Sale

Sale is a town in Trafford, Greater Manchester, England; historically, it was part of Cheshire until 1974. It is located on the south bank of the River Mersey, 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Stretford, 3 miles (4.8 km) north-east of Altrincham and 5 miles (8.0 km) south-west of Manchester. In 2011, it had a population of 134,022, making it the largest town by population in Trafford. Evidence of Stone Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon activity has previously been discovered locally. In the Middle Ages, Sale was a rural township, linked ecclesiastically with neighbouring Ashton upon Mersey, whose fields and meadows were used for crop and cattle farming. By the 17th century, Sale had a cottage industry manufacturing garthweb, the woven material from which horses' saddle girths were made. The Bridgewater Canal reached the town in 1765, stimulating Sale's urbanisation.