Woolton
Encyclopedia
Woolton is a suburb of Liverpool
, Merseyside
, England
and a Liverpool City Council
Ward. It is located at the south of the city, bordered by Gateacre
, Hunts Cross
, Allerton
and Halewood
. At the 2001 Census
the population was recorded as 14,836.
, with the name translating as "farm of Wulfa".
Shortly after the Domesday survey, which was completed in 1086, Woolton became part of the Barony of Halton and Widnes. In 1189, a charge was granted by John, Constable of Chester, to the order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem
, a religious order who protected the routes for Christians who were on a pilgrimage to The Holy Land. These Knights Hospitallers held land in Woolton for over 350 years, until it was confiscated from them in 1559 by Queen Elizabeth I
. The manorial rights to Woolton passed from Queen Elizabeth to James I
who sold them to William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
. Woolton then passed to Isaac Green, and through his daughter to her son Bamber Gascoyne
of Childwall (MP for Liverpool 1780-96 and an ancestor of Bamber Gascoigne
who hosted University Challenge
for many years), and is presently owned by the Marquis of Salisbury
.
Public houses in the area include The White Horse and the recently re-opened The Elephant. Also of note are the Victorian
swimming baths building, and the public library converted from a methodist chapel.
Many Beatles landmarks can be found in Woolton, including 'Mendips' (Lennon's childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue
) and Strawberry Field
. Another one of Woolton's claims to fame is that John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
first met at St. Peter's garden fete on 6 July 1957.
.
Churches. St. Peter's Church of England
is located opposite its church hall. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church is found about fifty yards down Church Road and along a driveway around 150 yards south-west of St. Peters.
Bob Paisley
, the legendary Liverpool F.C.
manager from 1974 to 1983, was buried in the churchyard of St Peter's after his death in February 1996.
Finally St. James's Methodist is found on Church Road South, facing its Church Hall. The old congregational church is now a nursing home at the junction of Quarry St South and High St.
is the nearest railway station on the southern boundary of Woolton, with local services on the southern route of the Manchester to Liverpool line between Liverpool Lime Street
and Manchester Oxford Road
, and also Merseyrail
's Northern Line
to Liverpool Central
and Southport
. Liverpool South Parkway
, one and a half miles to the west of Woolton, serves the same lines in addition to Crewe
and Birmingham
stopping services.
Bus services provide connections with Liverpool John Lennon Airport
, the city centre, neighbouring districts and the broader Liverpool area.
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...
, 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...
and a Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council
Liverpool City Council is the governing body for the city of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It consists of 90 councillors, three for each of the city's 30 wards. The council is currently controlled by the Labour Party and is led by Joe Anderson.-Domain:...
Ward. It is located at the south of the city, bordered by Gateacre
Gateacre
Gateacre is a district of Liverpool, England, located approximately from the city centre. It is bordered by Childwall, Woolton and Belle Vale...
, Hunts Cross
Hunts Cross
Hunt's Cross is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located on the southern edge of the city, bordered by Woolton, Allerton, Speke and Halewood.-History:...
, Allerton
Allerton, Merseyside
Allerton is a suburb of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England. It is located southeast of Liverpool city centre, bordered by Mossley Hill, Woolton, Hunts Cross and Garston....
and Halewood
Halewood
Halewood is in Merseyside, England and is located in the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley. The district lies near Liverpool's southeastern boundary, bordered by the suburbs of Hunts Cross and Woolton....
. At 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 population was recorded as 14,836.
History
Originally a separate village, it was incorporated into the City of Liverpool in 1913. The area was referred to as Uluentune 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...
, with the name translating as "farm of Wulfa".
Shortly after the Domesday survey, which was completed in 1086, Woolton became part of the Barony of Halton and Widnes. In 1189, a charge was granted by John, Constable of Chester, to the order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
, a religious order who protected the routes for Christians who were on a pilgrimage to The Holy Land. These Knights Hospitallers held land in Woolton for over 350 years, until it was confiscated from them in 1559 by Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. The manorial rights to Woolton passed from Queen Elizabeth to James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
who sold them to William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby was an English nobleman. Stanley inherited a prominent social position that was both dangerous and unstable, as his mother was heir to Queen Elizabeth I under the Third Succession Act, a position that fell to his deceased brother's oldest daughter in 1596,...
