Liverpool & Merseyside

Towns & Villages

AINTREE

This ancient town takes its name from a Saxon word meaning lone tree and, as unlikely as it might seem, the ancient trunk of this tree still survives.







The town, however, is famous as the place where the Grand National has been run each spring since 1839.







Red Rum, the legendary triple winner of the race, is buried next to the winning post at Aintree racecourse.

Aintree Racecourse Entrance -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD

Reservoir at 3 Sisters Recreation Site - Photo: Eryka Hurst CCL

This pleasant suburban town is close to a number of top Merseyside attractions including the fascinating safari park at Knowsley, which first opened to the public in 1971.
 

Also nearby are Walton Hall Gardens, the enchanting Norton Priory Museum and Gardens and the ‘land of knights’, otherwise known as Camelot Theme Park.

Camelot Theme Park - Photo: Ann Cook CCL

BEBINGTON

Port Sunlight Mock Tudor Houses -
Photo: Colin Smith CCL

This small Wirral town once served nearby docks and came to the fore during the Industrial Revolution.


Here you will discover the unique delights of Port Sunlight, a real-life garden village built and designed by William Lever (Lord Leverhulme) in the late 19th century to house workers at his nearby soap factory.

 

The village was named after his company's best-selling Sunlight Soap.

 


The firm is better known today as the multi-national pharmaceuticals giant Unilever.




Lord Leverhulme also founded the Lady Lever Art Gallery as a tribute to his late wife.




It houses art, furniture and one of Britain’s biggest collections of Wedgwood china.

Lady Lever Art Gallery - Photo: Rich Daley CCL

BILLINGE

Billinge Hill - Photo: Gary Rodgers CCL

Originally a farming community, ancient Billinge is now mostly residential and sits on the slopes of a prominent hill locally known as ‘the lump’, which rises nearly 600 feet above sea level.



On a clear day it is possible to see 16 counties from the top - including the Welsh hills and Scotland.

BIRKENHEAD

Facing Liverpool over the Mersey, and linked to it by the Mersey Tunnel, Birkenhead sits on the Wirral peninsula and is associated with the famous song ‘Ferry Across the Mersey”.

Mersey Ferry - Photo: Alan Fairweather CCL

St. Mary's Church Birkenhead Priory -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

The suburb consisted mostly of farms until a steam ferry joined the town to its big brother in 1820, providing an opportunity for the area to turn its hand to ship building.





Some of Britain’s biggest ships – including the Ark Royal aircraft carrier and two nuclear submarines - were built here.





They very first ferry here was operated in the 12th century by Benedictine monks at the Birchen Head priory.
 

The town was the site of Britain's first publicly funded park in 1834 and was the birthplace of Europe's first horse-drawn street-tram system, which was later electrified.


It was the brainchild of the American tycoon George Francis Train, the possible inspiration for the heroic ‘Phileas Fogg’ in Jules Verne's novel ‘Around the World in 80 Days’.

Hamilton Square - Photo: Stephen McKay CCL

BOOTLE

Bootle Town Hall - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

The administrative centre of Sefton, Bootle has long been associated with shipbuilding and many of its houses were built for dockers in the booming 1930s.

However, the Luftwaffe was quick to spot the area’s importance and reduced some parts to rubble during bombing raids in World War 2.

The town is bordered by Britain’s longest canal, the Leeds-Liverpool.
 

BRIMSTAGE

Located on the Wirral peninsula, the suburb of Brimstage is most famous for Brimstage Hall, a medieval manor house which still retains many original features.




It has been converted into a house, shops and small businesses and is an important local landmark.

Brimstage Hall - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

BROMBOROUGH

Bromborough Cross Photo Sue Adair CCL

Possibly the site of the Battle of Brunanburgh - which led to the Anglo-Saxons seizing control of England from the Vikings and Celts - this village lies on the Wirral and has its own small docks on the River Mersey.


 

CROSBY

With a Viking heritage and a rich maritime past, Crosby lies on the Irish Sea and its finest building is the Carnegie Library which was built with money donated by the famous Scottish-born American steel mogul Andrew Carnegie.


