Eastham, Merseyside
Eastham | ||
---|---|---|
Village | ||
Metropolitan county | ||
Region | ||
Country | England | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom | |
Post town | WIRRAL | |
Postcode district | CH62 | |
Dialling code | 0151 | |
ISO 3166 code | GB-WRL | |
Police | Merseyside | |
Fire | Merseyside | |
Ambulance | North West | |
UK Parliament | ||
Eastham is a village and an electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. Historically (until 1974), it was part of Cheshire. It is situated on the Wirral Peninsula, to the south of Bromborough and to the east of Willaston.
At the 2001 census, it had a population of 12,250,[2] although the total ward population for the village stood at 13,637[3] In 2011, the villages population was not measured separately but a review was carried out for the ward. The total population had risen to 13,882.[4]
History
Eastham is cited as one of the oldest villages on the Wirral Peninsula and has been inhabited since
Since the Middle Ages, a ferry service operated across the River Mersey between Eastham and
Entertainers performed in the gardens during summer, and included
In 1854 the American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, whilst in the position of United States consul in Liverpool, visited Eastham and declared it to be: "the finest old English village I have seen, with many antique houses, and with altogether a rural and picturesque aspect, unlike anything in America, and yet possessing a familiar look, as if it were something I had dreamed about."[7]
In its heyday Eastham Ferry was known as the 'Richmond of the Mersey', but its popularity declined during the 1920s and the last paddle steamer crossing took place in 1929. The Pleasure Gardens fell into disrepair during the 1930s and the iron pier and Jubilee Arch were later dismantled.[6] In 1970, to commemorate European Conservation Year, the area was designated a Woodland &
Geography
Eastham is the southernmost area of the Merseyside part of Wirral, lying within a green belt area bordering Merseyside and Cheshire, adjacent to the River Mersey. It is located close to the M53 motorway, and lies directly on the A41 road, the main road between Birkenhead and Birmingham. It is also close to the city of Chester and shares a proximity to the village of Port Sunlight, an historic centre for the British soap industry. It is situated a particularly short distance away from Willaston village.
Open spaces
As well as Eastham Country Park and Woods, the Lowfields, close to Eastham Rake Station, is the start of a guided walk suggested by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, following Dibbinsdale Brook and leads onto the Wirral Way.
Near to the village centre is a small public area called Torr Park, Which is home to the village cricket club. It was founded by the Stanley family as an area for recreation. In the present day the park offers tennis courts, a children's play area and a cricket field.
At 8.45 am each morning a siren is heard. It is said to be based in the Queen Elizabeth II dock who use it as their fire alarm and test it each morning. It has the distinct sound of a World War II siren and has been sounded each morning for at least 50 years.
Transport
Eastham Locks form the western end of the
See also
References
- ^ "Coordinate Distance Calculator". boulter.com. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
- ^ Wirral 2001 Census: Eastham, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, archived from the original on 27 September 2007, retrieved 30 June 2007
- ^ 2001 Census: Eastham (Ward), Office for National Statistics, retrieved 15 April 2008
- ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 1 June 2015.
- ^ Kemble, Mike, The Wirral Hundred, The Wirral Peninsula, archived from the original on 4 July 2007, retrieved 15 April 2008
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b History of Eastham, sunnyfield.co.uk, archived from the original on 5 May 2009, retrieved 15 April 2008
- ^ The English Note-Books of Nathaniel Hawthorne, eldritchpress.org, 1870, retrieved 4 December 2006
Bibliography
- Mortimer, William Williams (1847). The History of the Hundred of Wirral. London: Whittaker & Co. pp219-222.