. Woolton then passed to Isaac Green, and through his daughter to her son Bamber Gascoyne
Bamber Gascoyne (Junior)
Bamber Gascoyne of Childwell Hall, Lancashire was an eighteenth-century British politician. He was an ancestor of two British Prime Ministers, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury and Arthur Balfour....
of Childwall (MP for Liverpool 1780-96 and an ancestor of Bamber Gascoigne
Bamber Gascoigne
Bamber Gascoigne, FRSL is a British television presenter and author, most known for being the original quizmaster on University Challenge.-Biography:...
who hosted University Challenge
University Challenge
University Challenge is a British quiz programme that has aired since 1962. The format is based on the American show College Bowl, which ran on NBC radio from 1953 to 1957, and on NBC television from 1959 to 1970....
for many years), and is presently owned by the Marquis of Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 6th Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Edward Peter Gascoyne-Cecil, 6th Marquess of Salisbury , styled Viscount Cranborne from 1947 to 1972, was a British landowner and Conservative politician....
.
Description
Woolton is a prestigious middle class suburb. Housing is primarily semi-detached and detached, although some well-preserved terraces survive in Woolton Village.Public houses in the area include The White Horse and the recently re-opened The Elephant. Also of note are the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
swimming baths building, and the public library converted from a methodist chapel.
Many Beatles landmarks can be found in Woolton, including 'Mendips' (Lennon's childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue
251 Menlove Avenue
251 Menlove Avenue, named "Mendips", was the childhood home of John Lennon, singer and songwriter with the Beatles, and is now preserved by the National Trust....
) and Strawberry Field
Strawberry Field
Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army children's home in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England.The earliest reference to 'Strawberry Field' dates from 1870. In 1912 it was transferred to a wealthy merchant whose widow sold the estate to the Salvation Army in 1934. It opened on 7 July 1936...
. Another one of Woolton's claims to fame is that John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir 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...
first met at St. Peter's garden fete on 6 July 1957.
Government
The elected councillors for Woolton are Cllrs Malcolm Kelly, Barbara Collinge and Barbara Mace - all Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
.
Places of worship
Woolton features three ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Churches. St. Peter's Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
is located opposite its church hall. St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church is found about fifty yards down Church Road and along a driveway around 150 yards south-west of St. Peters.
Bob Paisley
Bob Paisley
Robert "Bob" Paisley OBE was an English football half back turned manager. His association with Liverpool was to span nearly half a century including his contribution to the club, first as a player, then as a physiotherapist and coach, and finally as manager.In nine years as manager between 1974...
, the legendary Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
manager from 1974 to 1983, was buried in the churchyard of St Peter's after his death in February 1996.
Finally St. James's Methodist is found on Church Road South, facing its Church Hall. The old congregational church is now a nursing home at the junction of Quarry St South and High St.
Landmarks
- Mendips (251 Menlove Avenue)251 Menlove Avenue251 Menlove Avenue, named "Mendips", was the childhood home of John Lennon, singer and songwriter with the Beatles, and is now preserved by the National Trust....
- St. Peter's Church, Woolton, LiverpoolSt. Peter's Church, Woolton, LiverpoolSt. Peter's Church in Woolton, Liverpool, England opened in 1887 with the neo-Gothic building replacing an earlier church on the site. It is one of the larger parish churches in Liverpool...
- Strawberry FieldStrawberry FieldStrawberry Field was a Salvation Army children's home in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England.The earliest reference to 'Strawberry Field' dates from 1870. In 1912 it was transferred to a wealthy merchant whose widow sold the estate to the Salvation Army in 1934. It opened on 7 July 1936...
- Woolton HallWoolton HallWoolton Hall, Woolton, England was built in 1704 for the Molyneuxs. In 1772, Robert Adam was employed to design a new frontage and redesign the interior. The hall is a grade I listed building....
- Woolton Picture HouseWoolton Picture HouseWoolton Picture House is a privately owned cinema in the Woolton area of Liverpool, England.It was purchased in 1992 by David Wood, the grandson of Liverpool cinema pioneer John Frederick Wood. Until September 2006 it was the only remaining single-screen cinema in the city, and was popular with...
- Woolton Woods and CamphillWoolton Woods and CamphillWoolton Woods and Camp Hill is a wooded park in the Woolton suburb of Liverpool in England. It is adjacent to St Julie's Catholic High School and Woolton High Street. Woolton Woods formed part of the estate of Woolton Hall, but was acquired by the city of Liverpool in the 1920s.From 150 BC an Iron...
Transport
Hunts Cross StationHunts Cross railway station
Hunts Cross railway station is a Grade II listed railway station in Hunts Cross, Liverpool, England. It is situated on the southern branch of the City Line's Liverpool to Manchester route, and is the southern terminus of Merseyrail's Northern Line.-History:...
is the nearest railway station on the southern boundary of Woolton, with local services on the southern route of the Manchester to Liverpool line between Liverpool Lime Street
Liverpool Lime Street railway station
Liverpool Lime Street is a railway station serving the city centre of Liverpool, England. The station lies on a branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston, and on the Wirral Line of the Merseyrail network...
and Manchester Oxford Road
Manchester Oxford Road railway station
Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station is a railway station in the city of Manchester, England. The station is located at the junction of Whitworth Street West and Oxford Street, on an elevated line between Deansgate and Piccadilly stations....
