Barnston, Merseyside

Barnston
Village
The churchyard of Christchurch, during winter 2006
Barnston Location within Merseyside
Population	947 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	SJ284835
• London	178 mi (286 km)[1] SE
Metropolitan borough	Wirral
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WIRRAL
Postcode district	CH61
Dialling code	0151
ISO 3166 code	GB-WRL
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Wirral South

Barnston is a village and former civil parish in the Wirral district, in the county of Merseyside, England, situated on the Wirral Peninsula to the north east of Heswall. The village is in the Pensby & Thingwall Ward and the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. At the 2001 Census, Barnston had a population of 3,620 (1,700 males, 1,920 females)^[2] At the 2011 Census, the population was 947 (501 males, 441 females).^[3]

History

Barnston is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Bernestone and comprised two mills, a manor house and a hospital.^[4] It was part of the Wirral Hundred.

Barnston was formerly a township in the parish of Woodchurch,^[5] from 1866 Barnston was a civil parish in its own right,^[6] on 1 April 1974 the parish was abolished.^[7] The civil parish's population was 129 in 1801, 239 in 1851, 522 in 1901 and 2578 in 1951.^[8][9]

On 24 March 1962, The Beatles performed at the Barnston Women's Institute. It is noted that this was the first time that Brian Epstein put The Beatles into suits for their performances. John Lennon regarded this as the first, and perhaps the ultimate, sellout of their career. The Beatles played here again on Saturday 30 June and Tuesday 25 September 1962.^[10][11][12]

On 1 April 1974, local government reorganisation in England and Wales resulted in most of Wirral, including Barnston, being transferred from the county of Cheshire to Merseyside.

Geography

Barnston is in the central part of the Wirral Peninsula, approximately 8.5 km (5.3 mi) south-south-east of the Irish Sea at Meols, about 3 km (1.9 mi) east-north-east of the Dee Estuary at Heswall and 6 km (3.7 mi) west-south-west of the River Mersey at New Ferry. Barnston is situated between Poll Hill in Heswall and Storeton Hill, with the village at an elevation of around 67 m (220 ft) above sea level.^[13]

Community

Village landmarks include Christchurch parish church, which was opened in 1871,^[14][15] a primary school^[16][17] and the Fox & Hounds public house.^[18][19]

The Barnstondale Centre, originally Scott's Field and known locally as 'The Camp', is set on a 15-acre (6.1 ha) site which includes woodland.^[20] It is an all-weather activity centre and charitable trust.^[21]

Transport

Rail

Heswall railway station on the Borderlands Line is located approximately 1.1 miles (1.8 km) from Barnston and provides services between Wrexham and Bidston.

People

• E. Chambré Hardman, Irish photographer, lived in Barnston.
• Septimus Francom, English athlete, died in Barnston.
• Leslie Williams, English Anglican priest, incumbent in Barnston.

See also

• Listed buildings in Heswall

References

1. "Coordinate Distance Calculator". boulter.com. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
2. Wirral 2001 Census: Barnston, Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, retrieved 5 September 2007^{[permanent dead link‍]}
3. "Patish population 2011". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
4. Cheshire (A-K): Barnston, Domesday Book Online, retrieved 5 September 2007
5. "History of Barnston, in Wirral and Cheshire". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
6. "Relationships and changes Barnston Tn/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
7. "Wirral Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
8. Cheshire Towns & Parishes: Barnston, GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy, archived from the original on 16 March 2007, retrieved 7 March 2007
9. "Population statistics Barnston Tn/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
10. March 24, retrieved 24 January 2009
11. The Venues, archived from the original on 3 March 2016, retrieved 24 January 2009
12. Beatles history – 1962, retrieved 24 January 2009
13. "SRTM & Ordnance Survey Elevation Data in PHP". Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
14. "CHURCH". barnstonvillage.info. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
15. "Wirral Historic Settlement Study" (PDF). Merseyside Historic Characterisation Project. December 2011. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
16. "BARNSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL (history)". barnstonvillage.info. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
17. "About Us". Barnston Primary School. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
18. "FOX & HOUNDS". barnstonvillage.info. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
19. "History of The Fox and Hounds". The Fox & Hounds. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
20. "History". Barnstondale. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
21. Millington, Colin, Barnston Village: Camp, retrieved 5 September 2007

Bibliography

• Mortimer, William Williams (1847). The History of the Hundred of Wirral. London: Whittaker & Co. pp284-285.

External links

• Barnston Village
• Barnstondale Centre
• Barnston in the Domesday Book