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Bury, Lancs.

Bury is a market and former mill town in the historic county of Lancashire. It now comes under "Greater Manchester" and is situated to the north west of the metropolis, about 30 minutes drive by car from the city centre. 

Bury's origins go back to before 1066. The name, originally Bury, Buri, or Byri, is a Saxon name meaning “a stronghold.” 

Bury Castle manor house was built in 1469 by Sir Thomas Pilkington; its ruins near the parish church are a minor tourist feature.  

Up until the 1700s, the town was served by a single parish church. The first non-conformist Christian place of worship was established in the town in 1719: what was the Presbyterian church on Silver Street (now a Unitarian Chapel). A second Church of England place of worship, St. John's church, was established in 1770. (The town is now served by about 30 Christian churches, 8 mosques, and a synagogue.) 

The industrial revolution took hold in Bury from 1773 with calico printing works set up by the Peel family. In its heyday, Bury boasted many large mills which employed thousands of people. Bury specialised in manufacturing wool and cotton textiles. The town's coat of arms also feature an anvil (metalworking) and a papyrus plant (paper production). 

The population of the town grew from 7,072 (1801) to 15,086 (1830) to 58,029 (1901). Much of the older terraced housing dates to last quarter of the 1880s. 

The local regiment are the Lancashire Fusiliers - there is a dedicated museum opposite Bury Art Museum, the latter being considered "probably the best building in Bury".  

The local football team is Bury FC, originally founded in 1885. 

Arguably, the town's most famous son was Robert Peel, who served as prime minister under Queen Victoria; his statue stands in front of the parish church. More recent celebrities have included the footballing brothers, Gary and Andy Neville. The late comedienne, Victoria Wood, attended Bury Grammar. 

Since the 1960s, much of the old town centre has been knocked down to make way for modern shopping centres. "Fleet Street", running east from the parish church, is now a pedestrian precinct called "The Rock". Since the post-WW2 period, an internal ring road has encircled the town centre.  

The town's population is currently 90 thousand, with a large contingent with roots in Pakistan. There are also sizeable communities from Iran and Poland. The median age of Bury residents is 40 (the national average).  

Bury town is the administrative centre of Bury borough, which comprises six towns: Bury, Radcliffe, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Prestwich and Whitefield. 

The town has a tram link to Manchester, as well as bus links to other directions. The only remaining now serving Bury are the vintage "East Lancs" exhibition trains.   

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