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Jim More Wigan shows at my website http://photopeach.com/user/Jim

Jim Not a moan John, viewers input is appreciated, and I have altered the caption in question to reflect your comment.

John Wilkinson Just a little moan :) The seven streets ending in 'gate' are more to do with the Scandinavian word for street than any walled history . Excellent photography A well composed walk around Wigan

Anne Excellent!!!

Jim Lord Derby fled the field and was hidden in the Old Dog Inn in the Market Place before being spirited away - he had had three horses killed under him and had three sword slashes across his helmet.

Jim The entrance to the Grand Arcade - this used to be Station Road at its junction with Market Place and Standishgate. What is now a W H Smith shop was once Woolworth's

Jim Looking down Standishgate from the Market Place.

Jim THe Market Place glimpsed from an alley leading to the church gardens.

Jim Wigan Parish Church and war memorial, as seen from Wallgate..

angie lived all my life in wigan and not really appreciated what i nice town it is. but having seen your video i realise its not a bad place after all x

Jim The interior of the church - you can take a detailed tour on my slideshow A Peek Inside Wigan Parish Church - and be amazed at this gem.

Jim The altar and wonderful stained glass window.

Jim The tombs of Sir William Bradshaigh and his wife Lady Mabel - she remarried after he was thought killed in the crusades - for her penance she had to walk barefoot to a cross in Wigan - Mab's Cross.

David Pooke Always wanted to know what Wigan Pier was and now I know. Will visit Wigan when I visit in August 2011 from Tasmania. Great Presentation.

Jim Now taking pride of place in the arcade is a statue of one of Wigan's most famous sons - comedian George Formby. His father was also a comedian and he first referred to Wigan "Pier" as a joke.

Jean Lovely to see your wonderful pictures changed so much since i lived there . Thank you

Jim Thank you everyone for your kind comments. To access my other slideshows of Wigan and its surroundings just click on the underlined Jim at the bottom of this comment.

Jim Wiganers are often referred to as Pie Eaters - here in a Standishgate baker's window is a mouth-watering display of some Wigan favourites - stop weeping you Wigan ex-pats out there!

Paul Currently working in Libya, what a great stroll I have just taken through Wigan on my day off. Makes me realise what a great town Wigan is and like you say not bad for a small town. Excellently put together.

john just brilliant, good for you jim

marie p really enjoyed it well done

Jools Well done Jim. A fantastic bit of work. Wigan is a great place to be.

Allan Brilliant slideshow.It captured the "soul" of Wigan.Welldone.

kenneth horrobin top slideshaw i have a boat on the canel and im thinking of doing 1 just like this thank.s

Culdee Excellent - thanks. I shall send to friends abroad.

Eric R. Memories - recognise some of those shots I have not thought of in fifty years - passing it all on to the family in Canada. Many thanks to my sender, and Jim of course.

Jim And last but not least, just outside the town centre is the DW Stadium home of Wigan Warriors Rugby League team and Premier League side Wigan Athletic. Not bad for a small town - Hope you enjoyed it.

Maureen Great walk, will send to family in America. Well done.

marie very good really enjoyd it

Ann Cronin Santa Ana California A walk down memory lane. Use to live above Conroy and Sons 68 Market Street. Wonderful. Thank you so much.

johnny boy thanks jim lovely pics and music.ex scouser im all reet now,

Jim The Sir Thomas Tyldesley monument on Wigan Lane - Lord Derby's commander in chief - killed in the Battle of Wigan Lane on the 25th August 1651.

Jim Another view of the Monument - behind the houses the land slopes to the banks of the River Douglas - known locally as The Bloody Mountains - the scene of the battle. The Royalists lost.

Jim Just by the monument is the Fox and Goose pub on Wigan Lane

Kathleen Lots of unknown history unfolded in this slideshow.

Sheal Odee This was so nicely done! I live in the USA but have family history here! It's too costly to travel to England, soThank You for the tour! The music was perfect too! I enjoyerd it very much :)

Barbara Excellent. Brought back many happy memories of Wigan, where I grew up.

danny dewhurst homesick now jim wel done,..

Prayterpieeater Magic owd lad ne`er sin owt like it afore.

Bob All your sites are fantastic. Thanks for the tour of your lovely town.

Mark, Denise & Ben There are many jewels in this little crown of Lancashire!! We especially love the canals and the history they hold.

PAVEL SIBILEV thanks very much mate. good job. best wishes from ukraine. lots of good memories left about your great lovely town. spent two great years in wigan & leigh college 14 years ago. there was a big ukrainian student community back in mid 90th. thanks again.

alan edwards thanks jim that was fantastic i used to drive a bus when we stopped in libnrarystreet now i live in transylvania it was nice to see the old town

Steve Thanks Jim! I'm Wigan born but now in Holland, so it was good to see my old town, even though it's changed soooo much. Best wishes!

