Astley is a village in the borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, with a population of around 11,270 people. Astley is located an equal distance from nearby Wigan and Manchester – exactly 8.3 miles away from each. The village is crossed by the Bridgewater Canal and the A580 East Lancashire Road, which runs East to West across the village.
Average local house prices in Astley at the time of writing were £206,369, up 5% on the previous year. The majority of sales in Astley during the last year were semi-detached properties, selling for an average price of £174,862. Detached properties sold for an average of £283,800, while terraced properties sold for an average of £147,890.
Of Astley’s 2,685 acres in total coverage, over 1,000 acres of this is peat bog. This has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1989.
The name Astley is of Old English derivation and means “East Leigh – a reference to its position in relation to Leigh/ Leigh is derived from leah, meaning a “wood”, a “clearing” or a “meadow”.
During the industrial revolution, Astley’s economy was linked with the textile industry and coal mines which developed during the Industrial Revolution. Today, the main source of employment in the village comes from the Chaddock Lane industrial estate which is nearby between Astley and the East Lancashire Road. Astley has also grown as part of a commuter belt, supported by its proximity to nearby Manchester city centre and inter-city transport links.
Facilities in the village include a small local shopping centre at Blackmoor. The village used to have a railway station but this was decommissioned in 1956. The development of Astley Green Colliery Museum and the heritage centre at Damhouse attract visitors who are interested in the area’s heritage.
Local Authority: https://www.wigan.gov.uk