Whitefield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground above the Irwell Valley, along the south bank of the River Irwell, 3 miles southeast of Bury, and 5 miles northwest of Manchester. Prestwich and the M60 motorway lie just to the south. In 2001 it had a population of 23,283. Historically part of Lancashire, Whitefield was on the path of an ancient Roman road leading from Mamucium in the south to Bremetennacum in the north.