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Heswall
The village of Heswall is centred around the church of St Peter. This area is known as lower Heswall
and has retained much of its old character and buildings. Its thought that the original village is was
founded on the banks of the river Dee by Norse settlers between 800 – 900ad. Many people have
pointed out links between a Norse chieftain named Essul who settled on the banks of the Dee and
the name Heswall which is thought to be derived from his name. This can be shown through the
translation of the word Heswall, which originally was spelt without the “H” being pronounced as
Essulvall meaning “Home of Essul”. As yet this is still to be proven.Others believe the name Heswall
to be derived from a Hazel spring or well near by. However given Wirrals strong Scandanavian
History I believe it far more likely to named after Essul.
The village of Heswall is centred around the church of St Peter. This area is known as lower Heswall
and has retained much of its old character and buildings. Its thought that the original village is was
founded on the banks of the river Dee by Norse settlers between 800 – 900ad. Many people have
pointed out links between a Norse chieftain named Essul who settled on the banks of the Dee and
the name Heswall which is thought to be derived from his name. This can be shown through the
translation of the word Heswall, which originally was spelt without the “H” being pronounced as
Essulvall meaning “Home of Essul”. As yet this is still to be proven.Others believe the name Heswall
to be derived from a Hazel spring or well near by. However given Wirrals strong Scandanavian
History I believe it far more likely to named after Essul.
| At the time of the Doomsday Survey in 1086 Heswall was recorded as “Eswelle” and owned by Robert de Rodelent, who also owned much of the land on the eastern side of the River Dee. In 1277 it became the property of Patrick de Haselwall, who was Sheriff of Cheshire. Heswall stayed a small cluster of dwellings and remained very much a fishing village and hamlet until the introduction of the shipping trade in the early 14th century. Cargos would be frequently stored and exported from Heswall and the surrounding areas of the Dee estuary for goods such as grain, fish, salt, wine and spices. Omerod travelled around the Wirral peninsula in 1819, his description of Heswall at the time is as follows : “Heswall is situated on the shores of the Dee, along which they present a fertile tract of meadow ground, which gragually changes to a drary and barren flat as it advances inwards; to the North East this rises into a wild and rocky moore, immediately under which the parish church is situated commanding the estuary and environed by huts and farms mostly of stone, rude in their structure, and placed in great disorder”. |
As time went by merchant Princes began to set up houses in the area along the banks of the River
Dee, initially as holiday homes to admire the spectacular views of Wales. The wonderful scenery
and clean fresh air was a of a quiet fishing village was sought after by many businessmen of the
time..
It was the completion of the Hooton to West Kirby railway line in 1886 that kick started the p
[population boom in Heswall. The creation of Heswall train station was a much awaited addition to
the village. Now with high speed access to the surrounding villages and easy access to Birkenhead
and Liverpool many businessmen began to settle in the area and many more opened up shop
around village centre. The wealthier of the migrant’s setup home by building new houses on the
slopes of the hills to maximise views across the Dee to Wales. Many of these still stand today just
behind the old village.
Due to the housing boom a second railway company provided an additional train station. After much
deliberation the new station was named Heswall Hills. Many residents found this confusing as the
station was quite far from the actual Heswall hills but despite protests and a number of other names
being put forward, they kept the name. Over time the settlement on Heswall hills expanded
significantly and became known simply as “Heswall” , whilst the village below which was first called
Heswall became subsequently known as “Lower Heswall”. The second train station still kept the
name “Heswall on the Hills”. This name spread through to the surrounding fields and hills, which
became even more confusing as that area actually fell under Barnston and not Heswall.
Dee, initially as holiday homes to admire the spectacular views of Wales. The wonderful scenery
and clean fresh air was a of a quiet fishing village was sought after by many businessmen of the
time..
It was the completion of the Hooton to West Kirby railway line in 1886 that kick started the p
[population boom in Heswall. The creation of Heswall train station was a much awaited addition to
the village. Now with high speed access to the surrounding villages and easy access to Birkenhead
and Liverpool many businessmen began to settle in the area and many more opened up shop
around village centre. The wealthier of the migrant’s setup home by building new houses on the
slopes of the hills to maximise views across the Dee to Wales. Many of these still stand today just
behind the old village.
Due to the housing boom a second railway company provided an additional train station. After much
deliberation the new station was named Heswall Hills. Many residents found this confusing as the
station was quite far from the actual Heswall hills but despite protests and a number of other names
being put forward, they kept the name. Over time the settlement on Heswall hills expanded
significantly and became known simply as “Heswall” , whilst the village below which was first called
Heswall became subsequently known as “Lower Heswall”. The second train station still kept the
name “Heswall on the Hills”. This name spread through to the surrounding fields and hills, which
became even more confusing as that area actually fell under Barnston and not Heswall.
| The photographs to the left show School Hill off the main Village Road looking out to the Clwydian Hills in North Wales. Trees now obstruct the view of Heswall parish church, whose tower we can clearly see here. St Peter’s School stands at the top of School Hill. During May 1941, Heswall was bombed, the school lost three classrooms and the headmaster’s daughter and her fiancé were killed. The shop on the right is advertising Player’s cigarettes. |
| The picture to the left is taken from Dee View Road and is part of the Francais Firth collection. The building in the picture is actually the Dee View Inn. The inn stands on the junctions of Dee View Road, The Mount and Dawstone Road. The photograph was taken at the war memorial on the edge of the park. The shop on the left is now a house, and the Co-op to its right no longer trades either. The roads today still command good views across the Dee Estuary and across to North Wales. |
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