Cheshire, England

Ellesmere Port In Five Minutes

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Take a tour of the town built on the opulence of a canal.

Essentially an industrial town, people say that Ellesmere Port didn’t exist before the 18the century. Whether it existed or not, we managed to scrape up the history of the Before Times, talk you through the best bits of Ellesmere Port, and even fill you in on where to eat, drink, shop, or party. Is Elsmere Port your home town or do you need the Ellesmere Port travel guide to spy out a suitable city break stay? Keep reading and we will try to answer some of your Cheshire West questions.

What is Ellesmere Port Famous For?

Ellesmere grew up as a major industrial town. It has been famous for its chemical production, a large service industry, oil refineries, chemical plants, and car manufacturing. This was due to Thomas Telford and William Jessop, who built a canal system to connect the Mersey, the Severn, and the Dee.

The Early History

Ellesmere Port has had many names over the years, but we will get to that. The first thing we want to talk about with regards the history of this area, is the tribe that once ruled here. Before the Romans ever came to these shores and began recording history, we had a land divided by tribes. While the Brigantes tribe governed a large portion of the north of England, their border ended just to the north of the Cheshire and Midlands areas. Instead, the Iron Age and Pre-Roman tribe here was the Celtic Cornovii people. Their lands spanned from Northern Hereford right up to Cheshire, Western Staffordshire, and Eastern Clwyd. This tribe had their main settlement in Wrekin, where there is a hill fort which would have been their defensive structure. The tribe were recognised in Ptolemy’s maps when the Romans did arrive in the early centuries AD.

Iron Age coins of Elagabalus have shown up in Ellesmere Port, with recorded finds at Ince Marshes, too. Discoveries from this area date to the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Period, Medieval, and Post-Medieval eras.

After that, the town still didn’t officially exist. Instead, the village growing up in the area took the name of Netherpool. Between the village and the other nearby smaller settlements, the village which did grow into Ellesmere Port contained multiple areas. This is why the town has had many names in the past. As well as that small village of Netherpool, settlements before Ellesmere Port included Eastham, Great Sutton, Little Sutton, and Hooton. This has led to mass confusion over the years about the entries it has in the Domesday Survey.

There are those who say it is part of Eastham, those who say Great and Little Sutton are both in there – and those, like us, who went back to the book to see for ourselves. (Nether and Over) Pool was within the hundred of Willaston in Cheshire. Only 2 households were written about these two merging settlements in 1086. The land belonged to William Malbank, who kept one villager and one smallholder. The land was worth 4 shillings in 1066 but must have been destroyed in the invasion. By 1086 it was worth only a single shilling.

Medieval Period

There is little data regarding the town of Ellesmere Port before 1795. Instead we ran searches for Nether and Over Pool. We came across an interesting archaeological survey conducted in 2003 which mentions that the same Earl who owned the land here, owned the land in Estham (Eastham). This might be why there is so much confusion surrounding the settlements present in the Ellesmere Port area during the early medieval period.

The survey postures that Eastham was an extensive manor, complete with its own population and a priest (which means it was large enough to be a parish). Records show that William, Baron of Nantwich, later granted these lands (worth £24 per annum, no less) to the local Abbey of St. Werburgh in Chester. The Abbey possessed these lands right up until 1536 when the dissolution of the monasteries began. It took Henry VIII until 1561 to close down every abbey in England, but he got there in the end. Whichever wife he was on must have been a rare beauty.

Netherpool pops up again in 1405 in the records from the Cheshire Mize. Cheshire had its own local taxation system back then and the town paid 25s 8d for that year.

After the dissolution the land around Whitby was granted to John glasier. The Eastham manor then passed through other local Lords until it was bought by the Duke of Westminster in the middle of the 18th century. Local litres of note included the Poole family, who helped lend their name to local settlements.

Afterwards, the small villages in the area would eventually merge to become one town under the Netherpool banner. The towns grew steadily until the Ellesmere Canal was built in the late 1790s.

What did Ellesmere Port Used to be Called?

What did Ellesmere Port used to be called? It was an amalgamation of Nether Pool, Over Pool, Little Sutton, Great Sutton, Hooton, Riveracre, and Whitby. That’s why nobody can agree on an answer.

Fun Facts and Ellesmere Port Trivia

Ellesmere port contains about 61 thousand people. It is part of the wider area of the Birkenhead Urban Area, which contains over 325 thousand residents. It’s only 6 miles north of Chester, which puts it about 11 miles north of Liverpool. It’s a popular commuter town that lies on the River Mersey where the river meets the canal.

