Deane Schools remembered

There are four main schools in the area — Deane School which is now Ladybridge High School, St Mary’s Deane Primary School, Haslam Park Primary and St Ethelbert’s Primary.

Deane is a village with a long and substantial history.

The earliest evidence of activity in this area is the roman road which passed across Deane Moor to Blackrod and connected Manchester with Lancaster.

The settlement of Deane dates from Saxon times and the name is derived from the word denu meaning valley.

The earliest record of a chapel in Deane dates from 1100 and this was known as St Maryden or the chapel of St Mary in Deane.

Of course there still is a St Mary’s Deane Primary School in the area and St Mary’s Parish Church.

The present parish church was built on the same site in 1452 by the monks of Whalley Abbey as a chapel for the northern parish of Eccles which included Farnworth, Halliwell and Horwich.

This church has one of the oldest foundations in the town and is the oldest surviving church in the borough.

During the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry Vlll between 1536 and 1540 Whalley Abbey was dismantled. The appointment of rectors at Deane was then transferred to the crown and the parish of Deane was created.

This was a very large parish subdivided into 10 townships — Farnworth, Little Hulton, Horwich, Kearsley, Westhoughton, Heaton, Middle Hulton, Over Hulton, Halliwell and Rumworth. Deane village was in the township of Rumworth.

George Marsh, a minister born in Deane in 1515 became Bolton’s only martyr when he was burned at the stake in Chester in 1555 following a trial at Smithills Hall.

He became a protestant when the country was still staunchly catholic. He preached the gospel in various locations, including Deane Church and was arrested by the Earl of Derby and charged with preaching false doctrine and inciting rebellion.

A boulder which once stood on New York Road (now Junction Lane) on which Marsh is reputed to have rested was moved into the churchyard in 1893 and a Saxon style cross fixed to it to create a memorial.

For centuries Deane was a rural community at the foot of a brow and consisted of inns, farms and labourers’ cottages.

A winding lane, hedged by hawthorns, ran from the centre of Bolton (via Deansgate) to the church.

This was bordered by occasional white-washed cottages with thatched roofs.

Deane Moor was enclosed in 1792 and Deane Road enlarged. Rumworth Parish was enclosed in 1815 and the Westhoughton and Wigan turnpike constructed along the Deane/Wigan Road.

The cotton trade became established in the Deane area in the 1600s with handlooms being used in cottages and houses, usually in the cellars as a damp atmosphere was needed.

By 1857 Deane became a busy manufacturing district engaged in cotton bleaching, spinning, hand loom weaving, quilting and many other crafts.

Although the cotton industry became mechanised and factory based from the late 18th century few houses were without at least one loom. Numbers six, eight and 37 Junction Road were probably purpose-built houses, incorporating loom shops and date from the early 19th century.

Deane School was considered to have been founded by the will of James Crompton dated 1639. The first school building was in Junction Road opposite the church lychgate. It was a stone building with a thatched roof and was used until a new school was built in 1820.

After this it was used by wealthier church-goers including Squire Hulton to stable their horses.

The replacement school, built by Mr Heaton of Bolton was at the corner of Junction Road and Horsefield Street. A later school was constructed of brick in Horsefield Street in 1880 to meet the needs of a vastly bigger population.

This was replaced by a new school in 1964.

Deane Church of England Primary School opened in September 1964. It was the successor to Deane Church School.