Atherton is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, historically part of Lancashire. It sits between Wigan and Leigh, a short commute west of Manchester, and grew up on the Lancashire coalfield during the Industrial Revolution, with coal mining and textiles shaping its layout and communities.
That industrial past is still visible in terraced streets, miners’ social clubs and the local football team, Atherton Collieries, while today the town is largely residential with parks, local shops and rail links into Manchester on the Atherton Line. Ongoing regeneration and community projects aim to balance those historic roots with modern housing and job opportunities.
Postcode districts covering Atherton
Most populated places nearby
- Manchester 12 miles
- Liverpool 19.1 miles
- Preston 18.9 miles
- Oldham 16.2 miles
- St. Helens 11.3 miles
- Wigan 6 miles
- Warrington 10.5 miles
- Burnley 20.9 miles
- Blackburn 15.6 miles
- Bolton 5 miles
- Stockport 16.2 miles
- Salford 8.9 miles
Neighbouring places
- Atherton North Ward 0.5 miles
- Atherton South & Lilford Ward 1.1 miles
- Westhoughton Built-up area 1.4 miles
- Higher Folds Built-up area 1.8 miles
- Hulton Ward 1.8 miles
- Westhoughton South Ward 1.9 miles
- Leigh Central & Higher Folds Ward 2.1 miles
- Tyldesley & Mosley Common Ward 2.1 miles
- Tyldesley Built-up area 2.1 miles
- Westhoughton North & Hunger Hill Ward 2.3 miles
- Leigh Built-up area 2.3 miles
- Hindley Green Ward 2.4 miles
Example postcodes in Atherton
M46 0GJ, M46 9AT, M46 0FB, M46 0LF, M46 0TS, BL5 1HB, M46 0FU, M46 9HW, M46 0AP … See all
Transport links
- Manchester Airport 15.1 miles
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport 19.9 miles
- Hag Fold Railway Station 0.3 miles
- Atherton Railway Station 0.7 miles
Hotels near Atherton Ad
- The Bolton Stadium Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals 3 3.8 miles
- Novotel Manchester West Hotel 3 4.9 miles
- Holiday Inn Express Leigh - Sports Village 3 3.2 miles
- Holiday Inn Bolton Centre 3.5 4.6 miles
- Delta Hotels Worsley Park Country Club 4 4.7 miles
- Holiday Inn Express Leigh - Sports Village, an IHG Hotel 3.2 miles
- The Court House 3 4.4 miles
- OYO Unique Guestroom - Farnworth, Easy Access to Bolton 3.6 miles
- Premier Inn Bolton 3 3.9 miles
- OYO Unique Private Rooms - Bolton Central, Free Parking 3.4 miles
Schools in Atherton
- Atherton High School Secondary
- Atherton St George's C of E Primary School Primary
- Chowbent Primary School Primary
- Hindsford C of E Primary School Primary
- Meadowbank Primary School Primary
- Parklee Primary School Primary
- Rowan Tree Primary School Special
- Sacred Heart RC Primary School Primary
- St Andrew's C of E Primary School, Over Hulton Primary
- St Michael's C of E Primary School, Howe Bridge Primary
- St Philip's C of E Primary School, Atherton Primary
- St Richard's Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton Primary
Local points of interest
- University of Bolton Stadium Stadium 3.9 miles
- Octagon Theatre, Bolton Theatre 4.2 miles
- Haydock Park Racecourse Recreation 6.3 miles
- Salford City Stadium Stadium 6.4 miles
- Wigan Athletic FC Stadium 6.6 miles
- DW Stadium Stadium 6.7 miles
- The Trafford Centre Shopping centre 7.4 miles
- School Stadium 7.8 miles
- Agecroft Hall Archaeological site 8.1 miles
- Gigg Lane Stadium 8.9 miles
- Imperial War Museum North Museum 9.1 miles
- Heaton Park Estate 9.4 miles