Friday 23rd January, 2009
Yates' map of 1786 shows Lamberhead Green as a village about 2½ miles west of Wigan. Today it has been absorbed by Orrell from one direction and Pemberton from the other. Despite this it has kept its identity and sense of community. Several churches and chapels of various denominations still function here.
The derivation of Lamberhead's place name is a little obscure. Ekwall (1936) states that the name means “boundary hill”. This is echoed by Mills (1976). The topography fits, but the evidence is based on a 1519 document which refers to “Londmerhead”. Mills says this derives from the Old English “land” + “gemaere” (boundary)+ “heafod” (hill).
Hawkes (1951), however, disputes this derivation on the grounds that the two excellent scholars have overlooked an earlier spelling of the place name. This is in the “Legh Terrier” of 1466, which refers to “Lonemerehed” and “Lonemerehedgrene”. Unfortunately, Hawkes does not give an alternative meaning - place name derivation was never an exact science.
The medieval history of the Pemberton area is rather obscure, but the above “Legh Terrier” (1466) mentions “... the messuage or manor (house) of the said John Pemberton of Lonemerehed”. This suggests that the location was then of some local importance.
A feature of the village was the Pingate (Pingot) Well, which provided a reliable source of fresh water. It was thought to have healing properties.
In later times Lamberhead was caught up in the exploitation of the Orrell Coalfield. Thick seams of easily accessible "cannel" led to early development of mining in this area.
A bye product of the district's involvement in the Industrial Revolution was the introduction, in 1813, of a steam powered locomotive which was used to haul coal along a tram way from Clarke's mine to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Crooke. It was designed by Robert Daglish and was affectionately known as the “Yorkshire Horse”.
The later development of deeper mines in the Pemberton area led to a rapid expansion in population. This resulted in a deterioration of the standard of living and an increase in pollution levels.
The “Victoria County History” (1911) describes the Pemberton area in the following unflattering terms:
“The whole district is unpicturesque, bare and open, occupied for the most part by collieries, mine shafts, and pit banks. There are, however, fields where some crops are raised, potatoes and oats surviving the smoke of the environs. Pastures are scattered about also.”
The life of a 19th century miner was difficult and dangerous. In 1842, Rev. Joshua Paley, vicar of St. John's Church, Pemberton, made the following statement to the Children's Employment Commission:
"There are very few families, in which one or more deaths have not occurred from accidents in the pits, in many, three or four have died thus. Few weeks pass in which some awful occurrence does not take place. Indeed it is most lamentable and shocking to consider the scenes that are continually occurring."
There were also good times. The Lamberhead Green Fair was held on July 26th, 27th, 28th. It took place on the “Pole Hillock” which was the name for the centre of the village. Brass bands played and “Friendly Societies” took part in processions. Sometimes the occasion was used for political protests.
There was once a pair of stocks on the “Pole Hillock”.