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Hoylake

Coordinates: 53°23′24″N 3°10′48″W / 53.390°N 3.180°W / 53.390; -3.180
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hoylake
Hoylake beach, looking towards Hilbre Island
Hoylake is located in Merseyside
Hoylake
Hoylake
Location within Merseyside
Population5,315 (Built up area, 2021)[1]
OS grid referenceSJ215888
• London183 mi (295 km)[2] SE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townWIRRAL
Postcode districtCH47, CH48
Dialling code0151
ISO 3166 codeGB-WRL
PoliceMerseyside
FireMerseyside
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Merseyside
53°23′24″N 3°10′48″W / 53.390°N 3.180°W / 53.390; -3.180

Hoylake (/hɔɪˈleɪk/) is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. It is at the north west of the Wirral Peninsula, near West Kirby and where the River Dee meets the Irish Sea.[3] At the 2021 census, the built up area had a population of 5,315.

In the nineteenth century, the town grew up around the small fishing village of Hoose (lit. 'hollows'), a settlement that was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 within the Hundred of 'Wilaveston' (historically part of Cheshire). The town takes its name from 'Hoyle Lake', a nearby channel of water out towards Hilbre Island that provided a safe anchorage for shipping.

History

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In 1690, William III set sail from Hoylake, then known as Hyle or High-lake,[4][a] with a 10,000-strong army to Ireland, where his army was to take part in the Battle of the Boyne. The location of departure remains known as King's Gap.[6][verification needed] The previous year a large force under Marshal Schomberg had also departed from Hoylake on 12 August,[7] crossing to Ireland to capture Carrickfergus.

The present day township grew up in the nineteenth century around the small fishing village of Hoose,[8] the name of which means "hollows".[9] The 1848 Topographical Dictionary of England described the inhabitants of Hoose as:

"...principally boatmen and fishermen, who have frequently evinced the greatest courage and alacrity in rescuing mariners from the horrors of shipwreck; large banks of sand, extending for miles on the northwest, being annually the scene of most fatal disasters to shipping."[10]

The name Hoylake was derived from Hoyle Lake, a channel of water between Hilbre Island and Dove Point.[11] Protected by a wide sandbank known as Hoyle Bank and with a water depth of about 20 feet, it provided a safe anchorage for ships too large to sail up the Dee to Chester.[12]

Landmarks

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The Hoylake and West Kirby War Memorial is a notable local landmark, as it was designed in 1922 by the British sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger who was responsible for a number of war memorials around the world, including the Royal Artillery Memorial at Hyde Park Corner in London.

The former Hoylake Town Hall, on the corner of Albert Road and Market Street, is due to be converted to a new arts centre, known as The Beacon, with craft workshops, restaurant, and flats above.[13]

Kings Gap roundabout is home to a sculpture by Scottish sculptor David Annand. Called 'Knots', it consists of seabirds looping around four poles. It was commissioned by the council as part of the regeneration of Hoylake and was installed in June 2006 in time for the 2006 Open Championship.[14]

Lighthouses

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Hoylake Lighthouse
High
The old upper lighthouse
Map
LocationHoylake
Merseyside
England
OS gridSJ2146289004
Coordinates53°23′32″N 3°10′57″W / 53.392089°N 3.182614°W / 53.392089; -3.182614
Tower
Constructed1764 (first)
Constructionbrick tower
Height17 metres (56 ft)
Shapeoctagonal prism tower with balcony and lantern attached to 2-storey keeper's house
Markingsunpainted tower, black balcony, white lantern
Operatorprivate[15]
HeritageGrade II listed building Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit1865 (current)
Deactivated1886
Lens4th order fixed optic (azimuthal condensing)

To facilitate safe access into the Hoylake anchorage, two lighthouses were constructed in 1763,[16] at the initiative of William Hutchinson.[17] The lower light was a wooden structure that could be moved according to differing tides and shifting sands to remain aligned to the upper light, which was a permanent brick building. By the start of the 19th century each lighthouse was equipped with a single 3 ft-diameter reflector,[18] built to Hutchinson's design.[17]

Both of these structures were rebuilt a century later,[19] and in 1865 new lenses (a pair of fourth-order fixed optics) were designed and manufactured for the two towers by James Chance.[20] The upper lighthouse, consisting of an octagonal brick tower, last shone on 14 May 1886 and is now part of a private residence in Valentia Road.[19] The building was given Grade II listed status in 1988.[21] The lower lighthouse, closer to the shore in Alderley Road, was deactivated in 1908[22] and demolished in 1922.

