Heswall
Encyclopedia
Heswall is a town in Wirral
, in the county of Merseyside
, England
. Administratively, it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
. At the time of the 2001 Census
, the total population of the ward was 16,012 (male: 7,474; female: 8,538), which included the nearby villages of Barnston
and Gayton
. The population of the town of Heswall itself was 7,750.
Before local government reorganisation
on 1 April 1974 it was part of the county of Cheshire
.
, with views across the river to North Wales
, Heswall is about 20 minutes' drive from the Roman city of Chester
and about 20 minutes' drive from Liverpool
. The spires of Liverpool's cathedrals can be seen on the horizon from high ground.
as Eswelle and owned by Robert de Rodelent, who also owned much of the land on the eastern side of the River Dee. In 1277, it became the property of Patrick de Haselwall, who was Sheriff of Cheshire.
In 1801, the population was recorded as 168. By the census in 1841, it had only grown to 398. Prior to 1897 it was known as Hestlewelle or Hesselwelle. Its growth was started by wealthy merchants from Liverpool who had originally chosen it as a retreat but the arrival of two railway connections allowed them to commute. One line is the Borderlands Line
from Wrexham Central
to Bidston
which opened in 1896. This line is still active and has Heswall railway station
on the eastern edge of the town. The station was formerly called Heswall Hills to distinguish it from the older, now demolished, Heswall Station. The old station was in Station Road in the Lower Village on another line from West Kirby
to Hooton
. This opened in 1886 but the line closed to passengers in 1956. The track of the old railway became a footpath, the Wirral Way
.
The Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital originally opened in Heswall as Liverpool Country Hospital for Children in 1909. It stood on the opposite side of Telegraph Road from the 'Puddydale', it had a tall square clock tower and extensive grounds with views over the Dee estuary. The hospital closed in 1985 and the site is now occupied by a Tesco
supermarket.
In 2001 Heswall was listed as being the 7th richest neighborhood in the UK, with an average household income of £46 600
There are several areas of open space. The largest is the Dales
, an area of dry, sandy heathland overlooking the River Dee. It has the status of both Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI) and Local Nature Reserve
(LNR). Within this SSSI lies 'the Dungeon', a small river valley cut into the hillside. A path connects the Dales to the Wirral Way and the coast. Other open areas also overlooking the Dee are the Beacons, and Poll Hill, which is the highest point on the Wirral Peninsula.
The large grass area near the centre of town is known as the 'Puddydale'. In former years, Heswall County Primary School was situated on the eastern edge of the field, but has since been demolished. The school was rebuilt on the corner of Whitfield lane and Downham Road North where it is still in use.
Wirral
Wirral may refer to:* Wirral Peninsula, a peninsula in the northwest of England, between the rivers Dee and Mersey* Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, occupying the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula...
, in the county of Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Administratively, it is a ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
. At the time of the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, the total population of the ward was 16,012 (male: 7,474; female: 8,538), which included the nearby villages of Barnston
Barnston, Merseyside
Barnston is a village on the Wirral Peninsula, England, situated to the north east of Heswall.Administratively, the village is located in the Pensby & Thingwall Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West...
and Gayton
Gayton, Merseyside
Gayton is a village in Wirral, Merseyside, England, located between Heswall and Parkgate. It is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and is situated in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral South...
. The population of the town of Heswall itself was 7,750.
Before local government reorganisation
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
on 1 April 1974 it was part of the county of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
.
Geography
Located on the eastern side of the Dee EstuaryRiver Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
, with views across the river to North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, Heswall is about 20 minutes' drive from the Roman city of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
and about 20 minutes' drive from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The spires of Liverpool's cathedrals can be seen on the horizon from high ground.
History
Heswall was recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as Eswelle and owned by Robert de Rodelent, who also owned much of the land on the eastern side of the River Dee. In 1277, it became the property of Patrick de Haselwall, who was Sheriff of Cheshire.
