LXXII. LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY, 31 Miles.-This railway 209 was opened September 15, 1830, and cost nearly L.1,000,000 Sterling. The principal station is in Lime Street, Liverpool.

BOLTON, or Bolton-le-Moors, is said to be of Saxon origin. The principal trade is the cotton manufacture and subsidiary branches, as bleaching, calico-printing, machine-making, &c. There are above thirty coal-mines in the parish. A lead-mine is found in Anglezarke; and Blackrod contains a sulphur-spring. The country, for six miles round Bolton, has undergone very considerable improvement within the last few years; villages have sprung up where there was not a dwelling, and hamlets have become the seat of a dense population. Within six years, five new churches have been erected in the neighbourhood of Bolton, besides two or three others which are projected. Bolton has two town-halls, a theatre, and assembly-rooms, several churches and meeting-houses, a free grammar-school, &c. Between Bolton and Wigan are found large quantities of cannel-coal, which is often manufactured into snuff-boxes, candlesticks, &c. Bolton suffered severely in the civil-wars, especially during the great siege when the Earl of Derby stormed the town, and dislodged the Republican troops. In consequence of this achievement, he was beheaded in Bolton after the battle of Worcester. Bolton returns two M. P. Pop. in 1841, 33,601. The Manchester, Bolton, and Bury Canal was begun in 1791, and completed soon after. About one and a-half mile N. E. of Bolton, Colonel Bradshaw, one of the regicides, had a seat at Bradshaw Chapel. At a place called Hall-in-the-Wood, one mile from Bolton, Samuel Crompton invented the machine called the "Mule." A railway leads from Bolton to Leigh, and thence to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, joining it at Kenyon. Leigh is seven miles from Bolton. It enjoys a considerable share of the cotton-trade, and a portion of the silk. In the church there is a private chapel belonging to the Tildesley family, which contains the remains of Sir Thomas Tildesley, the distinguished royalist, who fell at the battle of Wigan-Lane. Pop. in 1841, 3005.

The first mile of this railway, from its junction with the Manchester and Bolton Railway, is considered a fine specimen of engineering skill. It runs through the south-west side of the town in a curve, and crosses nine streets under as many bridges. The construction of the roofs of the bridges is much admired. They consist of cast-iron beams, and present a flat surface to the eye of the spectator underneath.

The staple ma

CHORLEY, on the banks of the Chor, whence it takes its name. A family of the same name held the manor of Chorley from a very early period. nufactures are cotton fabrics, muslins, jaconets, and fancy articles. There are five coal-mines in the neighbourhood, and a lead-mine at Anglezarke. The old church is an ancient building. There is a grammar-school, a new church, several meeting-houses and charitable institutions. Pop. of par. in 1841, 13,139.

LXXV. NORTH UNION RAILWAY.-Principal station at Parkside.

WIGAN is an ancient town situated near the little river Douglas, on the banks of which the Saxons were defeated by King Arthur. It is noted for its manufacture of cotton goods, and its large brass and pewter works. The vicinity also abounds with cannel coal. Wigan has a stately church, containing a few ancient monuments, two Roman Catholic chapels, a town-hall, several meeting

houses, free blue coat and national schools, and charitable institutions. There is a monumental pillar here in honour of Sir T. Tildesley, who was killed at the battle of Wigan Lane, in 1651, when the Royalists under the Earl of Derby were routed by Colonel Lilburne. In the vicinity is a sulphurous spring, with a neat building for the accommodation of visitors. Two M. P. Pop. 20,774.* PRESTON is a town of great antiquity, on the north bank of the Ribble. There were formerly two monastic institutions in Preston, one called the Hospital of St Mary Magdalen, the other a monastery of Greyfriars. The last was occupied as a prison until about fifty years ago, and traces of it yet remain. During the civil wars Preston was first occupied by the Royal party, but was quickly taken by the Parliamentary forces, and the mayor killed in the assault. It was afterwards retaken by the Earl of Derby, who demolished the defences. At Ribbleton Moor, near Preston, the Duke of Hamilton was defeated, in 1648, by Cromwell; and, in 1715, the friends of the Pretender were routed by Generals Willes and Carpenter at the same spot. Preston contains four churches and one Episcopal chapel, two Roman Catholic, and thirteen other chapels belonging to different denominations of Dissenters. It has also a guild-hall, a town-hall, a corn exchange, a cloth and a market-hall, assembly rooms, a theatre, &c. What are called the "Guilds" of Preston are held every twenty years, when the trades meet with banners and music, form a procession, and hold a festival at considerable cost to the town. In Preston are 55 day, 17 Sunday, and 9 boardingschools. About 10,000 Sunday scholars are gratuitously educated. Preston is a port-vessels of 150 tons ascending nearly to the town, and about 30,000 tons of goods are entered both inwards and outwards annually. Richard Arkwright was born at Preston in 1732; and here, in 1768, he commenced, in connection with a mechanic named John Kay, some of his improvements in the cottonspinning mechanism. There are 52 steam-engines in the town, having an aggregate power of about 1500 horses. There is also a good deal of flax-spinning executed here. Two M. P. Pop. of par. 50,131; of borough, about 40,000.

A railway, 22 miles in length, connects Preston with the mouth of the Wyre, where is situated the new watering-place of Fleetwood, with an excellent hotel, erected by Sir P. H. Fleetwood. As a bathing-place it possesses very superior attractions. From Preston a canal leads to Kendal, through Lancaster.

LANCASTER is situated on the Lune, at some distance from its entrance into the sea. The principal object of attention is the castle, a strong fortress, erected in the reign of Edward III. by John of Gaunt. It stands upon the summit of a hill, and forms a very striking feature in the general view of the town. It is now converted into the county gaol. The county courts now attached to this venerable building are chiefly of a modern date, and are extremely commodious. On the north of the castle stands the church, a Gothic structure containing

• Some interesting traditions regarding Wigan are recorded by Mr Roby in his "Traditions of Lancashire." A small volume on similar subjects by a young author of great promise has also been recently published at Wigan.