Heywood is a town and unparished area within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Lancashire, at the 2001 census it had a population of 28,024. The town lies on the south bank of the River Roch and is 2.4 miles (3.9 km) east of Bury, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) west-southwest of Rochdale, and 7.4 miles (11.9 km) north of the city of Manchester. The town of Middleton lies to the south, whilst to the north is the Cheesden Valley, open moorland, and the Pennines. Heywood's nickname is Monkey Town, a name known to date as far back as 1857.