Ainsdale

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Ainsdale
Ainsdale (Merseyside)
Ainsdale

Ainsdale shown within Merseyside
Population 12,723 (2001)[1]
OS grid reference SD312122
Metropolitan borough Sefton
Metropolitan county Merseyside
Region North West
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town SOUTHPORT
Postcode district PR8
Dialling code 01704
Police Merseyside
Fire Merseyside
Ambulance North West
European Parliament North West England
UK Parliament Southport
List of places: UK • England • Merseyside

Coordinates: 53°36′08″N 3°02′26″W / 53.60212, -3.04044

Ainsdale-on-Sea is a village in Sefton, Merseyside, England, situated three miles south of Southport, of which it is a suburb. As of the 2001 census, it had a population of 12,723.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Prior to 1600

Ainsdale was listed in the Domesday Book as Einulvesdel. Deriving from Old Norse name Einulfsdalr, this apparently was the valley occupied by a Scandinavian by the name of Einulf.[2] [3]

[edit] 1600-Present

Ainsdale formed part of Sir Cuthbert Halsall of Halsall's estates during the early part of the 1600s. After financial difficulties the land containing Ainsdale (then Aynsdale) had to be sold. In 1634 the ownership was passed to Robert Blundell. The lands were passed from generation to generation within the Blundell family and remained in their ownership until the mid 1900s [4]

Throughout the 1800s Ainsdale remained an agricultural community. Prior to the British Agricultural Revolution fields and farms in the locality were small and land was enclosed. The 1841 census listed 176 inhabitants in 33 houses with occupations of farmer, agricultural labourers and servants.[5]

Ainsdale railway station opened in 1848.

Ainsdale became part of the county borough of Southport in 1912 after being part of Birkdale Urban District, though it remained a separate civil parish to Southport until 1925. Until 1974, the village lay in the traditional borders of the county of Lancashire.

[edit] Local Landmarks

  • Ainsdale Mill, built around 1800 on the site of an earlier wooden mill, was an impressive - and functional - landmark, until its closure in 1965, and later demolition. A branch railway line from Ainsdale station was constructed to serve the mill during its operating years.
  • Ainsdale boating lake, along with the beach itself, were popular tourist attractions, and thus Lakeside Hotel was built to accommodate those wishing to stay in the area. However, a large campsite was also well populated in the busiest periods of the year.
  • In the village green there is a war memorial that commemorates the lives of forty-four Ainsdale residents killed as a result of the Great War.

[edit] Transport

The locality is served by Ainsdale railway station, which is situated on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, linking Southport to Liverpool.

[edit] Recreation and sports

Ainsdale has teams in football cricket bowls and hosts S and A golf course. The Football section of Ainsdale Sports and Social Club hosts teams from Under 7 up to Under 16 and Open Age Teams.

Ainsdale beach is designated by Sefton Council as a kite beach where kitesurfing and land-based kite traction activities are allowed. [6]

The Sefton coastal path and the Trans Pennine Trail both pass through Ainsdale.

A number of waymarked nature trails are also accessible from the town. These trails allow access to the Ainsdale Sand Dunes which are designated as one of the National Nature Reserves in England

This nature reserve also comprises part of a UK Ramsar site [7] [8]

[edit] Notable people

Actor Anthony Quayle was born in Ainsdale in 1913; Jonathon Jayson, a competitive squash player was also born there.[citation needed]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b 2001 Census: Ainsdale. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 24 October 2007
  2. ^ Ainsdale On-line. Retrieved 24 October 2007
  3. ^ Vikings In Lancashire. Formby Civic Society (4 March 2004). Retrieved 24 October 2007
  4. ^ Harrop, Sylvia (1985) Old Birkdale and Ainsdale, Birkdale and Ainsdale Historical Research Society, 1st ed., pp1-13, ISBN 0-9510905-0X
  5. ^ Harrop, Sylvia (1985) Old Birkdale and Ainsdale, Birkdale and Ainsdale Historical Research Society, 1st ed., pp120-127, ISBN 0-9510905-0X
  6. ^ Kitebeach Ainsdale-on-Sea Rules and Conditions of usage. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  7. ^ ramsar - JNCC.
  8. ^ Natural England - Special Sites. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.

[edit] External links

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Suburbs of Southport
Ainsdale · Birkdale · Blowick · Churchtown · Crossens · Kew · Marshside · Meols Cop · Woodvale