Greater Manchester

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A metropolitan county in North West England which came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. The area roughly encompasses the conurbation surrounding the City of Manchester. The metropolitan county consists of ten metropolitan boroughs, including the City of Manchester and the City of Salford. Greater Manchester County Council was abolished in 1986, and so its districts are now effectively unitary authorities. The county however, still exists legally, and is also a ceremonial county.

Geography

Greater Manchester borders the ceremonial counties of Cheshire (including Warrington), Derbyshire, West Yorkshire, Lancashire (including Blackburn with Darwen) and Merseyside. As well as Manchester, the county includes major centres such as Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Stockport and Wigan. Greater Manchester is not entirely built-up. Although Manchester forms a conurbation along with Salford, Trafford, Oldham and Stockport, other towns, such as Bury, Rochdale and Wigan are clearly separate.

History

The areas which were incorporated into Greater Manchester in 1974 previously formed parts of the administrative counties of Cheshire, Lancashire, the West Riding of Yorkshire and of various independent county boroughs. The Local Government Act 1958 designed the "South East Lancashire" area (which despite its name included north east Cheshire as well), a Special Review Area, but the Local Government Commission for England never completed its report before it was abolished in favour of the Royal Commission on Local Government.

Places of Interest

Black Chew Head, Buckton Castle, Bramall Hall, Bridgewater Hall, City of Manchester Stadium, Daisy Nook, Dovestones Reservoir, Dunham Massey Hall and Park, East Lancashire Railway, Edgeley Park, Gallery Oldham, Heaton Park, Imperial War Museum North, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Cathedral, Manchester City Centre, Museum of Science and Industry, Old Trafford, County Ground, People's History Museum, Piccadilly Gardens, Saddleworth Moor, Salford Quays, Stockport Hat Museum, Stockport Air-Raid Shelters, Smithills Hall, Tandle Hill, The Lowry, Whitworth Art Gallery, Wigan Pier, Wythenshawe Hall.