Freshfield
Encyclopedia
Freshfield is an area of Formby
, in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside
, England
, situated at the northern end of the town. It has no local political distinction or representation and is included as part of the two council wards which make up Formby (Harington
and Ravenmeols
), nor is it separated in any physical sense from the town.
The area is often considered to be affluent with local celebrities, footballers, politicians and businessmen calling this their home, see people from Formby. Shireburn Road in Freshfield is the most expensive road in Merseyside, house prices on the exclusive road averaged £1,159,831 in 2009.
, was built in 1854. The name was chosen, as the local landowner, a certain Mr Fresh, owned the adjacent field.
A process of reverse naming seems to have occurred with some people referring to the area of Formby around this station as "Freshfield". Freshfield is generally regarded as the more affluent area of Formby, largely due to a number of large private residences in the area. It exists from Freshfield beach (situated beyond the pinewoods) to Dobb's Brook or Gutter (commonly referred to as Long Lane "Ditch").
of Formby within the administrative county
of Lancashire
. Since 1 April 1974, it has formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside
.
From 1950 until 2010 Freshfield like the rest of Formby formed part of the constituency of Crosby
, The MP
for Crosby from 1997 until 2010 was Claire Curtis-Thomas
, a member of the Labour Party
, prior to her election the seat was generally considered to be a safe Conservative Party
stronghold with Tory MPs elected at every election barring the Crosby by-election, 1981
where Shirley Williams of the Social Democratic Party
was elected to represent the constituency. As a result of the Crosby constituency being abolished for the 2010 general election, Freshfield like the rest of Formby is part of the newly created Sefton Central constituency
represented by Bill Esterson
, a member of the Labour Party
.
For elections to Sefton Council, Freshfield like the rest of Formby is divided between two electoral wards with three councillors each. Harington
ward, whose councillors are Gillian Cuthbertson, Alf Doran, and Denise Dutton, all members of the Conservative Party
, and Ravenmeols
ward, whose councillors are Barry Griffiths, Anne Ibbs, David Mcivor, again all members of the Conservative Party
. Overall there are 6 councillors representing the Freshfield area and all of them are members of the Conservative Party
.
is situated on the Liverpool
to Southport
branch of Merseyrail
's Northern Line
.
known for being a habitat of rare red squirrel
s, with a reserve managed by the National Trust
.
Formby
Formby is a town and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It has a population of approximately 25,000....
, in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, situated at the northern end of the town. It has no local political distinction or representation and is included as part of the two council wards which make up Formby (Harington
Harington (ward)
Harington is a Metropolitan Borough of Sefton ward in the Sefton Central Parliamentary constituency that covers the western half of the town of Formby including the western half of the area known as Freshfield.-Councillors:-Elections of the 2010s:...
and Ravenmeols
Ravenmeols (ward)
Ravenmeols is a Metropolitan Borough of Sefton ward in the Sefton Central Parliamentary constituency that covers the village of Ince Blundell and the nearby hamlets of Lady Green and Carr Houses, the village of Little Altcar, and the eastern half of the town of Formby including the eastern half of...
), nor is it separated in any physical sense from the town.
The area is often considered to be affluent with local celebrities, footballers, politicians and businessmen calling this their home, see people from Formby. Shireburn Road in Freshfield is the most expensive road in Merseyside, house prices on the exclusive road averaged £1,159,831 in 2009.
History
The name did not exist until Formby's second railway station, FreshfieldFreshfield railway station
Freshfield railway station serves the Freshfield district of Formby, Sefton, Merseyside, England. The station is located on the Southport branch of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line.-History:...
, was built in 1854. The name was chosen, as the local landowner, a certain Mr Fresh, owned the adjacent field.
A process of reverse naming seems to have occurred with some people referring to the area of Formby around this station as "Freshfield". Freshfield is generally regarded as the more affluent area of Formby, largely due to a number of large private residences in the area. It exists from Freshfield beach (situated beyond the pinewoods) to Dobb's Brook or Gutter (commonly referred to as Long Lane "Ditch").
Governance
Until 1974, Freshfield was part of the urban districtUrban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
of Formby within the administrative county
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Since 1 April 1974, it has formed part of the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
.
From 1950 until 2010 Freshfield like the rest of Formby formed part of the constituency of Crosby
Crosby (UK Parliament constituency)
Crosby was a constituency in Merseyside, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1950 until 2010. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
, The MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Crosby from 1997 until 2010 was Claire Curtis-Thomas
Claire Curtis-Thomas
Claire Curtis-Thomas is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Crosby from 1997 to 2010.-Early life:...
, a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, prior to her election the seat was generally considered to be a safe Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
stronghold with Tory MPs elected at every election barring the Crosby by-election, 1981
Crosby by-election, 1981
The Crosby by-election, 1981 was a by-election held in England on 26 November 1981 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituency of Crosby on Merseyside...
where Shirley Williams of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
was elected to represent the constituency. As a result of the Crosby constituency being abolished for the 2010 general election, Freshfield like the rest of Formby is part of the newly created Sefton Central constituency
Sefton Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Sefton Central is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
represented by Bill Esterson
Bill Esterson
William Roffen "Bill" Esterson is a Labour MP for Sefton Central, first elected in 2010. Bill sits on the following Select Committees; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Education....
, a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
.
For elections to Sefton Council, Freshfield like the rest of Formby is divided between two electoral wards with three councillors each. Harington
Harington (ward)
Harington is a Metropolitan Borough of Sefton ward in the Sefton Central Parliamentary constituency that covers the western half of the town of Formby including the western half of the area known as Freshfield.-Councillors:-Elections of the 2010s:...
ward, whose councillors are Gillian Cuthbertson, Alf Doran, and Denise Dutton, all members of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, and Ravenmeols
Ravenmeols (ward)
Ravenmeols is a Metropolitan Borough of Sefton ward in the Sefton Central Parliamentary constituency that covers the village of Ince Blundell and the nearby hamlets of Lady Green and Carr Houses, the village of Little Altcar, and the eastern half of the town of Formby including the eastern half of...
ward, whose councillors are Barry Griffiths, Anne Ibbs, David Mcivor, again all members of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. Overall there are 6 councillors representing the Freshfield area and all of them are members of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Community
The area contains The Freshfield Hotel and The Grapes pubs, Victoria Hall and Victoria Road (a long avenue on which several famous English sportsmen have lived).The area is also in the vicinity of RAF Woodvale.Transport
Freshfield railway stationFreshfield railway station
Freshfield railway station serves the Freshfield district of Formby, Sefton, Merseyside, England. The station is located on the Southport branch of the Merseyrail network's Northern Line.-History:...
is situated on the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
branch of Merseyrail
Merseyrail
Merseyrail is a train operating company and commuter rail network in the United Kingdom, centred on Liverpool, Merseyside. The network is predominantly electric with diesel trains running on the City Line. Two City Line branches are currently being electrified on the overhead wire AC system with...
's Northern Line
Northern Line (Merseyrail)
The Northern Line is one of the two commuter rail lines operated by Merseyrail in Merseyside, England. The other line is the Wirral Line. A third line of the Merseyrail Network, the City Line, is not owned or operated by Merseyrail, although funded by Merseytravel.The Northern Line passes...
.
Formby Woods
Located nearby is a section of the Mersey Forest, known as Formby Woods, a community forestCommunity Forests in England
England's twelve community forests are afforestation-based regeneration projects which were established in the early 1990s. Each of them is a partnership between the Forestry Commission and the Countryside Agency, which are agencies of the British government, and the relevant local councils.Most of...
known for being a habitat of rare red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
s, with a reserve managed by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.