Former landmarks

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The Royal Hotel was built by Sir John Stanley in 1792, with the intention of developing the area as a holiday resort. The numerous steam packet vessels sailing between Liverpool and North Wales which called at the hotel provided valuable patronage. By the mid-19th century a racecourse was laid out in the grounds of the hotel. The hotel building was demolished in the 1950s.[23]

Hoylake's lido, located on the promenade, was opened in June 1913 and rebuilt in the late 1920s. In 1976, the Hoylake Pool and Community Trust took over the running of the facility from Wirral Borough Council.[12] The baths finally closed in 1981.[24]

Geography

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Hoylake is at the north-western corner of the Wirral Peninsula, and is situated on the eastern side of the mouth of the Dee Estuary and adjacent to the Irish Sea. Hoylake is approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) west-south-west of the River Mersey at New Brighton. The centre of Hoylake is situated at an elevation of about 9 m (30 ft) above sea level.[25]

To the west of the town at Hilbre Point is Red Rocks, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. The area is an exposed sandstone outcrop consisting of sand dunes, brackish marsh and reed beds.[26][27][28]

Governance

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There is one main tier of local government covering Hoylake, at metropolitan borough level: Wirral Council. The council is a member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, which is led by the directly-elected Mayor of the Liverpool City Region. The town forms part of the Hoylake and Meols ward for elections to Wirral Council.[29]

For national elections, Hoylake is within the parliamentary constituency of Wirral West. The current Member of Parliament is Matthew Patrick, of the Labour Party.

Administrative history

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Hoylake grew up straddling the townships of Hoose and Little Meols, which both formed part of the ancient parish of West Kirby in the Wirral Hundred of Cheshire.[30][31][32] From the 17th century onwards, parishes were gradually given various civil functions under the poor laws, in addition to their original ecclesiastical functions. In some cases, including West Kirby, the civil functions were exercised by each township separately rather than the parish as a whole. In 1866, the legal definition of 'parish' was changed to be the areas used for administering the poor laws, and so Hoose and Little Meols also became civil parishes.[33]

The population of the Hoose township or civil parish was recorded as 60 in 1801, 589 in 1851, and 1,658 in 1891.[34][35]

A local government district was created in 1891, covering the townships or civil parishes of Great Meols, Hoose, Little Meols, West Kirby and part of Grange. There was a dispute about whether the district's name should be 'Hoylake and West Kirby' or 'West Kirby and Hoylake'; the county council chose the latter.[36][37]

Hoylake Town Hall

Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894. At the same time, the civil parishes within the district were united into a single civil parish called Hoylake-cum-West Kirby.[38][34] Although the order creating the district in 1891 had put the name West Kirby first, the council took to calling the district Hoylake and West Kirby. To resolve the ambiguity, the government formally confirmed the district's name as being Hoylake and West Kirby in 1897.[39] The council chose to base itself in Hoylake, building Hoylake Town Hall on Market Street in 1898.[40]

The urban district was enlarged in 1933 to take in the civil parishes of Caldy, Frankby, Grange,[b] and Greasby. The urban district was renamed Hoylake at the same time.[42][43] The urban district council was granted a coat of arms in 1960, which featured two golf clubs, representing the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.[44]

Hoylake Urban District was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The area became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in the new county of Merseyside.[45]

Community

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Hoylake Community Centre

Hoylake is a largely residential area and there is an active nightlife in the town centre, which is located at the original village of Hoose.[8]

The town supports a permanent lifeboat station, manned by the RNLI. Initially founded in 1803 by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, it is one of the oldest in the country.[46] In 2008, the RNLI began to raise £2 million for a new lifeboat station and new generation all-weather lifeboat, to facilitate a faster response time to emergencies and rescues in the Irish Sea and the rivers Dee and Mersey. The building was opened in November 2009.[47]

The Kings Gap conservation area has been designated by Wirral Borough Council. Bounded by the coastline and the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, it consists of large nineteenth and early twentieth century houses, Hoylake Lighthouse and St Hildeburgh's Church.[48]

Education

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Hoylake includes the independent Kingsmead School, which educates girls and boys from 2 to 16 years old. Hoylake Holy Trinity C of E Primary School is the town's main primary school, educating children from the ages of 3 to 11.

Media

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Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC North West and ITV Granada, the local television station TalkLiverpool also broadcasts to the area. Television signals are received from the Winter Hill TV transmitter. [49] With its close proximity with North Wales, BBC Wales and ITV Cymru Wales can also be received from the Moel-y-Parc TV transmitter. [50]

Local radio stations are BBC Radio Merseyside, Heart North West, Capital North West & Wales, Smooth North West, Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & The North West and Wirral Wave Radio, a community based station. [51]

The town is served by the local newspapers, Wirral Globe [52] and Liverpool Echo.