Jim The original Uncle Joe's stall taken in the 1930s

Carol, Geoff Jeff, Jamie and Adam. stunning once again Jim, it is funny how when walking around Wigan we take it for granted. But you make people appreciate what they have on their doorstep for free!!

Aurimas unreal, good job, thanx ;)

Christine North Ashton absolutley fantastic! youv'e done an excellent job,wigan is such a lovely town.

KB Southampton loved the show, feeling homesick.

Alan Dean from an ex-pat living in California - thanks - it's great to see the old town still going strong!!

Geoff Craven What a delight. Thanks. Will have to follow in your footsteps next time we visit from Victoria BC.

liz pettit eventually got to look at all your pictures jim excellent

Alby, Seville vic au That was fabulous for an ex wiganer living in AustraliaBest wishes

elizabeth loved the history of wigan &the glimpse of the market well done Jim now nostalgic for home yet again liz & Tom NZ

Jim This is the way the old barges would have brought the raw cotton from the Liverpool docks to the mill's unloading bay just under this bridge.

Jim It also houses the largest working steam engine in the world - in its heyday it powered dozens of cotton looms in the mill - you can see it working on specified days in the week.

Jim Hope you enjoy this short walk around the centre of Wigan - taken in March 09.

Jim The Market Place near its junction with Standishgate.

Jim Inside the Grand Arcade.

Jim The Market Gate Arcade leads to the Galleries shopping mall.

Jim Just by it is Makinson's Arcade - M&S had their first shop here and the town was originally their HQ - when Marks first met Spencer...

Jim ..they had a Penny Arcade here.

Jim One of the ornate fanlights in the arcade.

Jim Access is from the busy Market Place overlooked by the Parish Church.

Jim It leads to the old Wiend area between the centre and Millgate.

Jim The Wiend leads down to the Market Place - Mr Beecham of pills fame had a shop here, before moving to the then new town of St. Helens.

Jim Coopers Row - this pub was once a row of terraced cottages.

Jim At the top of the Wiend by Millgate is this modern art work.

Jim At the top of Millgate, looking towards the Market Place - Wigan has seven streets ending in "gate" an ancient Scandinavian term for street.

Jim Also on Millgate is what was once Wigan Mining and Technical College..

Jim ...it is now the Town Hall, and its entrance is on Library Street.

Jim just by the side of the Parish Church is Hallgate..

Jim Hallgate ..to the left is a gate into the Church Gardens.

Jim The King Of Prussia Yard - here looking back at Hallgate.

Jim This is the Wigan and Leigh College on Parson's Walk - the colliery winding wheel came from a local coal mine.

Jim ..a little further along Parsons Walk is what was Wigan Grammar School now a state of the art NHS outpatients facility.

Jim If we walk further on we come to the side entrance off Wigan's Mesnes Park (pro. "mains)

Jim This is early March and the park has yet to blossom.

Jim .. but it is pleasant to have it so close to the town centre.

Jim In the background the cafe with the statue of MP and Baronet Sir Francis Powell..

Jim .. whose toe has been rubbed for luck by generations of Wiganers..

Jim ...go on - rub it with your cursor and make a wish - its bound to come true.

Jim This is modern Northway that cuts across Standishgate.

Jim Where tucked away down a short street is St. George's Church.

Jim This alley off the Market Place is Coopers Row. Its proportions are medievel, its surface paved to cater for carts and hand cart traffic.

Jim Inside Wigan Market Hall

Jim This replaced the original Victorian building in the 1980s

Jim Here you can still buy traditional Lancashire fare such as tripe, savoury ducks, pies of types too various to list - also hot pots - cowheel. black puddings and Lancashire cheese to name but a few.

Jim Redman's bacon stall rubs shoulders with a dress outlet.

Jim Just outside is the Galleries clock tower.

Jim The Market Hall left and ahead the Galleries mall.

Jim ...and the outdoor market stalls.

Jim Walking through the Galleries brings you out on to Market Street.

Jim Uncle Joe's Mint Balls have been made in Wigan for over a century. The shop is in Crompton Street off Standishgate.

Jim Inside Uncle Joe's Mint Balls are wall to wall - enough to make an ex pat weep.

Jim Further along Crompton Street is Wigan Little Theatre, charming and compact.

Jim Now we are back in the centre by the Parish Church of All Saints

Jim The entrance. if you want to see inside find A Peep Inside Wigan Parish Church among my other Shows, for now let's continue our walk.

Jim The church tower. It has a Roman altar stone built into it.

Jim A plaque at the base tells how during the English Civil War 86 shapshooters held Cromwell's besieging forces at bay, yielding only when threatened with having the tower blown up under them.

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