Atherton in 1833
ATHERTON, a chapelry in the parish of Leigh, in the Hundred of West Derby, Lancashire. It contains the populous village of Chowbent, and had, in 1831, a population of 4,181 persons. Many of the coarser kind of cotton goods are made here. The chapel of the Establishment at Chowbent once belonged to the Dissenters, but was taken from them in consequence of an election dispute, and consecrated by Dr. Wilson, the Bishop of Sodor and Man. It continues, to the present day-, out of the episcopal jurisdiction of Chester, to which see the county generally is ecclesiastically subject. There is also a Unitarian meeting-house, with a considerable congregation.
Atherton Hall, close to Chowbent, was formerly the seat of the Atherton family. It is a noble mansion, with extensive pleasure-grounds, extending to the town of Leigh, from which it is distant nearly a mile.
A branch of the Duke of Bridgewater's canal passes near this place.
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