The town boasts several miles of wide-open beaches as well as a marina and a number of parks.

Crosby Beach - Photo: David Medcalf CCL

FORMBY

Formby Sand Dunes -
Photo: Mark Arrowsmith CCL

A residential suburb of Liverpool in the borough of Sefton, this one-time coastal Viking settlement now lies a mile from the sea where there is a superb, pine-fronted beach stretching almost nine miles northwards to the resort of Southport.


Three miles away, at Ainsdale, is a 400-acre nature reserve run by the National Trust - one of the last bastions of Britain’s population of rare red squirrels.

 

GREASBY

A commuter town on the Wirral peninsula, Greasby’s origins go back into prehistory. Stone tools found nearby date to 7000 BC.















Roman weapons, jewellery and coins have also been found here while original Roman roads are still in use today.

Greasby Cross - Photo: Rosalind Mitchell CCL

HALEWOOD

Halewood Triangle Country Park -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

Located in the Knowsley district, Halewood is world-famous for the production of Ford and Jaguar motor cars, yet it was once a key centre for the production of timber.




Its parkland is popular with bird-watchers.
 

HAYDOCK

HESWALL

Located on the Wirral peninsula, the pretty town of Heswall lies on the banks of the beautiful River Dee and has open space aplenty. A large heathland near the town centre is called ‘Puddy Dale’.


Meanwhile ‘The Beacons’ overlooks the Dee Estuary and is the highest point on the Wirral. The Wirral Way footpath meanders through the town which was the birthplace of the renowned cricketer Ian Botham and the former music presenter John Peel.
 

The Dungeon - Photo: Steve Ridgway CCL

HOYLAKE

Hoylake Beach at Dusk -
Photo: Stephen Nunney CCL

A one-time fishing village that was transformed into a Victorian seaside town, Hoylake lies on the Wirral peninsula where the rolling River Dee merges with the ocean.




It’s a place for relaxing, sailing, walking… and golf.



 

Here is the famous Royal Liverpool Golf Club, which has hosted, among other events, The Open Championship and the Walker Cup.




It is also a top spot for the sport of sand yachting. John Lennon's first wife, Cynthia, lived here and Hoylake is where the couple’s son Julian grew up.

 

Royal Liverpool Golf Course -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

HUYTON

Huyton Village Green - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

A bustling residential town, Huyton is the birthplace of a number of modern celebrities including the actor Rex Harrison (‘Dr Doolittle’ and ‘Professor Higgins’) as well as England soccer player Stephen Gerrard.



 

KIRKBY

An historic borough, Kirkby’s origins date to the 11th century and the town was worthy of a mention in the Domesday Book.

One of its churches dates back to the days of the Normans and a watchtower from the period still survives.

The town had to be redeveloped after being damaged by bombs during World War 2.

St. Andrew's Church - Photo: Richard Croft CCL

KNOWSLEY

Knowsley Safari Park -
Photo: Mark Arrowsmith CCL

First mentioned in the Domesday Book, Knowsley was once called ‘Glade of the Wolves’ and still has a connection with wild animals – a few miles away stands Knowsley Safari Park.

Historic Knowsley Hall has been held by the Stanley family since 1385.

Sir John Stanley was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and later Treasurer of the Royal Household during the reign of Richard II.

 

The second Lord Stanley famously backed Henry VII at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and was later made First Earl of Derby.
 



The 12th Earl founded both the Derby and Oaks horse races.

 

Knowsley Village Green & War Memorial -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

LITHERLAND

Rimrose Valley - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

A one-time Viking settlement, the town prospered after it was linked to Liverpool, Wigan and Leeds by canals during the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century.

However, it was given its name by Viking settlers and was later referred to in the Domesday Book.

The Beatles knew the place well – they staged some of their earliest shows at the local town hall.

LIVERPOOL

Liverpool is one of Britain’s greatest cities with a plethora of architectural delights, a vast array of docks, superlative museums and a shopping-cum-nightlife experience that only the largest metropolis can offer.
 
 
 
 
It also happens to be the home of
The Beatles, a fact that has given birth
to a new kind of celebrity tourism.

