Unsworth

Unsworth is a village and residential area of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. The population of Unsworth Ward, as of the 2011 census is 9,492. The village sits approximately 7 miles (11 km) north of the city of Manchester and 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the town of Bury, and contains the area of Hollins, and part of Sunny Bank.

Historically a part of Lancashire, Unsworth has been recorded as far back as the 13th century. Its name is thought to derive from the Old English word “hound,” literally meaning “place of the hounds.” Unsworth's development as a village mostly took place during and after the industrial revolution, when due to its nearby waterways, it became involved in the manufacturing of dye and bleach. The mid-20th century onwards saw major changes in the village. The construction of Sunny Bank Road, and the M66 motorway which both cut through the village significantly shifted its character, with its western side becoming suburbanised, while leaving its eastern side largely agricultural.