In the last of these The Royalists, led by the Earl of Derby, overan the place and slaughtered so many people that it is generally thought to have been the worst massacre of the war. As a result some years later the Earl was publicly executed in the town.

But the town is best known for its industrial heritage. Local inventions, particularly Samuel Crompton's 'mule', gave enormous impetus to cotton manufacturing and the establishment of Lancashire's mill towns.

It grew as a boom town in the 19th century to become one of the leaders in the Industrial Revolution. Its population grew from 17,000 in 1801 to 10 time that number by 1901.

Cotton was king but other industries flourished, from supporting trades such as engineering, and the building of the railways which fostered all industry, to the rise and fall fall of such enterprises as the now defunct mining industry. Sport has long been a favourite pastime in Bolton.

Even in the 1700s it is reported that huge disorganised teams of footballers wearing clogs surged from one end of town to the other. The courts declared that game a breach of the peace in 1791.

Although much success has come Bolton's way in other sports, it is surely Bolton Wanderers, one of the founder clubs of the Football League in 1888, who have put the town on the sporting map.

One of the oldest manor houses in Lancashire is to be found in Bolton - Smithills Hall. It dates back to the 14th century and perhaps much earlier.

During it's history the imposing building has belonged to a number of families. The first recorded owner was William de Radclyffe in the days of Edward 111 (1327-1377). In 1485 Cecily Radclyffe married her second cousin John Barton, to secure Smithills Hall during turbulent times.