Churchtown, Merseyside

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Churchtown
Churchtown, Southport.jpg
Bold Arms pub on Botanic Road, looking towards the Hesketh Arms pub and village green
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Churchtown
Location in Southport
Merseyside UK location map.svg
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Churchtown
Location within Merseyside
OS grid reference SD365186
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SOUTHPORT
Postcode district PR9
Dialling code 01704
Police Merseyside
Fire Merseyside
Ambulance North West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Merseyside
53°39′35″N2°58′43″W / 53.6596°N 2.9787°W / 53.6596; -2.9787

Churchtown is a suburb of Southport, Merseyside, England. Historically in Lancashire, it is surrounded by Crossens, High Park and Marshside in the ancient parish of North Meols on the northern fringe of what is now Southport.

Contents

History

In 1575, a shipwreck occurred off the Churchtown coast, the cargo of which contained potatoes, was washed ashore. Subsequently, the village became the first place in England where they were grown. [1]

The Botanic Gardens was at one time the terminus for the Southport tram system, and evidence can be seen in the large turning circle at the front of the gardens. Stocks dating from 1741 can be found adjacent to the church wall on St. Cuthbert's Road close to Botanic Gardens. The centre of the old village retains much of its character from bygone ages - with the green in front of St Cuthbert's Church flanked by the two local pubs - the Bold Arms and the Hesketh Arms. This is covered by a preservation order which covers much of Botanic Road, where some thatched cottages still exist. On one side of the Hesketh Arms is the entrance to Meols Hall, home of the Hesketh family.

Geography

Churchtown is situated in North West England. The closest cities are Preston to the north east and Liverpool to the south. Churchtown is a suburb of Southport which has the nearest town centre.

To the North of Churchtown, is Crossens, which is the most northerly suburb of Southport. To the west of Churchtown is Marshside, to the east High Park, and to the south is the Hesketh Park area.

The village is one of many villages on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, most of the village is only slightly above sea-level just like the nearby village of Banks which means the village can be susceptible to flooding during heavy rainfall. There are embankments to the north of nearby Marshside and there are drainage systems across the area, the closest being the Three Pools Waterway to the East of the village which is controlled by the pumping station at the Banks/ Crossens border.

Education

Churchtown has one primary school (Churchtown Primary School) which is situated on St Cuthbert's Road and access is also available via Botanic Gardens The school is a "community school" (i.e. not a church school) but is closely associated with St Cuthbert's Church. It is among the ten biggest primary schools in the country, with nearly 900 pupils, and was described by OFSTED in February 2010 as "outstanding" (grade 1). In 2017, there was a further short inspection and the school was rated "good" [2]

Religious sites

St Cuthberts Church from the Grave Yard 2008 St Cuthberts Church, Churchtown, April 2008.jpg
St Cuthberts Church from the Grave Yard 2008

The village has four churches

Public Services

Botanic Gardens Cafe Cafe, Botanic Gardens, Churchtown.JPG
Botanic Gardens Cafe

Other amenities in the Churchtown include: Two Bakeries, Subway (Sandwich shop), Garden Centre, Antiques Shops, Two DIY shops, Three Take-Away Shops, Two Florists, Two Furniture Shops, Three Cafes, Printer Shops, Two Beauty Shops and many more smaller shops.

Leisure

Southport Old Links is a golf Course situated to the south of the village.

Transport

Churchtown railway station was a stop on the West Lancashire Railway to Crossens and Preston. The line closed in 1964. The A565 road runs through the north of the village and is considered by some local people to be the boundary of Churchtown and Marshside. There are many bus stops throughout the village and local area which link to all over the Southport area and suburbs, with services extending into Liverpool, West Lancashire, and Preston.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marshside, Merseyside</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hesketh Bank</span> Human settlement in England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Luke's railway station</span> Former railway station in England

St Luke's railway station was a railway station in Southport, Merseyside.

Churchtown railway station was on the West Lancashire Railway (WLR) in England. It opened in 1878 and served the Southport suburb of Churchtown.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southport Botanic Gardens</span>

Southport Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden situated in the suburban village of Churchtown, Southport, in Merseyside, England. It is often called "The Jewel in the Crown" as it is nationally known for its floral displays, which have been featured in the BBC TV program Gardener's World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Cuthbert's Church, Churchtown</span> Church in Merseyside, England

St Cuthbert's Church is an Anglican church in Churchtown, Merseyside, a village that is now a suburb of Southport in the English county of Merseyside. It is an active parish church in the Diocese of Liverpool and the archdeaconry of Warrington. It has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage. Historically, St Cuthbert's was the parish church of the ecclesiastical parish of North Meols and was within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire.

Southport station may refer to:

Churchtown is a district to the north of Southport, Sefton, Merseyside, England. It contains 84 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. Of these, one is listed at Grade II*, the middle of the three grades, and the others are at Grade II, the lowest grade.

References

  1. ↑ Churchtown Village Trail, North Meols Civic Society, archived from the original on 9 May 2008, retrieved 2 April 2008
  2. ↑ https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/2733805/urn/104861.pdf%5B%5D
  3. ↑ The Parish Church of St Cuthbert Southport, accessed 19 August 2021
  4. ↑ Churchtown Village Church, accessed 19 August 2021
  5. ↑ Cornerstone Methodist Church Southport, accessed 19 August 2021
  6. ↑ St Patrick Catholic Church, accessed 19 August 2021
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