Merseyside

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A metropolitan county, which is located in the North West of England with an area of 645 km² and a population of around 1,366,000. Merseyside is named after the River Mersey and comprises the conurbation by the Mersey estuary centred upon Liverpool. The county was created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972.

Geography

The county is divided into two parts by the Mersey estuary, the Wirral is located on the west side of the estuary, upon the Wirral Peninsula and the rest of the county is located on the east side of the estuary. The northern part of Merseyside borders onto Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, both parts border Cheshire to the south. The two parts are linked by two road tunnels, a railway tunnel, and the famous Mersey Ferry. Merseyside contains the metropolitan boroughs of Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and the Wirral. Other districts that are part of the urban area (but not part of Merseyside) are Ellesmere Port and Neston and Halton, this area is known informally as "Greater Merseyside". It is traditional to express location within the Merseyside area by the preposition on, thus "on Merseyside" as opposed to "in Merseyside" (after all, one would be "on the side of the Mersey" not "in" it). Towns include Birkenhead, Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens, Wirral, Bootle and Southport

History

Merseyside was created on 1 April 1974 from areas previously part of the administrative counties of Lancashire and Cheshire, along with the county boroughs of Birkenhead, Wallasey, Liverpool, Bootle, and St Helens. Between 1974 and 1986 the county had a two tier system of local government with the five boroughs sharing power with the Merseyside County Council. However in 1986 the government of Margaret Thatcher abolished the county council along with all other metropolitan county councils, and so its boroughs are now effectively unitary authorities. Merseyside however still exists legally, and as a ceremonial county.

Places of Interest

Anfield, Bidston Windmill, Goodison Park, Gambier Terrace, Albert Dock, Cavern Club, Childe of Hale, Croxteth Hall, Speke Hall, Mersey Tunnel, Tate Liverpool, Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool Museum, Merseyside Maritime Museum, HM Customs & Excise National Museum, Museum of Liverpool Life, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Port Sunlight, Leasowe Castle, Leasowe Lighthouse, Hilbre Island, North Wirral Coastal Park, St Helens' World of Glass.