The Bolton West constituency covers: Heaton and Lostock, Horwich and Blackrod, Horwich North East, a part of Hulton, Smithills, a small part of Rumworth,
Westhoughton North and Chew Moor and Westhoughton South.
Please note that the Atherton Ward will be a part of Bolton West from the next General Election.
Click here for more information.
Do You Live in Bolton West? If you're not sure whether you live in Bolton West you can find out
here.
2005 General Election Results:
Labour majority: 2,064
Turnout: 63.5 %
The History of Bolton West
Bolton West is in many ways a misleading name for a constituency comprising mainly small towns and villages to the west
of Bolton rather than the town itself.
The Heaton and Lostock ward from Bolton School and along Chorley New Road contains some fine residential areas.
The 19th-century mansions of Bolton's textile magnates can still be seen, some of them still in use as family homes.
Bolton was a mill town, and, like many parts of the United Kingdom, mirrored the west-east divide between those who profited from spinning cotton on Crompton's mule, a machine invented by one of
Bolton's favoured sons and those who formed the bulk of the work force.
The industrial and employment base of the constituency was broadened when parts of the old Westhoughton constituency were incorporated into Bolton West in the 1983 boundary
changes.
The town's key residential areas in Heaton, Lostock and Smithills were joined by three towns: Horwich, Blackrod and Westhoughton.
Horwich was renowned for its locomotive industry, Westhoughton and Blackrod for their textiles, mining and agricultural industries.
There have been recent changes to the boundary of the Bolton West Constituency and from the next General Election it will include the Atherton ward click here for more information.
Sport
Bolton Wanderers FC, is
a Premiership football team managed by Sammy Lee. There are also excellent sports facilities provided by the Bolton Arena
Around Bolton West:
Horwich
Horwich lies half way between Bolton and Chorley, and in the 2001 census the town had a population of
18,289.
Bolton Wanderers moved from Burnden Park in Bolton to Horwich following the completion of the Reebok Stadium and the rest of the
Middlebrook retail park complex in 1997. More information can be found at the official Horwich town guide.
Westhoughton
Westhoughton is a former mining and cotton town between Bolton and Wigan and, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 23,056.
Westhoughton, as well as the central town area, is made up of several 'villages' which have their own distinctive character, sports traditions and
amenities.
These include Wingates (famous for its Brass Band), Fourgates, Chequerbent, Daisy Hill, Hart Common and Hilton House. For many years Westhoughton had its own
parliamentary constituency but is now included in Bolton West.
Originally, Westhoughton was called 'Westhelcthon' in 1240 and 'Westhalghton' in 1327.
Blackrod
Blackrod is about eight miles West of Bolton and five miles North East of Wigan.
According to the 2001 census, Blackrod had a population of 5,300.
The town sits on a hill overlooking a Roman road and it is thought by many people that Dark Lane at the North end of the village provides some of the best
views of the surrounding area.
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