In 1801, the population was recorded as 168. By the census in 1841, it had only grown to 398. Prior to 1897 it was known as Hestlewelle or Hesselwelle. Its growth was started by wealthy merchants from Liverpool who had originally chosen it as a retreat but the arrival of two railway connections allowed them to commute. One line is the Borderlands Line
Borderlands Line
The Borderlands Line is the railway line between Wrexham, Wales, and Bidston, Wirral, England.Passenger train services are operated by Arriva Trains Wales between Wrexham Central and Bidston. Trains run every hour Monday to Saturday daytime, every two hours after 18:45 and on Sundays...
from Wrexham Central
Wrexham Central railway station
Wrexham Central railway station is the smaller of two main railway stations serving the central area of Wrexham in Wales. The platform can accommodate a three car diesel train, but has room for platform extension...
to Bidston
Bidston railway station
Bidston railway station is a railway station in Bidston, Birkenhead, on the Wirral, England. It is situated at the junction of the West Kirby branch of the Wirral Line with the Borderlands Line from Wrexham Central .-History:The station was originally built by the Hoylake Railway in 1866 as an...
which opened in 1896. This line is still active and has Heswall railway station
Heswall railway station
Heswall railway station is a railway station located on the eastern edge of the town of Heswall on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It is situated on the Borderlands Line. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Arriva Trains Wales...
on the eastern edge of the town. The station was formerly called Heswall Hills to distinguish it from the older, now demolished, Heswall Station. The old station was in Station Road in the Lower Village on another line from West Kirby
West Kirby
West Kirby is a town on the north-west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, England, at the mouth of the River Dee across from the Point of Ayr in North Wales. To the north-east of the town lies Hoylake, with the suburbs of Grange and Newton to the east, and the village of Caldy to the...
to Hooton
Hooton, Cheshire
Hooton is a village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England in the south of the Wirral Peninsula near Ellesmere Port.- History :...
. This opened in 1886 but the line closed to passengers in 1956. The track of the old railway became a footpath, the Wirral Way
Wirral Country Park
The Wirral Country Park is a country park on the Wirral Peninsula, England, lying both in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and the county of Cheshire...
.
The Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital originally opened in Heswall as Liverpool Country Hospital for Children in 1909. It stood on the opposite side of Telegraph Road from the 'Puddydale', it had a tall square clock tower and extensive grounds with views over the Dee estuary. The hospital closed in 1985 and the site is now occupied by a Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket.
In 2001 Heswall was listed as being the 7th richest neighborhood in the UK, with an average household income of £46 600
Open spaces
Heswall Dales
Heswall Dales is an area of some of lowland heath situated close to Heswall on the Wirral Peninsula, England.It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Local Nature Reserve . Heswall Dales offers views of the Dee Estuary and over the River Dee the Clwydian Hills of Wales.-External links:* *...
, an area of dry, sandy heathland overlooking the River Dee. It has the status of both Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(SSSI) and Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve
Local nature reserve or LNR is a designation for nature reserves in the United Kingdom. The designation has its origin in the recommendations of the Wild Life Conservation Special Committee which established the framework for nature conservation in the United Kingdom and suggested a national suite...
(LNR). Within this SSSI lies 'the Dungeon', a small river valley cut into the hillside. A path connects the Dales to the Wirral Way and the coast. Other open areas also overlooking the Dee are the Beacons, and Poll Hill, which is the highest point on the Wirral Peninsula.
The large grass area near the centre of town is known as the 'Puddydale'. In former years, Heswall County Primary School was situated on the eastern edge of the field, but has since been demolished. The school was rebuilt on the corner of Whitfield lane and Downham Road North where it is still in use.
