Oldham

Oldham, Greater Manchester, England

Oldham, urban area and metropolitan borough, metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, northwestern England.

The historic town of Oldham and the western part of the borough lie in the historic county of Lancashire, and the eastern part of the borough, including such areas as Uppermill, Saddleworth, Delph, and Denshaw, belongs to the historic county of Yorkshire. The borough lies on the northeastern periphery of Greater Manchester and on the western edge of the Pennines near the source of the River Medlock. It is named for the Oldham family, who lived in Werneth Hall during the Middle Ages.

Oldham was the centre for an agricultural district with a woolen industry until the 19th century, when it became a major cotton-spinning and weaving town. By the early 21st century, the local economy was driven principally by advanced manufacturing, construction, and service industries (including health, digital, and financial services). Educational institutions include Oldham College and University Campus, Oldham, a partnership between Oldham College and the University of Huddersfield. Oldham is the home of several theatres, most notably Oldham Coliseum, which dates to 1885 and is among the longest-operating theatres in Britain.

Much of the borough is still open countryside. Moreover, Oldham contains a bevy of parks and green spaces, including the Moston Brook Green Corridor, the Leesbrook Nature Park, and Glodwick Lows Local Nature Reserve. Oldham is the site of the Castleshaw Roman Forts, the remains of successive fortresses built by the Romans in about 79 ce and 105 ce, respectively, which were designated a national monument in 1979. There are also vestiges of Dowry Castle, a Victorian-era mansion that was dismantled not long after its completion in 1870 to make way for a reservoir project. Notable buildings include Oldham parish church, built in 1933, and the old Town Hall, built in 1841–42. Foxdenton Hall, Chadderton, a brick manor house dating from about 1700, was one of the homes of the de Trafford family. William Cobbett and Sir Winston Churchill were both members of Parliament from Oldham, and the composer Sir William Walton was born there. Area 54 square miles (141 square km). Pop. (2001) 217,273; (2011) 224,897.