Hart Common is a village in Westhoughton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, lying mainly along the A58 road.

[1][citation needed] Hart Common was once one of the most rural and least populated hamlets which made up the township of Westhoughton.

The first recorded mention of Hart Common as a place name was in 1541 during a court hearing involving the family.

A further increase in population was imminent, and a decision to build a school and church at Hart Common was made by a local Vicar, Reverend Kinton Jacques.

Jaques wrote in his memoirs: "As large coal mines were about to be opened by the Wigan and Coal Iron Co. at Hart Common, a district on the west-side of the parish, I foresaw there would be need of a school and room for church services, so I felt it would be well to be prepared, before the workers arrived".

The census from 1881 shows that those living in the cottages had resided from the following areas; Hampshire, Westmorland, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Somerset, County Mayo, Cheshire, Prescott, St Helens, Barnsley, Cornwall, Glamorgan, Oldham and Upholland.

The villagers did not take kindly to the newcomers, and for many years afterwards the remark "Thi fayther cum fr' under't tar sheet" was enough to start a fight.

By 1896 the Wigan Coal and Iron Company who owned the Hewlett Pits, employed 981 men underground and 182 surface workers.

The decision to build a school and church at Hart Common was proposed in the early 1870s by local vicar Reverend Kinton Jacques, due to the sudden increase in population.

The vicar stated in his memoir "a well-known Lancashire family, with some members of which I had been well acquainted, lived on this spot, and the father had made, by his persevering industry, a fortune.

So I got a design drawn by an architect, of the Hargreaves Memorial School, Hart Common, and sent copies to members of the family.

The late Mr. William Hargreaves, who lived then at Moss Bank, sent for me, approved of the idea, promised me £500, and said the work should be done.

The Bolton News reported: "New houses were springing up over the town and the small Victorian school was unable to provide the space or the facilities needed.

The village retains most of the terraced cottages, with the exception of those beside Jack's Lane, and those on Hart Street which were demolished many years ago.

Hart Common once had two public houses (The Hart Common and the Bridge Inn), a post office, a police station, a petrol station, a school, a Co-op shop and grocery, a butchers, two general stores and two other butcher's shops.

The neighbouring hamlet of Marsh Brook reduced in stature, is incorporated into Hart Common.