Early Wigan

Wigan began as a village but in the 13th century, it grew into a

town. In 1246 the king granted Wigan a charter (a document giving
the people certain rights). From then on Wigan had weekly markets.
(In the Middle Ages there were few shops so if you wished to buy or
sell anything you had to go to a market). Wigan slowly grew and by
the end of the Middle Ages, it probably had a population of 2,500-
3,000. To us, it would seem tiny but towns were very small in those
days.

From the Middle Ages onward coal was mined around Wigan. In the
town itself, the main industry was making wool. First, the wool was
woven. Then it was fulled. Before the wool was dyed it was cleaned
and thickened by being pounded in a mixture of water and clay.
This was called fulling. Wooden hammers worked by watermills
pounded the wool.

There was also a pewter industry in Wigan. By the early 17th century
the population of Wigan was around 4,000. By then there was a
grammar school in Wigan.

In 1642 came civil war between the king and parliament. The people
of Wigan almost all supported the king.

Nevertheless in April 1643 parliamentary forces occupied Wigan.

However a year later the Royalists captured Wigan. They did not
hold it for long. After the battle of Marston Moor in July 1644, the
Royalists lost all of the north of England.

In 1651 Charles II led the Scots in an attempt to seize power. Many

Englishmen joined him. However, a Royalist force was defeated by
Parliamentarians in a battle on Wigan Lane.

During the 18th century, Wigan continued to be an important

market town and its population grew rapidly. Clockmakers made
clocks in Wigan and whitesmiths made pewter goods. Then in 1779,
the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was completed as far as Wigan.