Tyldesley, United Kingdom

At 53°30′59″N 2°28′0″W (53.5166°, −2.4668°), Tyldesley is situated eight miles (13 kilometres) east-southeast of Wigan and nine miles (14 kilometres) west-northwest of Manchester, and at the eastern end of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. Tyldesley and Shakerley cover 2,490 acres (1,010 hectares) Topographically Tyldesley is situated the edge of the Lancashire Plain just to the north of Chat Moss and the Banks of Tyldesley are where the foothills of the Pennines begin. The land rises from about 100 ft (30 m) at the foot of the banks to 250 ft (76 m) at the highest point. The banks, a sandstone escarpment with the scarp slope facing south and the gentler dip to the north, are about one and a half miles long. The underlying rocks are the coal measures of the Manchester Coalfield covered with boulder clay. Streams drain the area including the Shakerley and Hindsford Brooks which flow towards the Glaze Brook a tributary of the River Mersey.

Heavily industrialised during the 19th century, Tyldesley has become a residential area since the demise of the coal industry and closure of its cotton mills. The main road through Tyldesley is the A577 which runs on the high ground along the ridge on which the town centre is situated.

According to the 2001 United Kingdom census, the industry of employment of residents aged 16–74 was 18.1% retail and wholesale, 16.5% manufacturing, 12.1% property and business services, 10.9% health and social work, 7.4% education, 7.1% transport and communications, 7.6% construction, 5.8% public administration, 5.0% finance, 4.1% hotels and restaurants, 0.8% energy and water supply, 0.5% agriculture, 0.1% mining, and 4.2% other. Compared with national figures, the town had a relatively low percentage working in agriculture. The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 2.6% students were with jobs, 3.2% students without jobs, 4.7% looking after home or family, 6.7% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.1% economically inactive for other reasons.

The main concentrations of employment are at Chaddock Lane between Astley and Mosley Common and at Parr Brow to the north of Mosley Common.

Tyldesley's wealth as an industrial town resulted in outlets for the entertainment of its population, including cinemas and public houses. Films were shown in Tyldesley Miners' Hall from 1908. Three cinemas were built in the town, the Theatre Royal in John Street opened in 1909, the Carlton on Johnson Street in 1911, and the Majestic in Castle Street in 1923. In 1902 the council acquired land for a public park on Astley Street. A public library was built in 1908 with the aid of an Andrew Carnegie grant, on the site of the old Temperance Hall and Mechanics Institute on Stanley Street built in 1851.

Founded in 1877, Tyldesley Good Templars Band was the town's first brass band. Tyldesley Band is a member of the North West Brass Band Association and meets in the chapel on Milk Street. Tyldesley Little Theatre in Lemon Street is home to an amateur dramatic society, members of the Greater Manchester Drama Federation. The auditorium is a small 150-seat theatre with a traditional proscenium arch stage, stalls and balcony seating. The town's industrial landscape was recorded in the 1960s and 1970s in the paintings and prints of artist Roger Hampson.

In March 2022, Tyldesley saw its 1st community radio station set up with the formation of Radio M29

George Ormerod gave a site for a national school near St George's Church, it catered for all age groups when it opened in 1827. A day school was opened in the old Wesley Chapel in 1856 and in 1864 was replaced by new school which lasted until 1912. A church school opened in Johnson Street in 1872 and closed the 1960s. The British School in Upper George Street opened in 1902. Its premises are now the Community Life Centre. The Mission School or Central C of E School in Darlington Street opened in 1892. A board school opened in Lower Elliott Street in 1913 which was used for girls' secondary education after 1935. Garrett Hall Boys' Secondary School opened in 1935.

St George's Central Primary School, built in the late 1990s is an amalgamation of the historical St George's C of E and Central C of E School. Other primary schools are Tyldesley Primary School and Garrett Hall Primary. Until 2007 there was a school in Shakerley but this has closed. Kingshill Special School occupying the old girls' secondary school, has closed.

The main school for secondary education in Tyldesley is Fred Longworth High School, which was awarded Arts College status in 1998. Children in Tyldesley also attend other high schools in the area including, St Mary's Catholic High School in Astley, the only Catholic high school and sixth form in the area.