Sport

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Golf

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The Royal Liverpool Golf Club

Hoylake is the home of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, built in 1869 on the site of the Royal Hotel racecourse.[8] It is the second oldest golf links in England, predated only by the Royal North Devon Golf Club, in Westward Ho!, Devon.[53] It has hosted many major tournaments such as the Open Championship and the Walker Cup. The club is often referred to as "Hoylake". It hosted the Open again in July 2006, after a gap of almost 40 years, with Tiger Woods earning the Claret Jug for the second year in a row. The 2014 Open Championship is the 12th time the event was held at Hoylake. This was won by Rory McIlroy.[54] The 2023 Open Championship is the most recent event to be held in Hoylake marking the 13th time it has returned to the town.[55] This was won by Brian Harman.[56]

Hoylake-born amateur golfer John Ball Jnr. won the Open in 1890, becoming the first Englishman to do so. Another local amateur, Harold Hilton became Open champion two years later. He won again in 1897 at his home club of Royal Liverpool.

On the other side of Meols Drive and the railway is Hoylake Municipal Golf course which is used by Hoylake Golf Club (since 1933), West Hoyle GC and Irby GC. It was used as the 2006 Open Championship practice course.

Rugby Union

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Hoylake RFC rugby club was founded in 1922. They currently play in South Lancs/Cheshire Division One, the seventh tier of English rugby. Its predecessor, connected with the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, had been founded in the 1890s. British Open golf champion Harold Hilton was also captain of the rugby team for the 1890–91 season.[23]

Swimming

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Hoylake ASC was founded in 1931. The club now trains at the West Kirby Concourse and the Calday Grange Swimming Pool.

Sailing

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The sailing club on North Parade

Hoylake Sailing Club was founded in 1887 and has a clubhouse and boatyard on North Parade. The club hosts an annual regatta and sends a team to the Southport 24 Hour Race.

Sand yachting

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Hoylake is one of the premier sites for sand yachting in Britain,[53] with banks around a quarter of a mile offshore. The town's beach was the venue for the European Sand Yacht Championships in 2007 and 2011 and hosted the 2017 event with Laytown & Bettystown, County Meath.[57][58]

Cricket

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Cricket was played at the now disused Ellerman Lines Cricket Ground from as early as the 1920s, when the then newly formed West Wirral Cricket Club played at the ground. It was later sold to Ellerman Lines, who transformed the site into their social club. Cheshire played minor counties cricket there from 1957 to 1968. The ground also held Cheshire's first ever appearance in List A cricket against Surrey in the first round of the 1964 Gillette Cup.[59]

The ground was later sold, with the site becoming a nightclub, before being demolished following a fire. In 2011 the site of the ground was selected for construction of 62 affordable homes.[60] Planning permission for this, and a revised plan for 26 properties, were refused. In 2020 a further planning proposal was submitted for 30 semi-detached bungalows and up to 61 assisted living retirement apartments.[61]

Transport

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Hoylake and Manor Road railway stations serve the town. Both are on the West Kirby branch of Merseyrail's Wirral line.