Rail
| Station | Operator | Route | Days of operation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heswall Heswall railway station Heswall railway station is a railway station located on the eastern edge of the town of Heswall on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It is situated on the Borderlands Line. The station and all trains serving it are operated by Arriva Trains Wales... |
Arriva Trains Wales Arriva Trains Wales Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches... |
Borderlands Line Borderlands Line The Borderlands Line is the railway line between Wrexham, Wales, and Bidston, Wirral, England.Passenger train services are operated by Arriva Trains Wales between Wrexham Central and Bidston. Trains run every hour Monday to Saturday daytime, every two hours after 18:45 and on Sundays... (Bidston-Wrexham Central) |
Monday-Sunday |
Bus
Services operating in the Heswall area, as of October 2011:| Number | Route | Operator | Days of operation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22/24 | West Kirby-Chester | Avon Buses Avon Buses Avon Buses is the third largest bus operating company on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Based in Prenton, Merseyside, the company has an all-single deck fleet of about 38 vehicles as of May 2011, most of them low-floor.-History:... |
Monday-Saturday |
| 71/72 | Heswall-Liverpool | First Chester & The Wirral First Chester & The Wirral First Chester & Wirral is a division of bus operator First Manchester Ltd., running local bus services in and around Chester and the Wirral, north west England. The company is a subsidiary of FirstGroup plc, the largest bus operator in Britain.... |
Monday-Sunday |
| 77 | Woodside-West Kirby | Avon Buses Avon Buses Avon Buses is the third largest bus operating company on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Based in Prenton, Merseyside, the company has an all-single deck fleet of about 38 vehicles as of May 2011, most of them low-floor.-History:... |
Monday-Saturday |
| 85 | Heswall-Mill Park | Avon Buses Avon Buses Avon Buses is the third largest bus operating company on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Based in Prenton, Merseyside, the company has an all-single deck fleet of about 38 vehicles as of May 2011, most of them low-floor.-History:... |
Monday-Saturday |
| 86/87 | Eastham Ferry-Leasowe | Avon Buses Avon Buses Avon Buses is the third largest bus operating company on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Based in Prenton, Merseyside, the company has an all-single deck fleet of about 38 vehicles as of May 2011, most of them low-floor.-History:... |
Evenings and Sundays |
| 113 | Heswall-New Ferry | Avon Buses Avon Buses Avon Buses is the third largest bus operating company on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Based in Prenton, Merseyside, the company has an all-single deck fleet of about 38 vehicles as of May 2011, most of them low-floor.-History:... |
Monday-Saturday evenings |
| 166/167 | Heswall Shore-Heswall | A2B Travel | Monday-Saturday |
| 171 | Heswall-Birkenhead | A2B Travel | Sunday evenings |
| 172 | Heswall-Birkenhead | Avon Buses Avon Buses Avon Buses is the third largest bus operating company on the Wirral Peninsula, England. Based in Prenton, Merseyside, the company has an all-single deck fleet of about 38 vehicles as of May 2011, most of them low-floor.-History:... (Mon-Sat) and A2B Travel (Sun) |
Monday-Saturday mornings and Sunday evening |
| 174 | Heswall-Lower Village | A2B Travel | Monday-Saturday |
| 175 | Heswall-Irby | Eazibus (M-F) and A2B Travel (Sat) | Monday-Saturday |
| 272/273 | Hooton/Neston-Arrowe Park Hospital | Helms Coaches (Mon-Sat daytime) and Eazibus (evenings and Sundays) | Monday-Sunday |
| 472 | Barnston/Heswall-Liverpool | Arriva North West Arriva North West Arriva North West is a division of Arriva that operates bus services around North West England. It consists of two companies: Arriva North West Ltd and Arriva Merseyside Ltd.... |
Monday-Saturday |
Births
- Ian AstburyIan AstburyIan Astbury is an English rock musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist for the rock band, The Cult.-Pre-Cult:...
, vocalist for rock band The CultThe CultThe Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
. - Ian BothamIan BothamSir Ian Terence Botham OBE is a former England Test cricketer and Test team captain, and current cricket commentator. He was a genuine all-rounder with 14 centuries and 383 wickets in Test cricket, and remains well-known by his nickname "Beefy"...
