The Market Cross has marked the way into Churchgate since 1482, making it one of the oldest monuments in Bolton.

Having become weathered over the last 15 years, council cabinet member for culture Cllr Nadeem Ayub has now announced that staff from the highways department have completed repainting work

He said: “When I took on the position as the council’s cabinet member for culture, I knew there were some smaller heritage projects that I wanted to deliver, as well as the larger cultural events.

The Market Cross had become weathered over many years (Image: Bolton Council)

“One of them was to get the steam engine at Oxford Street working again, which we have done, but another was the Cross at Churchgate.

“I remembered that it used to be a shining gold colour, but over the years, the paint has faded so was no longer looking its best.”

The Market Cross has endured in the town centre throughout a long and varied history.

The newly repainted Market Cross (Image: Bolton Council)

It was first put up in gilded iron, which the version now seen today was commissioned in 1909 with three bronze plaques around the base of the cross detailing the history of the town.

Cllr Ayub said: “The cross is not only a memorial of the rich history of the town, but also an important symbol of the Christian faith, so I want to thank our officers who carried out this work.”

Repainting the Market Cross comes alongside a raft of other projects carried out around the town centre in recent months.

This has also included getting the Steam Engine monument behind the iconic Fred Dibnah statue working again after an absence of several years.

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Bolton Council had collaborated with Bolton Steam Engine Society on the project.

Similarly, this summer officials announced plans to get the terracotta and stone Clock Tower at Bolton Train Station working again, after it had stopped more than 20 years ago.

The clock stopped in 2002 and stayed that way until 2007 after a £30,000 restoration project got it working again.

But it started to go backwards in 2014 with all four hands eventually left stuck at noon.