Bolton (pop. 295,963) is a local government district in Greater Manchester, England. Bolton is the main town in the district. Other towns in the district include Blackrod, Farnworth, Horwich, Kearsley, Little Lever, and Westhoughton. Textile manufacturing has long been important in Bolton. But engineering has grown in importance. The clothing and paper trades are also important. The town of Bolton has a fine civic center, including an imposing town hall with tower and columns. It also has two outstanding buildings dating back to the 1400’s—Smithills Hall and Hall-i’-th’-Wood. The English weaver Samuel Crompton was living at Hall-i’-th’-Wood in the 1770’s when he invented the spinning mule, which revolutionized spinning during the Industrial Revolution. Bolton Museum houses a notable collection of ancient textiles.
