Banks, Lancashire

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Banks is a large village in Lancashire, England. It lies just off the Irish Sea coast on the Banks Marsh and beach, four miles north-east of the town of Southport. It is administered by West Lancashire District Council, and by North Meols parish council for parochial matters. It falls in the South Ribble parliamentary constituency.

Banks is the largest of the villages of the parish of North Meols on the West Lancashire coastal plain. As most villages in the area it was primarily an agricultural village thanks to the excellent soil round about, although there was also noticeable fishing activity for many years. Production of flowers and vegetables is still common in the farms which surround the village; however the proximity of the towns of Southport and Preston have led to Banks' recent rapid expansion as a dormitory town for commuters.

Its increased size has brought with it increased facilities; Banks is home to the North Meols community and sports centre, a primary school, a small range of shops and a regular bus service linking it with Southport and Formby. The village is home to football, cricket and badminton clubs and a brass band. Banks has had many turf wars most recent are the crossens and much hoole turf wars both wars in which banks has won local legendsCurrently living in St Helens is pie-eating 2006 champion John Brennan who was born in Banks.

[edit] banks history

Banks railway station was once a stop on the West Lancashire Railway which ran between Preston and Southport, but the line proved unsuccessful and was shut in 1964. banks railway station opened in 1877 it also had depot in its goods yard for coal being dropped off for coal merchans in banks. along the track, preston way, the first crossing was at long lane. the crossing keeper who opened the gates for farmers and anyone else wanting to take vehicles or cows across had a house provided with their job. after leaving banks station on the way to preston the next stop was hundread end station, so called because this is where the leyland hundread, and west derby undreads meet. hundread end lane running from marsh road to hundread end station the first half of this lane is in banks the second half is in hesketh bank a mrs mary wignall of ralphs wifes lane was interviewed by a local newspaper reporter in 1958 when she was 93 and oldest residnet inbanks at time said "i well remember watching the first train pass through thr village with scores of school children lining the route catching pastries, cakes and oranges thrown from windows"

greaves hall

thomas talbot leyland scarisbrick was born in 1874. he grew up in southport and was educated in lancashire. in 1900 he had the mansion built at greaves hall on an 124 acre site as well as the mansion there was also aporters lodge by the main entrance, agardeners lodge, engineers workshop, laundry and general workshop were built in close proximity to the hall,again in the mock Tudor style. the mansion was surrounded by sculptured lawns, with separate gardens filled with ornamental trees and flowering shrubs. the hall comprissed of approximately 55 rooms open areas situated on the ground, first, second and attic floors plus a vast basement. mr scarisbrick and family enjoyed life at greaves hall until after the first world war when he moved to scrisbrick hall and negotiated the sale of the estate to a consortium of banks farmers the mansion stood empty for sometime while the land was cultivated by the consortium. greave hall was later turned into a mental health unit until the early 1990s when it was moved to southport the greaves hall mansion has suffered to many fires and vandalisum since and has become beyond repair and tere has been talk of the buliding to be teared down.

[edit] Banks Beach

- banks beach is well known in the local area for its untouched beach which lies on the coast of the Irish sea. Banks beach has recently been used for the test flights of the euro fighter which has also attracted numerous plane spotters to the area.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/34/Banksbeachxg3.jpg.jpg