, and also Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
's Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
to Liverpool Central
Liverpool Central railway station
Liverpool Central railway station is a railway station in Liverpool, England, and forms the central hub of the Merseyrail network, being on both the Northern Line and the Wirral Line. In the years 2008/09, Liverpool Central station was shown to be the busiest station in Liverpool, despite being...
and Southport
Southport railway station
Southport railway station serves the town of Southport, Merseyside, England. It is at the end of one of the branches of the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, and at the end of the Manchester-Southport Line which runs via Wigan...
. Liverpool South Parkway
Liverpool South Parkway railway station
Liverpool South Parkway station is a railway station and bus interchange in the Garston district of Liverpool, England. It serves, via a bus link, Liverpool John Lennon Airport in the neighbouring suburb of Speke....
, one and a half miles to the west of Woolton, serves the same lines in addition to Crewe
Crewe railway station
Crewe railway station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Built in fields near to Crewe Hall, it originally served the village of Crewe with a population of just 70 residents...
and Birmingham
Birmingham New Street Station
Birmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
stopping services.
Bus services provide connections with Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport serving the city of Liverpool and the North West of England. Formerly known as Speke Airport, RAF Speke, and Liverpool Airport the airport is located within the City of Liverpool adjacent to the estuary of the River Mersey some southeast...
, the city centre, neighbouring districts and the broader Liverpool area.
Notable residents
- John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, composer/musician/activist and co-founder of The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. - Fábio AurélioFábio AurélioFábio Aurélio Rodrigues is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Liverpool of the Premier League, having previously played for São Paulo and Valencia. He plays as either a left back or left winger and has represented Brazil at Under-17 and Under-20 levels and at the 2000 Sydney Olympics...
, footballer with Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... - Malandra BurrowsMalandra BurrowsMalandra Elizabeth Burrows is an English actress and singer.-Early life:Burrows' first name, Malandra, is a portmanteau of her parents' names, Malcolm and Sandra. Her mother encouraged her at an early age to begin dancing; she initially trained under Billy Pearce's mother Jean...
, former EmmerdaleEmmerdaleEmmerdale, is a long-running British soap opera set in Emmerdale , a fictional village in the Yorkshire Dales. Created by Kevin Laffan, Emmerdale was first broadcast on 16 October 1972...
actress and singer. - Simon O'Brien former BrooksideBrooksideBrookside is a defunct British soap opera set in Liverpool, England. The series began on the launch night of Channel 4 on 2 November 1982, and ran for 21 years until 4 November 2003...
actor. - Dirk KuytDirk KuytDirk Kuyt is a Dutch footballer who plays for English club Liverpool. He started his career as a striker, but he has been converted into a winger and plays the position for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team....
, footballer, also with Liverpool F.C. - Pepe Reina, footballer, Liverpool F.C.
- Fernando TorresFernando TorresFernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker....
, footballer, footballer, Liverpool F.C. - Ernest Wright AlexanderErnest Wright AlexanderMajor General Ernest Wright Alexander VC CB CMG was by birth an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:Alexander was 43 years old, and a major in the...
, World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
recipient of the Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. The house in which he was born, "The Hayes", has been demolished. - Steve BrooksteinSteve BrooksteinSteve Brookstein is an English jazz and soul singer, who rose to fame in the UK in 2004 after winning the first series of The X Factor...
, X Factor winner. - Lucas Pezzini Leiva, footballer, Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
- Jon LolisJon LolisJon Lolis is an Albanian/Greek actor who is most noted for his role of Aleksander Malota in British Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks. He played the estranged husband of Jacqui McQueen who fell in love with her younger sister Carmel....
, former HollyoaksHollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
actor. - Ryan BabelRyan BabelRyan Guno Babel is a Dutch football player who currently plays for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. He can play as a left winger and as a striker. Babel began his career at AFC Ajax in 1998, working his way up through the youth team and into the senior squad...
, footballer, Liverpool F.C. - Steven PienaarSteven PienaarSteven Jerome Pienaar is a South African footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can play on either the right or left wing and is also a member of the South African national team. Pienaar has previously played for Ajax Cape Town, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Everton...
, footballer, Everton F.C.Everton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... - Martin ŠkrtelMartin ŠkrtelMartin Škrtel is a Slovak footballer who plays in defence for Liverpool and the Slovakia national football team.-Biography:Škrtel was born in Handlová and raised in Ráztočno and began playing football at the age of six...
, footballer, Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... - Sammy LeeSammy Lee (footballer)Samuel "Sammy" Lee is an English football coach and former player. He played most of his career for hometown club Liverpool during the 1970s and 1980s as a midfielder, and also represented England fourteen times....
, former football player and manager, LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....