centre, approximately 5 minutes walk away from the Town Hall.
Coaches from London, and from other places, stop at the coach station on Moore Lane in Bolton. You can also pick up more coaches in Manchester.
Get around
See
The Museum and Art gallery at Bolton Central Library in the town centre are worth a look. There is also an aquarium in the basement.
The famous Fish and Veg Market, the newly developed Market Hall and Churchgate are worth visiting.
Do
Catch a production at '''The Octagon Theatre'''.
Buy
Bolton's constantly improving shopping district is popular with people from all around Greater Manchester and beyond.
Eat
One of Bolton's most prized food outlets is Ye Olde Pastie Shoppe on Churchgate (off Bradshawgate). It's only open during weekdays and is renowned for it's Pasties.
It is unusual that the Pasties bought here can be taken into Ye Olde Man & Scythe Inn, also in Churchgate, and enjoyed with a pint of their spaeciality - cloudy cider.
Drink
Bolton is home to an independent brewery, Bank Top. Bank Top ales can be found throughout the borough in pubs and off-licences.
Other ales from the area include Lees (Middleton), Holts (Manchester), Hydes (Manchester) and Robinsons (Stockport).
Pubs
Town Centre:
Barristers
Ye Olde Man and Scythe (www.yeoldemanandscythe.com)
The Howcroft
Last Orders Inn (now closed)
The Alma
Brass Cat
Bars
Nightclubs
Sleep
Get out