Liverpool Marina - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

The Albert Dock Tate Modern Art Gallery - Photo: Michael Lacey CCL

Here you can embark on a magical mystery tour to see the birthplaces, schools and clubs which gave John, Paul, George and Ringo their first real showbiz breaks.



These include Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. A key attraction is the Beatles Museum on the Albert Dock.

Liverpool is Britain’s second largest port behind London and is imbued with a rich maritime history.





It was from here that St Patrick first set sail on his momentous voyage to convert the Irish to Christianity.





Here, too, was the site of the country’s first genuine ferry service; the famous ‘ferry across the Mersey’ dates back to the 12th century and a band of enterprising monks who lived at Birchen Head Priory on the Wirral peninsula.

St. Mary's Church Birkenhead Priory -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

Lime Street Station -
Photo: Stephen Craven CCL

The Industrial Revolution transformed this one-time fishing port into the hub of the British Empire as canals and railways brought prosperity, world trade and a sudden explosion of immigrants


For a time it was the centre of the Empire’s slave trade, acting as a channel for the importation of human cargos from places such as Africa.

The European Capital of Culture for 2008, Liverpool was created by King John’s charter in 1207.


Its full history is laid bare at a number of museums which include the four-floor Merseyside Maritime Museum and the
HM Customs and Excise Museum.

.
   St. George's Hall - Photo: Martin Clark CCL

Liverpool Cathedral - Photo: Peter Hodge CCL

Also here is the Tate Galley Liverpool.






With no fewer than 1,500 listed buildings, the city’s best-known landmarks include the Royal Liver building, which has Britain’s biggest clock, and two modern cathedrals.






Liverpool Cathedral is Britain’s largest Anglican Cathedral in Britain and boasts panoramic views from its 331ft tower.

MORETON

A village on the Wirral peninsula, this is a quiet, traditional seaside spot that lies close to the vast sand-dunes of Leasowe and 16th century Leasowe Castle, which possesses superb views of the Meols sands on the Dee estuary.










Leasowe Lighthouse was in use until the early 20th century but is now a base for Wirral’s park rangers.
 

Leasowe Lighthouse - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

NEW BRIGHTON

Fort Perch Rock - Photo: Nigel Homer CCL

A popular, traditional seaside town, flashy New Brighton stands on the Wirral peninsula and is one of Merseyside’s main pleasure grounds.





It can be reached by ferry from Liverpool and evidence of its maritime past can be found in local dockyards.
 

NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS

This remarkable town has a history dating back to at least 55BC when ancient Celts created a burial mound at Castle Hill.


It was also here, at the opening of the Liverpool-Manchester railway in 1830, that the local, MP William Huskisson, died after being hit by George Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’, an event marked by a memorial near Newton’s Bull's Head Hotel.

Newton-le-Willows - Photo: Andy CCL

Sankey Viaduct - Photo: Stephen Craven CCL

The politician had tried to cross the tracks to speak to another dignitary, the Duke of Wellington.

The oldest canal in England, the St Helens Canal (originally known as the Sankey Brook Navigation), passes through the suburb of Earlestown and carries the railway on the dramatic Sankey Viaduct, otherwise called ‘the Nine Arches’.

ORMSKIRK

Possessing fine Georgian architecture, Ormskirk lay beneath the waters of a lake until it was drained and turned into farmland in the 18th century.




This transformed the area and Ormskirk became an important market centre. Most of the drainage was carried out by the Scarisbrick family, who lived at neo-Gothic Scarisbrick Hall.
 

The Golden Lion and Monument -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

Ormskirk Parish Church -
Photo: Doug Elliot CCL

The ruins of 13th century Burscough Priory lie two miles beyond the town.



The priory’s bells have for centuries been contained in the tower of the Church of St Peter and St Paul, which also has a separate spire. Rufford Hall is a beautiful half-timbered medieval mansion in which there is a fascinating folk museum.

 

PRESCOT

Situated in the borough of Knowsley, Prescot is famous for its historic clock-making industry, which is remembered at a local clock museum. Lord Derby’s estate and Knowsley Safari Park lie on the town’s outskirts.
 

