Broughton is a suburb and district of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. Located on the east bank of the River Irwell, it is northwest of Manchester and south of Prestwich. Historically in Lancashire, Broughton was a township and chapelry in the parish of Manchester and hundred of Salford. The former manor house, Broughton Hall, belonged to the Chethams and the Stanleys, both distinguished local families, and later passed, by marriage, to the Clowes family. Part of Broughton was amalgamated into the Municipal Borough of Salford in 1844, and the remaining area in 1853. In the 21st century, parts of Lower Broughton and Higher Broughton have been redeveloped with a mixture of town houses and flats. Together with neighbouring Whitefield, Prestwich and Crumpsall, Broughton is home to a large Jewish community. History Early history Some neolithic implements and other pre-Roman remains have been found in Broughton. The Roman road from Manchester (Mamucium) to Ribchester (Bremetennacum) passed through the area and Roman coins have also been found. The township of Broughton dates back to 1177 when it was known as Burton, bounded mainly by the meandering River Irwell. To the west of this township, close to a ford across the Irwell, lay the hamlet of Broughton. The Manor of Broughton was formerly an ancient demesne of the honour of Lancaster, being a member of the Royal Manor of Salford. It descended through various families and in 1578 was bought by Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby. Lower Broughton in the 17th century In the 17th century Broughton was still regarded as a member or hamlet of Salford and the area around what is now called The Priory at the northern end of Lower Broughton Road was a picturesque hamlet with a spring, known as Broughton Spout. This was home to the amateur astronomer and mathematician William Crabtree. Crabtree's friend and correspondent Jeremiah Horrocks had correctly predicted the 1639 transit of Venus across the Sun and Crabtree and Horrocks were the first astronomers to observe and record this event on 24 November of that year. The two correspondents both recorded the event in their own homes and may never actually have met, but Crabtree's calculations were crucial in allowing Horrocks to estimate the size of Venus and the distance from the Earth to the Sun. The recording of the event is now seen as the birth of modern astronomy in Britain. In June 2004