Here are another bunch of fun facts we dug up:

  • Port of Ellesmere as a town didn’t exist until the Ellesmere Canal finished. When the canal started shipping, the village situated on that piece of land changed it’s name to Ellesmere Prot. That village was Netherpool. By modern Minecraft standards, Netherpool was far cooler. The town changed name in 1911.
  • There are many mediaeval sites within the area, even though Ellison airport doesn’t have that many itself. You can visit the old Stanlow Abbey, which overlooks the Manchester ship canal and the Mersey Estuary. There is also Ince Manor, Grange Cow Worth, Great Stanney, and Elton Green to check out.
  • You can view old antique maps of the area through this website. It should give you a good idea of how the towns merged and shaped over the years.
  • Although Ellesmere Port didn’t formally exist until 1915, the area was already a well-developed industrial town by then. The Manchester Ship Canal led to Stanlow Oil Refinery’s interest. They created 300 jobs before there was enough housing to put them in.
  • According to CrimeRate UK, Ellesmere Port is the second safest large town in Cheshire.

And on that peaceful ending, let’s return to history and find out about the rapid rate of growth the town experienced during the industrial era.

The Industrial Era

The River Thames, the Humber, the Severn, and the Mersey became linked together in 1791, thanks to Thomas Telford’s clever grasp of engineering. The Wirral Line from Chester to the Mersey opened in 1796. By then, the Stanway oil refinery was already operating, with 300 workers and families living along Dock Street and Station Road. By 1835 that whole canal system expanded to access all areas of connecting the north and south. By 1845, the canal system merged into the Shropshire Union Canal. Proposals to turn it into a railway were dismissed later.

In 1801 the population of Ellesmere Port was 3,899 strong. In 1844 the parish had grown so much that it required another church, and Christ Church was the answer. In 1863, the town received a stop on the Hooton to Birkenhead Railway. In 1894, the Manchester Ship Canal opened. This led to greater growth in the area and a steady influx of imports and exports out of Ellesmere Port.

Local land reportedly cost a lot of money back in the early 1800s. In 1802 Ellesmere canal port had a lock and a lock keepers house, a small shipbuilding trade, a tonnage clerk, and a lighthouse. Port owners asked Telford to design warehouses, company housing and a transhipment centre. An 1833 report recorded the warehouses and wharves were fully functioning. Thomas Telford strikes again! By 1843, the sea-going port was completed. The port could now accommodate 67,000 square feet of floor space. It could accommodate ships up to 200 tonnes. In 1816 there was also a ferry service across the Mersey which ran as a passenger ship.

In 1887 the Manchester ship canal began construction. In 1906 trade taking place on the Canal totalled over 1,685,000 tonnes. By the early 1920s, the use of canals went into decline to be replaced by railways. Since Ellesmere Port is connected to the seaports, it has not lost its full use. Newer manufacturing industries have replaced the old pottery storehouses and iron warehouses. Soapworks came and went, and the oil industry has a hold on the local employment market. There were large flour mills here, and in 1922, Shell oil moved in. By 1949, this complex was one of the world’s biggest. The oil came from deep water terminals offshore and reached the refinery in large pipes. We’re not sure oil is the best industry for a town to grow off of, but it certainly helped Ellesmere Port grow.

The Modern Period

In 1907 there was a dye works owned by a German company, who burned all their recipes at the onset of WWI. There was a cement factory in 1910, a chemical factory from 1917, and a newsprint and paper mill, and finally these evolved into the flourishing car industry we have today.

The 1900s were a busy period for the people of Ellesmere Port. In 1901 the population of both Ellesmere Port and nearby Neston was 17,000 people. Our Lady the Star of the Sea opened in 1909, as did the Primitive Methodist chapel. In 1911 Ellesmere Port merged out of Netherpool, Overpool and Whitby. After that, Ellesmere Port had 10,000 people on its own. In 1913 they installed a new cemetery in Overpool, and the Manchester Ship Canal started leasing the port as trade declined. In 1924, a Bitumen plant opened which eventually turned into Stanway Oil. In 1939 there were 27,000 people in town. By 1961 this had almost doubled to 44k. In 1955, the Civic Hall opened, built in the modernist style.

In 1963, the workers from the plant formed the Vauxhall Motors Football Club. Little stanney merged into the ever growing Ellesmere Port in 1967. The population was then 61k. In 1980 the town gained the Port Arcades and in the 1990s, the Cheshire Oaks followed.

Nowadays Vauxhall Astras are produced here and the plant still employs more than 2,500 people. It was in the news in 2012 because Marks & Spencer opened their second biggest UK store in the Coliseum.

Modern Ellesmere Port is a unique town which celebrates the individual areas and their differences. This makes it a welcoming place with friendly people and a good commuter atmosphere. The countryside isn’t as quaint as you may find out in the wilds, but it does have some city break style attractions that tourists will love. Could you spent a few days here? Read about the attractions and decide for yourself.

