Editing Stalybridge (section)

====Wakes Week====
The [[wakes week|wakes]] were originally religious festivals that commemorated church dedications. Particularly important was the [[Rushcart]] festival associated with [[Rogation days|Rogationtide]]. During the [[Industrial Revolution]] the tradition of the wakes was adapted into a regular summer break in the [[mill town]]s of Lancashire, where each locality would nominate a wakes week during which the cotton mills would all close at the same time.<ref name="Ref_ac">[http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/newswcraven/display.var.813544.0.final_wakes_week_marks_end_of_an_era.php Final Wakes Week Marks End Of An Era (from Craven Herald)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Stalybridge Wakes occurs in the third week of July. Wakes Week became the focus for fairs, and eventually for holidays where the mill workers would go to the seaside, eventually on the newly developing railways.