Childwall can be found approximately 6 miles from Liverpool City Centre in the South East suburbs of Liverpool, or a stones throw from the end of the M62.
The area sits on a series of slopes of a prominent hill that once marked the highest point of Childwall Heath which stretches across to what is now Wavertree. One only has to walk up from Childwall Valley Road, through Score Lane park and up Childwall Abbey Road to notice how
steep the area is. The heart of the village still lies in the area of All Saints Church and the Childwall Abbey Pub.
Urban expansion made Childwall difficult in that respect due to the layout of the area, but many roads in the area still run from North to South (Barham Drive and Grange Lane being two examples).
The earliest reference to Childwall is to be found in the Domesday Book, which was compiled by order of William I in 1086. A translation reads:
"Four Radmans held Childewall as four manors. This is half a hide. It was worth eight shillings. There was a priest, having half a carucate of land in frank almoign."
In 1094, Childwall became attached to the Priory of Lancaster, a cell of the Abbey of St. Martin at Seez in Normandy, and it remained so until the thirteenth century when the patronage passed to the Grelleys, Barons of Manchester. Sir Robert de Holand in 1309 assigned Childwall to his college of secular canons at Upholland, near Wigan. Ten years later the endowments were assigned to the new priory of St. Thomas at Upholland: Childwall was included among the endowments.
The patronage of the Church belonged to the monks until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536; it then passed to the newly created See of Chester
in 1557-8.
There are many names in which Childwall is known, it being mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Cilduuelle". "Cilduuelle" is taken from the Old Norse "Kelda Vollr" or "Spring Field".
Looking at any old map of the area, Childwall sits on the slopes of a hill that once
marked the high point of Childwall Heath, and there are still roads to this day that run across the heath.
There were a total of 10 townships under the Parish of Childwall, these were: Childwall, Hale, Halewood, Halebank, Speke, Garston, Allerton, Much Woolton (with Thingwall), Little Woolton and Wavertree.
The neighbouring parishes were divided off as follows:
1828 Holy Trinity Wavertree, Garston, Woolton, Hale.
1856 St. Mary's Wavertree
1876 Allerton
1893 Gateacre (Little Woolton)
1899 St. Bridget's seperated from Holy Trinity.
1910 St. David's Childwall
Childwall is an easy place to get to from other areas of Liverpool. Regular bus services to all corners of the Parish, a fairly local train station and many new roads that have been
built since the 1900's make it easy to travel by car.
Although Childwall is built on the side of a hill, it is not until one walks up Childwall
Valley Road, or bicycles up Well Lane to find the true extent of the gradient. However at the top of the area, stunning views to Prescot and beyond can be seen on a clear day.
The area sits on a series of slopes of a prominent hill that once marked the highest point of Childwall Heath which stretches across to what is now Wavertree. One only has to walk up from Childwall Valley Road, through Score Lane park and up Childwall Abbey Road to notice how
steep the area is. The heart of the village still lies in the area of All Saints Church and the Childwall Abbey Pub.
Urban expansion made Childwall difficult in that respect due to the layout of the area, but many roads in the area still run from North to South (Barham Drive and Grange Lane being two examples).
The earliest reference to Childwall is to be found in the Domesday Book, which was compiled by order of William I in 1086. A translation reads:
"Four Radmans held Childewall as four manors. This is half a hide. It was worth eight shillings. There was a priest, having half a carucate of land in frank almoign."
In 1094, Childwall became attached to the Priory of Lancaster, a cell of the Abbey of St. Martin at Seez in Normandy, and it remained so until the thirteenth century when the patronage passed to the Grelleys, Barons of Manchester. Sir Robert de Holand in 1309 assigned Childwall to his college of secular canons at Upholland, near Wigan. Ten years later the endowments were assigned to the new priory of St. Thomas at Upholland: Childwall was included among the endowments.
The patronage of the Church belonged to the monks until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536; it then passed to the newly created See of Chester
in 1557-8.
There are many names in which Childwall is known, it being mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Cilduuelle". "Cilduuelle" is taken from the Old Norse "Kelda Vollr" or "Spring Field".
Looking at any old map of the area, Childwall sits on the slopes of a hill that once
marked the high point of Childwall Heath, and there are still roads to this day that run across the heath.
There were a total of 10 townships under the Parish of Childwall, these were: Childwall, Hale, Halewood, Halebank, Speke, Garston, Allerton, Much Woolton (with Thingwall), Little Woolton and Wavertree.
The neighbouring parishes were divided off as follows:
1828 Holy Trinity Wavertree, Garston, Woolton, Hale.
1856 St. Mary's Wavertree
1876 Allerton
1893 Gateacre (Little Woolton)
1899 St. Bridget's seperated from Holy Trinity.
1910 St. David's Childwall
Childwall is an easy place to get to from other areas of Liverpool. Regular bus services to all corners of the Parish, a fairly local train station and many new roads that have been
built since the 1900's make it easy to travel by car.
Although Childwall is built on the side of a hill, it is not until one walks up Childwall
Valley Road, or bicycles up Well Lane to find the true extent of the gradient. However at the top of the area, stunning views to Prescot and beyond can be seen on a clear day.
(Click image to enlarge)
From left to right:
Queens Drive - 1910
Queens Drive - 1911
Queens Drive - 1910
Queens Drive - 1911
(Click image to enlarge)
A rare view of Childwall House - Well Lane
(Click image to enlarge)
Viewing Childwall Valley High School.
On the corner of Childwall Valley Road and Chelwood Avenue - now a housing estate.
On the corner of Childwall Valley Road and Chelwood Avenue - now a housing estate.
(Click image to enlarge)
Childwall Valley Road
(Click image to enlarge)
A Postcard View
(Click image to enlarge)
Childwall Abbey Bowling Green
It also boasts a good number of shops in 4 different locations - Woolton Road, Childwall 'Triangle', the Fiveways and Bentham Drive. All serving the area with a wide range of different products. From a Bicycle shop to a Restaurant, somewhere to get your hair and nail's done, and a good choice where to
buy the local paper too.
Fancy a pint? Childwall has a total of 3 Public Houses, the Childwall Abbey Pub on Score Lane, the Halfway House on Woolton Road, and the Childwall Fiveways at the Fiveways roundabout. All busy and welcoming, and each have their own unique character.
Then there is the open space. Although Childwall doesn't have it's own 'park', there was once an area called Childwall Park (hence the name of Childwall Park Avenue).For a walk, there is the Liverpool Loop Line (ex railway track which Childwall Station
once stood), Childwall Fields, Childwall Woods and Score Lane Park. Such a wide range of woodlands in such a small place.
And that's before all the history of the area!
buy the local paper too.
Fancy a pint? Childwall has a total of 3 Public Houses, the Childwall Abbey Pub on Score Lane, the Halfway House on Woolton Road, and the Childwall Fiveways at the Fiveways roundabout. All busy and welcoming, and each have their own unique character.
Then there is the open space. Although Childwall doesn't have it's own 'park', there was once an area called Childwall Park (hence the name of Childwall Park Avenue).For a walk, there is the Liverpool Loop Line (ex railway track which Childwall Station
once stood), Childwall Fields, Childwall Woods and Score Lane Park. Such a wide range of woodlands in such a small place.
And that's before all the history of the area!