Prescot Museum - Photo: Sue Adair CCL

RAINFORD

Rainford Nature Reserve -
Photo: Gary Rogers CCL

A modern commuter town with an ancient history, Rainford came into its own during the Industrial Revolution when sand from a local mine helped to spawn the glass industry at nearby St. Helens.



The town had one of the first operational tramways in the country and was noted for the manufacture of clay smoking pipes.

 

SOUTHPORT

Don’t be fooled into thinking that Southport is merely a seaside resort; while it possesses a genuine charm this is in stark contrast to some of its main attractions, which include a top-rated casino and a white-knuckle amusement park.

A place for eclectic tastes, it has been described as the 'Paris of the North' and each year hosts a series of international events ranging from the famous Southport Flower Show to an air show and an annual jazz festival.
 

Pleasure Land and Miniature Railway -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

Southport Pier - Photo: Alan Kenwright CCL

It is also home to several world-class golf courses - including Royal Birkdale - and is one of the country’s leading conference centres.


Thanks to ever-retreating seas, this placid seaside town not only boasts one of Britain’s widest beaches but also possesses the country’s second longest pier – refurbished at a cost of £7 million – and a new pavilion.
 

Lord Street, with its arcades, fountains and gardens offers a continental-style shopping experience and reputedly Elysee.

The town came to the fore in the late 18th century when an innkeeper built the first bathing house on the sands and started a tourist boom.

When a railway from Liverpool was built in the early 19th century sand dunes were reclaimed for housing and modern-day Southport began to take shape.

Lord Street - Photo: Doug Elliot CCL

Southport - Photo: Alan Halfpenny CCL

Southport has a huge Victorian boating lake and a number of sumptuous gardens - its Botanic Gardens are world-famous.

Nearby places of interest include the National Trust’s red squirrel reserve, the West Lancashire Light Railway, the Southport model railway and, curiously, the British Lawnmower Museum; one of its exhibits is Prince Charles and Princess Diana's old mower!

A key centre for golfers, the town boasts a number of 18-hole courses including Royal Birkdale.

ST. HELENS

This busy industrial town played a pivotal role in British history when England’s first true canal, the Sankey Brook Navigation, was built here in the mid-18th century to take coal to Liverpool. A key point in the Industrial Revolution, it led to a craze for purpose-built waterways.

In 1829 St Helen’s achieved another triumph when the world’s first locomotive, Stephenson's ‘Rocket’, was put through a series of trials at nearby Rainhill and gave birth to the railway age.

Sankey Canal - Photo: Andy CCL

The World of Glass Museum -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

Despite these historic records, St Helens is best known for the manufacture of glass. Its fascinating ‘World of Glass’ museum has in recent years become a top visitor attraction, tracing the history of glass and offering glass-blowing demonstrations, multi-media shows and exhibitions.

The town’s name was derived from the dedication of a local church to St Helena, the mother of Constantine. During the Middle Ages it was believed she found the cross on which Christ had been crucified. Local people are known variously as "Sintelleners" and "Woollybacks".

THORNTON HOUGH

A small Victorian town in the district of Sefton, Thornton Hough is dominated by the 13th century All Saints Church whose chapel has a spire that soars to 120 feet.

Thornton Hough Village Green -
Photo: Sue Adair CCL

THURSTASTON

View from Thurstaston Hill -
Photo: Dennis Turner

Home of Dee Sailing Club, this quiet coastal spot lies on the south-west coast of the Wirral peninsula.

A relaxing seaside resort, it overlooks the waters of the picturesque River Dee. The area is a haven for birdwatchers, walkers and riders, lying at one end of the Wirral Way footpath.

It is also close to Wirral Country Park. Thurstaston Hall dates to the late 11th century.

WALLASEY

The town of Wallasey overlooks the mouth of the Mersey on the Wirral peninsula, which possesses many beaches, parks and nationally-important sand dunes.

With an illustrious history of seafaring and shipbuilding, Wallasey is linked to the metropolis of Liverpool by the Kingsway Tunnel. Fort Perchrock, built to protect shipping in the 19th century, is now a museum.

It was known as the ‘Little Gibraltar of the Mersey.
 

Earlston Gardens - Photo: Sue Adair CCL