Famous People from Ellesmere Port

In any given town at any given time, there is at least one local celebrity hiding in the shadows somewhere, waiting to jump out for photo opportunities. Here are the famous people who have come from Ellesmere Port over the years:

  • One of Britain’s most violent criminals ever stayed here in his teens. They later whisked him off to jail, so he doesn’t stay here anymore. We’re not even naming anyone. We like our lives.
  • Politician John Prescott lived here.
  • Author Lillian Beckwith was born here.
  • Lee form Steps grew up here.
  • Pele, the indie rock group, were from here.
  • As usual, a lengthy list of footballers, including Stan Cullis, Joe Mercer OBE, Sam Chedgzoy, Dave Hickson, Tony Coleman, Geoff Davies, Ian bowyer… the list goes on.

We have left you in suspense long enough. Let’s find out what the top attractions in Ellesmere Port are.

Best Bits of Ellesmere Port

As ever, we want to point you to the best places to see and things to do in Ellesmere Port. Here are the best local attractions you should check out while you are here.

Historic Sites

You must go to the Hooton Park Trust while you are in Ellesmere Prot. This place used to be an old WW1 RAF airfield, situated inside Hooton Park. A team of local volunteers got together and started fundraising enough to restore the hangars. Over the years, this continuous collection of WW1 vehicles has led to a museum-worthy display of aircraft.

Landmarks

Oddly, the Overpool Cemetery is still housing bodies and seems to be the biggest and steadiest local landmark outside of the docks.

Cultural Sites

The National Waterways Museum is one of the attractions which puts Ellesmere Port on the map. The port provides a lovely setting to learn about the history of British canal and river systems. They have indoor displays, boat trips, and historic buildings. Any kid who likes boats will love this as much as the adults do.

You can always visit the Ellesmere Port Library if you want to borrow books during your stay. You might also find old records of former residents here.

Outdoor Attractions

Riveracre Local Nature Reserve is the nearest best place to catch the bluebell woods in late Spring. You will wander through yellow celandines and white wood anemones along the banks of the Riveracre Brook. There is an orienteering course here. Enjoy the walking or cycling tracks and the colourful meadows.

You can enjoy a walk around Whitby Park if you want to enjoy a dog walk, sunbathe, or take the kids to the swings.

Recreation

We didn’t know where to put the Blue Planet Aquarium so let’s go with Recreation. This popular underwater exploration in neat little glass tanks allows you to experience life a s a fish first hand. They have aquatic shows, a giant octopus, and give a regular talk on each of the animals in their care.

Head to the Action Transport Theatre to catch a big show or a smaller performance. This theatre gives space to new creatives and established shows alike. They encourage community involvement and represent a standard night out on a Friday or Saturday for the art types.

Sports and Teams

The local football club are now evolved into the Ellesmere Port Town Football Club, and don’t just fight battles for Vauxhall. They have a women’s team too. There are other, smaller clubs scattered around the area as a result of having multiple townships under your port town banner.

Ellesmere Port RUFC are the local rugby club. They have lots of junior teams which keep the world of rugby exciting for the next generation.

Ellesmere Port Golf Club has a members gym, a beautiful green, room hire for affordable rates, and encourages visitors to book online if they can.

Where to Shop in Ellesmere?

The experts at Visit Cheshire reckon that Cheshire Oaks, the local shopping village, is one of the cheaper designer outlets in Cheshire. You can pick up big brand names like Armani and Burberry there, and you get them for outlet prices.

When you want the kind of fun day out shopping where you eat at Nando’s and spoil yourself with expensive coffee and Lush treats, then you want the Coliseum Leisure complex next door. It includes tenpin bowling, Las Iguanas, and other fun places like the Vue cinema.

Where to Eat and Drink?

You will find plenty of opportunities to eat and drink inside the Colosseum leisure complex mentioned above. There is a Miller & Carter, a Chiquito, a Five Guys, and more. If you want a local restaurant experience, try Lebanese food from Comptoir Libanais. Get a light meal at Ed’s Diner. The Bull’s Head, or drink at the Brewhouse – all top places to get your party on.

Other Notable Nearby Attractions

We already produced a bunch of great content relating to the Cheshire area. If you stay in town for more than a few days and you want to explore, then we can’t recommend ourselves highly enough. Check out these nearby attractions which you can’t afford to miss out on. Maybe.

  • Visit Widnes, it has some beautiful countryside disguised as flat lands.
  • Go to Macclesfield to talk football or enjoy Georgian architecture.
  • Shop in Chester itself if you need greater variety.
  • Learn about the original railway navvies in Crewe.
  • Warrington is a wonderful hidden gem of Cheshire.

And if you get through all of those? You are not so far from Liverpool, either.

How to Get to Ellesmere

Probably the first thing we ought to have passed on was how you get to Ellesmere Port in the first place. Hint: you don’t always need a boat.

By Road

Ellesmere Port is on the M53, sitting on top of the River Mersey.

By Rail

Ellesmere Port Railway Station is run by Mersey Rail.

By Air

Liverpool John Lennon Airport is just down the road.

By Sea

Peel Ports run the Ellesmere Port, connecting it to the Liverpool supply chain and delivering products onwards to 32 million people plus. There’s probably somewhere you can park your yacht.

Five More Minutes of Entertainment…

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