Maghull

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Coordinates: 53°31′03″N 2°56′42″W / 53.5174°N 2.9449°W / 53.5174; -2.9449

Maghull
Maghull Central Square.
Maghull  Maghull shown within Merseyside
Population	22,225
OS grid reference	SD373027
Parish	Maghull
Metropolitan borough	Sefton
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LIVERPOOL
Postcode district	L31
Dialling code	0151
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Knowsley North and Sefton East
List of places: UK • England • Merseyside

Maghull is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. It is north of the city of Liverpool and south of Ormskirk in West Lancashire. Maghull over time has merged with the neighbouring village of Lydiate and on the eastern side of the town is the village called Kennessee Green and the village of Moss Side which contains HMP Kennet and Ashworth Hospital.

Maghull had a population of 22,225 at the 2001 census.^[1] It is almost entirely a 20th century settlement of semi-detached and detached housing, serving as a dormitory town for Liverpool.

Historically in Lancashire, the town has had an elected council since the Local Government Act 1894 when the government set up a network of local governance across England. Following the Local Government Act 1974, the council changed its name from a parish to a town council.

History

The building of Maghull has progressed in several stages. The original settlement was probably on a ridge of high ground, that can be most clearly seen at Red Lion Bridge. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal follows it on the plain and the A5147 on the brow.

This ridge marks the edge of the flood plain of the River Alt, providing protection from flooding and access to this fertile pasture of the plain. The name Maghull may have been derived from the Celtic word 'magos', the old Irish 'Magh' and the Old English 'halh', meaning 'flat land in a bend of the river'. Another theorized origin is Anglo-Saxon mægðehalh = "nook of land where mayweed grows".

Timeline

• 1086: The Domesday Survey records Maghull (spelt Magele) as an agricultural settlement of six square miles, with 50 inhabitants.
• about 1100: The first known church was started in Maghull; though rebuilt at least once this chapel still stands, in the churchyard of the Victorian St Andrews and is the oldest ecclesiastical building in Merseyside still in regular use for worship.
• 1774: The Leeds and Liverpool Canal had reached Maghull and provided it with its second connection to Liverpool. The arrival of the canal created new industry in the area, notably quarrying of sandstone and clay extraction. It also bolstered the local hostelry trade.
• 1780: A new Maghull Manor was built near the site of the original. It still stands in the grounds of Maghull Homes with part of the original moat.
• 1801: A census showed that Maghull had grown to a population of 534, with about half the employment being in trade rather than agriculture.
• 1840: By now the agriculture of the area had changed from animal to arable farming.
• 1849: The railway came to Maghull, with a station on the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway.
• 1884: Maghull got a second station, Sefton and Maghull, on the newly built Cheshire Lines Committee Southport & Cheshire Lines Extension Railway to Southport. This connected to the same line into Liverpool as the Ormskirk line, the junction was just after Old Roan station, most of the embankment having been destroyed to make way for the expansion of Switch Island.
• 1888: Maghull Homes was founded for sufferers of epilepsy. The original Manor House forms part of this set of elegant buildings, situated not far from the site of Sefton & Maghull station.
• 1894: Maghull Parish Council formed.
• 1901: Maghull's population stood at 1505, the area was largely rural, and at time of flooding and frosts the inhabitants of Liverpool would travel to Sefton and Maghull railway station to skate on the frozen Sefton Meadow. By 1921 the population had risen to 2037.
• 1927: There was a breach in the canal retaining wall as a result of work to install electricity.
• 1933: Northway (A59 road) was built. This is a wide, and fairly obviously Autobahn inspired 3 lane motor way, which bisects Maghull, taking travelers from Liverpool to Ormskirk off of 'Liverpool Road'. The arrival of Northway triggered an increased rate of expansion in Maghull.
• The 1930s: Park Lane TB sanatorium and a Hospital built to treat shell shock victims were combined to form Ashworth Hospital and 100 patients transferred from Rampton Secure Hospital. It is a secure hospital to this day, holding the likes of Ian Brady and others.
• 1939: The IRA blew up the swing bridge at Green Lane on the canal. The strategic significance of this has never been fully explained.
• 1939-1945: During WWII Maghull did not completely escape bombing - two bombs landed, one adjacent to King George V Playing Fields (on the site of the former Residential Home), and one in Ormonde Drive. It served as a refuge for up to 6000 people a night from the pounding Bootle received. American and Polish army units were stationed in Maghull and it also held several camps for displaced persons.
• 1951: By now Maghull's population had risen to 10,831.
• 1952: Passenger services withdrawn from Sefton & Maghull railway station.
• 1957: The Sisters of Mercy create the school Maricourt High School, all students taught in the convent and the school is a girls only school with just 12 studendts.
• 1961: Maghull's population has expanded to 16,379
• 1971: Population now 22,794, the largest population of any Civil parish in the country.
• 1974: Council changes its name from Parish council to Town council.
• 1982: Old Hall High School, formerly Maghull Grammar is merged with Ormonde Drive High to form Maghull High School, concentrating on Ormonde Drive site.
• 2009: Maghull Town Hall given large extension costing £8.2million, which includes library and sports facilities. Maghull High School given extensive repairs and new buildings.

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Maghull looking toward Leeds from Westway bridge

Transport

Maghull is bisected by the A59 road and is served by Maghull railway station, Merseyrail has also proposed opening a second station Maghull North, along with bus routes to the nearby areas of Kirkby, Southport, Ormskirk and Liverpool city centre with most running past or near Maghull Square. The M57 and M58 motorways start at Switch Island, between Aintree and Maghull. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through the centre of old Maghull.