Notable people

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See also

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Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ High lake is also mentioned, with regard to William III's army travelling to Ireland, in the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are?, Series 12, Episode 3, about Derek Jacobi.[5]
  2. ^ Grange was enlarged at the same time to take in the western parts of the abolished parish of Saughall Massie, not including the village.[41]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021". Census 2021. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Coordinate Distance Calculator". boulter.com. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Hoylake Tourist Information & Visitor Guide". www.visitwirral.com. Wirral Council. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  4. ^ Denham, Henry Mangles (1840). Sailing directions from Point Lynas to Liverpool. Liverpool: Mawdsley. p. 95. Retrieved 27 August 2015 – via Internet Archive. high lake ireland william iii.
  5. ^ "Derek Jacobi". Who Do You Think You Are?. Series 12. Episode 3. 27 August 2015. Event occurs at 52:50. BBC. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Walker Art Gallery (Frieze of King William III setting sail to Ireland from Hoylake)". International Centre for Digital Content. Archived from the original on 24 September 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
  7. ^ Bartlett, Thomas; Jeffery, Keith (9 October 1997). A Military History of Ireland. Cambridge University Press. p. 193. ISBN 9780521629898. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  8. ^ a b c "Hoylake". Merseyside Views. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  9. ^ "Key to English Place Names: Hoose". University of Nottingham. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Hoo - Hope-Baggot: Hoose". A Topographical Dictionary of England. British History Online. 1848. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  11. ^ Young, Derek; Young, Marian (1984). Pictures From The Past: A unique collection of photographs of old Hoylake, Meols and West Kirby. ASIN B001KA5LEY.
  12. ^ a b "Hoylake History". HoylakeAndWestKirby.com. Archived from the original on 8 December 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  13. ^ Jones, Lauren. "Plans approved to transform Hoylake's former town hall into 'The Beacon Arts Village'". Wirral Globe. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  14. ^ "REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE/DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SERVICES HOYLAKE MARKET STREET IMPROVEMENTS – CONTRACT FOR ART WORK" (PDF). Wirral Council. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  15. ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Northwest England". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  16. ^ Robinson, John; Robinson, Diane (2007). Lighthouses of Liverpool Bay. The History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-4209-9.
  17. ^ a b "William Hutchinson (1715-1801)". The Maritime History Virtual Archive. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Hoylake Lighthouses: the old high light". Lighthouse Compendium. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  19. ^ a b "Hoylake Lighthouse". Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  20. ^ Chance, James Frederick (1902). The Lighthouse Work of Sir James Chance, Baronet (PDF). London: Smith, Elder & co. p. 166. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  21. ^ Historic England. "Lighthouse and adjoining keepers house (1259767)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Hoylake Low Light". lighthousedepot.com. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  23. ^ a b "Hoylake RFC History". Hoylake RFC. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2007.
  24. ^ "Hoylake Amateur Swimming Club has uncovered archive film of the town's outdoor Lido as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations". BBC. 19 October 2006.
  25. ^ "SRTM & Ordnance Survey Elevation Data in PHP". Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  26. ^ "1:50000 geology series, England and Wales sheet 96, Liverpool, Bedrock and Superficial deposits". Maps Portal. British Geological Survey. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  27. ^ "Red Rocks Marsh". Cheshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  28. ^ Smith, Richard. "Hoylake and Red Rocks". Dee Estuary Birding. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  29. ^ "Your Councillors by Ward". Wirral Borough Council. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  30. ^ "West Kirby Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  31. ^ Book of Reference to the Plan of the Parish of West Kirby. London: Ordnance Survey. 1873. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  32. ^ "Cheshire Sheet XII". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. 1881. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  33. ^ Youngs, Frederic (1991). Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England: Volume II, Northern England. London: Royal Historical Society. p. xv. ISBN 0861931270.
  34. ^ a b "Hoose (Hoylake)". GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  35. ^ "Hoose Township / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  36. ^ "What people are saying". Birkenhead News. 9 November 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  37. ^ Annual Report of the Local Government Board. 1891. pp. 449, 451. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  38. ^ Annual Report of the Local Government Board. 1895. p. 238. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  39. ^ "Hoylake and West Kirby Improvement Act 1897" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  40. ^ "Mersey town hall transformation reveals historic features". Liverpool Business News. 13 July 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  41. ^ "Saughall Massie Township / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  42. ^ "Hoylake Urban District". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  43. ^ "Cheshire: Diagram showing administrative boundaries". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. 1971. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  44. ^ "Hoylake Urban District Council". Civic Heraldry. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  45. ^ "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch. 1), retrieved 15 January 2025
  46. ^ "History". Hoylake Lifeboat website. Archived from the original on 5 March 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  47. ^ "Former Hoylake lifeboat station to become museum". Wirral Globe. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  48. ^ "Kings Gap conservation area". Wirral Borough Council. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  49. ^ "Full Freeview on the Winter Hill (Bolton, England) transmitter". UK Free TV. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  50. ^ "Full Freeview on the Moel-Y-Parc (Flintshire, Wales) transmitter". UK Free TV. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  51. ^ "Wirral Wave Radio". Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  52. ^ "Wirral Globe". British Papers. 17 October 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  53. ^ a b "A-Hoylake!". BBC Sport. 17 July 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2008.
  54. ^ "Previous Opens - 143rd Open Royal Liverpool 2014 - The Open". www.theopen.com. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  55. ^ "The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool". The Open. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  56. ^ "American Harman wins first major at The Open". ESPN.com. 23 July 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  57. ^ "Sand yacht championships to start". BBC News. 16 September 2007. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  58. ^ "Events". British Landsailing - BFSLYC. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  59. ^ "Ground profile: Ellerman Lines Cricket Ground, Hoylake". CricketArchive. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  60. ^ "Supporting Planning Statement: Former Ellerman Lines Social Club, Carr Lane, Hoylake" (PDF). www.wirral.gov.uk. October 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  61. ^ "New bid to build on site of former social club in Hoylake". Today News. 19 October 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  62. ^ "Daniel Craig: The spy who loves Hoylake". Liverpool Echo. 20 October 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  63. ^ "Helen Forrester". Fantastic Fiction. Retrieved 29 August 2007.
  64. ^ "Julian Lennon Biography". lennon.net. Archived from the original on 9 May 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  65. ^ Morecambe, Gary; Sterling, Martin (2001). Morecambe & Wise - Behind The Sunshine. Robson Books. p. 19. ISBN 1-86105-462-9.

Further reading

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