West Derby
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
West Derby is a suburb in the north of Liverpool, England, that achieved significance far earlier than Liverpool itself. Mentioned in the Domesday Book, its name comes from a Viking word meaning "place of the wild beasts" and named an administrative area called the West Derby hundred, or West Derbyshire, which covered south west Lancashire. It is also a Liverpool City Council ward.
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[edit] History
It was home to the Earls of Sefton (family name Molyneaux), whose house, Croxteth Hall, and the surrounding countryside estate now forms Croxteth Park, an attractive public space. The former UK soap opera Brookside was filmed on a housing estate built on some of Lord Sefton's estate.
West Derby once had a castle, now completely disappeared, but still retains a courthouse built under Queen Elizabeth I: the first court in West Derby was established around 1,000 years ago. Near the courthouse are a set of medieval stocks, once used as a public restraint punishment for prisoners, although there is some question about their authenticity.
There is also some suggestion of a Roman site on a street called Castlesite (nicknamed "De Rozeez" ["The Rosies"] by some locals). The site is now a small public park, the shape and dimensions of which are similar to that of a Roman barracks or castra. The remnants of a wooden castle were unearthed on this plot during excavations in the mid 1960's.
[edit] Organisations
The world famous Alder Hey Children's Hospital is on the south side of West Derby, on Eaton Road.
West Derby is the location for the training grounds of two English Football League teams: Everton F.C. at Bellefield, and Liverpool F.C. at Melwood.
[edit] People
West Derby is home to a number of schools that have produced famous students; West Derby Comprehensive (Craig Charles), St. Edward's College (Sir Terry Leahy), Cardinal Heenan (Steven Gerrard), and Holly Lodge (Atomic Kitten).
Well known residents of West Derby have been; Pete Best, the first Beatles drummer who lived in Haymans Green (then the almshouses); Bill Shankly the iconic Liverpool FC football manager, whose house overlooked Bellefield; Carla Lane the scriptwriter, lived close by, as did Eddie Braben, the scriptwriter for Morecambe & Wise, and Bessie Braddock the famous Liverpool Exchange Division MP lived behind his house.
[edit] Transport
West Derby railway station was located on the North Liverpool Extension Line.
[edit] External links
City of Liverpool
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| Districts | |
| Aigburth | Allerton | Anfield | Belle Vale | Broadgreen | Canning | Childwall | Clubmoor | Croxteth | Dingle | Dovecot | Edge Hill | Everton | Fairfield | Fazakerley | Garston | Gateacre | Grassendale | Hunts Cross | Kensington | Kirkdale | Knotty Ash | Mossley Hill | Netherley | Norris Green | Old Swan | St Michael's Hamlet | Speke | Stoneycroft | Toxteth | Tuebrook | Walton | Wavertree | West Derby | Woolton | |
| City Council Wards | |
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Allerton & Hunts Cross | Anfield | Belle Vale | Central | Childwall | Church | Clubmoor | County | Cressington | Croxteth | Everton | Fazakerley | Greenbank | Kensington & Fairfield | Kirkdale | Knotty Ash | Mossley Hill | Norris Green | Old Swan | Picton | Princes Park | Riverside | Speke Garston | St Michaels | Tuebrook and Stoneycroft | Warbreck | Wavertree | West Derby | Woolton | Yew Tree |
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