Wallasey as a place to live

Wallasey, sitting on the mouth of the River Mersey, at the north eastern corner of the Wirral Peninsula, is a mixed residential and seaside town and having a population of around 58,000 encompassing several distinct districts – New Brighton, Leasowe, Moreton, Egremont, Liscard, Poulton & Seacombe.

Wallasey History

The name Wallasey (Welsh Isle) is Saxon in origin. Translated literally it means ‘The Island of the Strangers/Foreigners’ i.e. non-Saxons. When the Saxons arrived in North Wirral, they recognised the area as a place exclusively settled by Britons or Celts. Such people were known as the ‘walesi’, or ‘walea’. It is where the name Wales originates from.

The area was sparsely populated before the 19th century, with farming and fishing the main activities.

However, the township also had a reputation for smuggling and “wrecking”; the act of luring ships onto rocks or sandbanks with false lights in order to raid their cargo. Underground cellars and tunnels, which were used to hide cargo pilfered from ships wrecked in this way, still exist in the town.
Another activity of interest were the horse races organised for the Earls of Derby on the sands at Leasowe in the 16th and 17th centuries that are regarded as forerunners of the modern Derby, now held at Epsom Downs in Surrey.

It was from the early 19th century wealthy Liverpool merchants and sea captains started making their homes in Wallasey, leading subsequently to the area becoming a very popular seaside resort with developments at New Brighton, seen to rival the already established Regency resort of Brighton on the South Coast.

Wallasey Schools

Wallasey enjoys access to 12 primary, 5 Secondary(High, Academy, Catholic and Extended) plus 4 Catholic Voluntary Aided Colleges.

Wallasey Amenities & Attractions

Wallasey and its immediate surrounding area offer a plethora of activities including;

i) Golf at the private links and Open Golf Championship qualifying course, Wallasey Golf Club, being the ‘home’ golf club of Dr Frank Stableford; creator of the great golf scoring leveler, ‘Stableford Rules’. Adjacent is the municipal Warren Golf Club of 9 holes.

ii) New Brighton is enjoying a welcome resurgence in popularity and boasting good clean sandy beaches, the modern Floral Pavilion Theatre, a multi-screen cinema, the Fort Perch Rock Museum and Lighthouse, a casino, an hotel and plenty of entertainment to occupy the kids including an indoor fairground, a lake for sailing model boats and a much larger marina for sailing and other water-borne activities.

iii) Down the promenade at Seacombe Ferry is ‘Spaceport’ where you can blast off on a virtual journey through space and time, an amazing space-themed adventure, particularly for the kids.

iv) With its lengthy promenade stretching from Seacombe Ferry and around the coast through New Brighton and up to Leasowe and beyond, walkers, joggers & cyclists can enjoy some bracing sea air and wonderful sunrises and, particularly, beautiful sunsets…..weather permitting!! The surrounding sand hills make for pleasant picnics offering good shelter on more windy days.

Places to eat & drink

The whole of the Wallasey area has an array of good and diverse hotels, restaurants, bars & cafes suited to the more discerning fine diner to the cost-conscious diner.

Notable well-regarded restaurants include, The Grove House (hotel), The Peninsular & The Olive Tree.

However, the newly burgeoning New Brighton offers some excellent eateries, bars and cafes.

For traditionalists, and in a time when pub numbers are reducing, there are 3 old pubs off Victoria Road, all within 10 yards walking distance of each other, and each having its own distinctive local personality, namely; The Railway, The Perch Rock & The Harbour (was once The Commercial).

Wallasey Transport

The town and surrounding area is very well served in being close to the M53 motorway, the ferry terminals at Seacombe and Woodside (Birkenhead) to Liverpool, as well as having railway stations at New Brighton, Wallasey Grove Road & Wallasey Village, providing regular services to Liverpool and Chester. There are frequent bus services, both for local transportation as well as to/from Liverpool and Chester.