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Where is Lydiate?

Lydiate is a village in the north west of England.

It is 9.8 miles(15.8km) from Liverpool,

10.5 miles (16.9km) from Southport and the market town of Ormskirk is 4.7 miles (7.6km) away.

It is now part of the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside.

Before local government re-organisation in 1972 Lydiate was part of Lancashire.

It is still a rural community surrounded by fields and farms,

however many open spaces have been built on for housing.

Lydiate History

A very brief history of Lydiate

1086 Lydiate mentioned in the Doomsday Book as having a wood a mile long.
The Old English name for Lydiate ws Hlid-Geat meaning swing gate.
Viking settlement at Eggergarth (Mill House Farm, Greens lane)
1212 Manor of Lydiate held by Benedict and Alan two brothers.
1389 Katherine an heiress of them inherited, and her husband's family took hold, the de-Blackburns of Garston.
Agnes de Blackburn married Thomas Ireland of Hale. In the 16th century they built Lydiate Hall.This fell into a ruinous state in the first half of the 20th century.
1480 St Catherine's Abbey built by the Ireland family.
16th century. The Anderton family follow the Ireland family as Lords of Lydiate.
1771 The Leeds-Liverpool Canal constructed.
1828 St.Thomas' C.E church built.
1839 St Thomas' C.E. school built.
1854 St Mary's R.C. Church built. It is known locally as Our Lady's.
1842 A Catholic school set up in the chapel in Lydiate Hall.
1862 St. Josephs R.C.School set up and enlarged in 1886.
1884 Lydiate Station on the Cheshire Lines Extension opened. The line ran from Aintree Central to Lord Street Southport.
Housing estates built on farms and fields during the 20th century.
1952 Lydiate Station closed and trains stopped running from Lydiate.
1953 Lydiate Primary opened on Lambshear Lane.
1958 St Gregory's R.C. Church built.
1968 St Gregory's R.C. school built.
1975 St Thomas' C.E. School moved to the present site on Kenyons Lane.

As well as the internet there are many excellent books and publications

about the history of Lydiate

Please contact Lydiateworld if there are any omissions or inaccuracies.

The Leeds-Liverpool Canal

and

The Cheshire Lines Railway track

We are very fortunate to have two wonderful leisure facilities in Lydiate, the canal and the Cheshire Lines Cycle/walking path.The canal provides a peaceful haven away from the busy main roads and the Cheshire Lines path although not as easily accessible is a peaceful place where you can get away from the everyday hustle and bustle. Both are places where you can walk, jog or cycle , and appreciate the wonders of nature all around you, and the canal provides a place where you can fish, take part in all types of boating activities- canoeing , paddling along in a dinghy or meandering along at a leisurely pace on a canal boat.

The Leeds Liverpool Canal is 127 miles (206km )and is the longest canal in the country. It was built between 1770 and 1816 and was a major transport link for many years. Cargo transported along it included coal, wool, cotton, grain, limestone and manure. The 13 mile section through Sefton is flat however there are 91 locks as it reaches 148 metres above sea level on the Pennine Hills .In 1814 the morning boat left Aintree at 7.00a.m. and arrived in Liverpool at 9.00a.m.Many passengers used the canal to get to Scarisbrick and from there would be conveyed by carriages to Southport.

The six 'BRIDGES OF LYDIATE' are

Rimmers Swing Bridge or Coxheads Bridge

Jacksons Bridge or Pygons Hill Bridge

Lydiate Hill Bridge or Billy's Bridge

Lollies Bridge or Skew Bridge

Dicconson's Bridge or Pilling Lane Bridge

Bells Swing Bridge or Captain Herd's -Sumners Turn Bridge

The two winding holes or turning points are between Jacksons and Billy's Bridge and between Pilling Lane and Bells Lane Bridge .

There was a boat house/yard on the stretch between Billy's and Lollies Bridge and also between Pilling Lane and Bells Lane Bridge.

The Cheshire Lines extension line from Aintree to Southport opened on 1st September 1884.

It closed as a war time measure during the years1917-1919.

The line was in use until 1952 although a stretch of it remained open for goods traffic for a few years after.

During its heyday it was well used by holidaymakers going to Southport.