| Woolton | |
|---|---|
 Woolton Village in August 2006 | |
  Woolton Location withinMerseyside | |
| Population | 12,921 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | SJ425867 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LIVERPOOL |
| Postcode district | L25 |
| Dialling code | 0151 |
| Police | Merseyside |
| Fire | Merseyside |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| |
Woolton (locally/ˈwuːltən/;WUHL-ton)[1][2][3][4] is a suburb ofLiverpool, inMerseyside, England.[5] It is an area located southeast of the city and bordered byAllerton,Gateacre,Halewood, andHunt's Cross. At the2011 Census, the population was 12,921.[6]
Originally a standalone village, Woolton was incorporated into Liverpool in 1913. The area was referred to as "Uluentune" in theDomesday Book, with the name translating as "farm of Wulfa".[7] Shortly after the Domesday survey, which was completed in 1086, Woolton became part of theBarony of Halton and Widnes. In 1189, a charge was granted by John, Constable of Chester, to the order ofKnights of St. John of Jerusalem, a religious order who protected the routes for Christians on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Knights held land in Woolton for over 350 years, until it was confiscated from them in 1559 byQueen Elizabeth I. The manorial rights to Woolton passed from Queen Elizabeth toJames I, who sold them toWilliam Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby. Woolton then passed to Isaac Green, then his daughter, then her sonBamber Gascoyne of Childwall (MP for Liverpool 1780–1796 and an ancestor of longtimeUniversity Challenge hostBamber Gascoigne),[7] and is now owned by theMarquess of Salisbury.
Housing is primarilydetached andsemi-detached, although someterraces survive in Woolton Village (the centre of the suburb). Pubs in the area include The Cobden, The Elephant, The Grapes, The Victoria, and The White Horse, with more within walking distance. Other notable buildings include theVictorian public swimming baths and the public library, which was converted from aMethodist chapel but closed in 2012 as part of Liverpool City Council's cost-cutting measures.[citation needed] Woolton has a number of churches, includingSt Mary's (Catholic), St Peter's (Anglican), and St James's (Methodist). The Catholic schoolsSt Francis Xavier's andSt Julie's are also located in Woolton.
Hunts Cross Station is the nearest railway station on the southern boundary of Woolton,[2][3][4] with local services on thesouthern route of the Manchester to Liverpool line betweenLiverpool Lime Street andManchester Oxford Road, and alsoMerseyrail'sNorthern Line toLiverpool Central andSouthport.Liverpool South Parkway, one and a half miles to the west of Woolton, serves the same lines in addition toCrewe andBirmingham stopping services. Bus services provide connections withLiverpool John Lennon Airport, the city centre, neighbouring districts and the broader Liverpool area.Gateacre (for Woolton) also served passengers from 1879 until its closure in 1972.
All three elected councillors for theWoolton ward (Malcolm Kelly, Kris Brown, and Barbara Mace) areLiberal Democrats.
Numerous sites of interest associated withthe Beatles can be found in Woolton, most notablyJohn Lennon's childhood home at251 Menlove Avenue and the children's care homeStrawberry Field, both of which are just one street away from each other. It is also generally believed that Lennon first metPaul McCartney during afête atSt Peter's Church in Woolton on 6 July 1957.[8] The churchyard additionally houses the graves ofEleanor Rigby and Lennon's uncle,George Toogood Smith, with whom he lived at 251 Menlove Avenue for much of his childhood.[9]
The final two acts ofOscar Wilde's satirical 1895 playThe Importance of Being Earnest are set in Woolton during the year 1894.[dubious –discuss]
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