, retired English cricketerCricketerA cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
. - Jim BowenJim BowenJim Bowen is an English stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV gameshow Bullseye, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.-Early life:...
, comedian and former presenter of darts game show BullseyeBullseye (UK game show)Bullseye was a popular British television programme. It was first made for the ITV network by ATV in 1981 and Central from 1982 until 1995, and hosted by Jim Bowen. The show originally aired on Monday nights from 1981, it was then moved to Sunday nights from 1982 to 1993 where it was watched by...
. - Paul BracewellPaul BracewellPaul Bracewell , in Heswall, Merseyside), but was brought up in Newport, Shropshire, is an English former international footballer who played as a midfielder, although his career was hampered by injuries as the years went by.-Career:...
, a football midfielder who played for Stoke City, Sunderland, Everton, Newcastle United, Fulham and England. - Christian FurrChristian FurrChristian Furr is an English painter. He was, at the age of 28, the youngest artist to officially paint Queen Elizabeth II.He was born in Heswall, Wirral, England....
, the youngest artist to have officially painted Queen Elizabeth II. - Andy McCluskeyAndy McCluskeyGeorge Andrew "Andy" McCluskey is the lead singer, bass guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark ....
, Lead singer of eighties pop band 'Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark' and founder of Atomic KittenAtomic KittenAtomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost... - Scott MintoScott MintoScott Christopher Minto is an English former footballer who played as a left back in the Football League and the Premier League for Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, West Ham United and Rotherham United, and for Benfica in Portugal...
, retired footballer. - Philly MorrisPhilly MorrisPhilly Morris is a leading campaigner for testicular cancer awareness for young men in the UK.- Testicular cancer awareness :...
, cancer survivor and founder of checkemlads.com testicular cancerTesticular cancerTesticular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
charity. - John PeelJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, the late BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
disc jockeyDisc jockeyA disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, radio presenter and music journalist. - Anne Thelwell, won Miss United Kingdom in 1959.
- John WilliamsJohn Williams (motorcyclist)John Williams was a Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. His best season was in 1975 when he finished in fifth place in the 500 cc world championship on a Yamaha motorcycle. Williams won his only world championship race in 1976 at the 500 cc Belgian Grand Prix...
, a former Grand PrixGrand Prix motorcycle racingRoad Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
rider. - Dougal WilsonDougal WilsonDougal Wilson is a director of commercials and music videos.Wilson was born in Heswall, England. After studying astrophysics at Durham University, he worked as a copywriter at the Leith advertising agency in Edinburgh before moving to London to pursue a career as a director.His music videos...
, (born 1971) is a notable director of commercials and music videos. - Ian WoanIan WoanIan Woan is an English former professional footballer and current assistant manager at Watford. He played as a midfielder from 1985 until 2004, starting in non-league football. Signed by Nottingham Forest in 1990, he played for the club for 10 years, including a spell in the Premier League...
, a football winger best known for his playing years at Nottingham Forest.
Resident connections
- Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
spent two years in Heswall's Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital when he contracted chronic pleurisyPleurisyPleurisy is an inflammation of the pleura, the lining of the pleural cavity surrounding the lungs. Among other things, infections are the most common cause of pleurisy....
as a child. - In 1964, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
bought "Rembrandt"; a detached mock-Tudor house in Baskervyle Road, Heswall, for his father, Jim McCartneyJim and Mary McCartneyJames "Jim" McCartney and Mary Patricia McCartney were the parents of musician, author and artist Paul McCartney of The Beatles and Wings, and photographer and musician Mike McCartney, who worked with The Scaffold.Like many families in Liverpool, the McCartney and Mohin families are of...
, which cost £8,750. Jim later moved to a bungalow nearby, and lived there until his death on 18 March 1976.