The Trans Pennine Trail, a long distance footpath from Southport to Hornsea, near Hull skirts Maghull, following the line of the old 'Cheshire Lines' railway.

Notable people

• The Beatles, performed live on several occasions at the Albany Cinema. The site is now supermarket owned by Lidl.
• John Lennon lived at Cedar Grove, Maghull for a short period of time with relatives as a result of family issues*
• Frank Hornby, of Hornby Railways, Dinky Toy and Meccano fame lived in Maghull, first at The Hollies, Station Road, and later at the much larger "Quarry Brook". This house is on Station Road, close to Maghull railway station. It was the first building outside London to be awarded a Blue plaque. He is buried in St. Andrew's churchyard.
• William Vestey of Blue Star Line, had been a previous owner of the building.

Several Liverpool and Everton footballers have lived in the area, notably Ian Callaghan, Duncan Ferguson, Brian Labone, Gordon West, Mick Lyons Joe Parkinson. Roger Hunt, Tommy Wright, Rodger Kenyon, and Ian StJohn

• Mark Hateley footballer and England international lived in Maghull on Shop Lane , spent two spells at Lambshear Lane Primary School. (now Lydiate Primary School).
• Alex Curran Gerrard wife of Liverpool and England Footballer Steven Gerrard, lived most of her life in Maghull and attended Maghull High School.
• Heidi Range, member of the Sugababes, attended Maricourt High School.
• Echo & the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant who grew up in nearby Melling attended Maghull's Deyes High School, as did, several years later, Teardrop Explodes drummer Gary Dwyer, and the original drummer in The Farm, Andy McVan.
• All the original members of the band Apollo 440, either lived or went to school in Maghull - Noko and James Gardner lived in Maghull and attended Old Hall High School (later Maghull High) and brothers Howard Gray and Trevor Gray from Aintree both attended Old Hall High School.
• James Graham, St Helens and GB rugby league player, attended Deyes High School.
• David Price Rugby Union player at Orrell R.U.F.C. attended Maricourt High School
• Michael Hankinson Conductor and Music Advisor to The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra grew up in Maghull attending Maghull Grammar School from 1962 to 1964.
• David Turner, professional harmonica player and now veteran member of Ska super group Bad Manners lived in Maghull from 1975-1984 and attended Woodend Primary School and Ormonde High School.
• Daniel Reilly, one of Britain's youngest failed businessmen.
• Stephen Darby, plays right back for Liverpool Football Club, was brought up in the town and still lives there.

Michael Waywell - professional rugby player with Sale Sharks and a member of England National Academy. Now of Fylde RUFC, lives in Maghull and has done for most of his life. Other connections include:

• Bill Dean, actor who appeared as Harry Cross in the soap Brookside.
• Eddie Hemmings Sky TV Rugby League commentator.
• Isaac Roberts astronomer.
• Rafael Sabatini novelist, lived in Maghull.
• George Holden theologian, who also published the Liverpool Tide Table.
• John Warburton, actor who appeared in Tarzan and the Huntress, was born in Maghull on 18 June 1899.

Sport

The town has reasonable facilities for sport with bowls and tennis next to the town hall and Maghull Football and Cricket Clubs playing at Old Hall Field.

Maghull Cricket Club^[2] were founded in 1926 and after playing friendly cricket for the 50 years of their existence started playing league cricket in the 1970s. After moving through various junior leagues, they joined the Liverpool and District Competition in 1999. The 1st XI gained promotion to the ECB Premier League in 2001 before being relegated in 2004. In 2005, they won the First Division title for the 2nd time and rejoined the Premier league in 2006. Despite brave resistance, they were relegated in 2008. The 1st XI captain is currently Ryan Swiers. The 2nd XI plays in the 2nd XI First Division and is captained by Liam Gibbons. The club has a 3rd and 4th XI, with Mike Cummins Snr in charge of the 3rds and James Gillin responsible for the 4th team. In 2007 the 3rd XI won the 3rd XI First Division championship, and plays in the 3rd XI Premier Division. In 2005, the club entered a team in the Sunday 3rd XI First Division Competition, called the 5th XI. This team is captained by the irrepressible Neil Dutton.

Maghull Football Club joined the Lancashire Combination in 1972. In the 1978-79 season they joined Cheshire County League as founder members of Division Two, while they were founder members of North West Counties League in 1982-83. In 1992-93 they were North West Counties League Division Two Champions but were not promoted due to ground gradings. They left to join the West Cheshire League in 1999-00.^[3]

References

External links

• Ancient Chapel of Maghull Trust
• Leeds Liverpool Canal in Maghull
• http://website.lineone.net/~davidtin/History/maghull_history.htm
• Town Council
• Maghull chapel
• Maghull Champion
• Cheshire Lines Gym Health & Fitness Centre
• Maghull Local Monthly Business Directory
• Champion Charity Carnival
• http://www.toyman.co.za/history/hornby.html
• Maghull station timetable from National Rail's Live Departure Boards
• Maghull Baptist Church, 1947-Present
• Maghull St Peter (C of E) Church, 1953-Present
• Maghull St James (C of E) Church, 1975-Present
• Maghull Community Association FC
• Hudson Primary School and Children's Centre

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