To the southeast of Liverpool, the suburb of Childwall occupies a quieter corner of Merseyside, bordered by Belle Vale, Bowring Park, Broadgreen, Gateacre, Mossley Hill and Wavertree. The nearest railway stations are Mossley Hill and Broadgreen, and regular bus routes connect Childwall with Liverpool city centre and Liverpool John Lennon Airport. The population stood at 13,640 in 2019.
History and Origins
Childwall’s recorded history stretches back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as Cildeuuelle – a name derived from the Old English words cild and wella, meaning roughly “the rampart of the young noble”. The name went through several spellings over the centuries, including Childewalle, Chaldewall and Childewelle, before settling into its current form. Childwall was historically part of the West Derby Hundred and became an urban district under the Local Government Act 1894, until Liverpool county borough absorbed it on 9 November 1913. By 1921 the civil parish had a population of just 144, and on 1 April 1922 the parish was formally abolished and merged with Liverpool. All Saints’ Church in Childwall is recognised as the oldest church in Liverpool. The suburb also has a long-standing Jewish community, though this has been gradually declining since the 1980s, with many residents relocating to nearby Allerton and Gateacre.
Fiveways, Housing and Local Character
One of the most recognisable features of Childwall is the Childwall Fiveways, a large roundabout considered among the busiest in Liverpool. Since 2000, the area around the Fiveways has developed into a cluster of bars and restaurants. Established pubs include the Childwall Abbey Hotel, the Halfway House and the Childwall Fiveways Hotel. Housing throughout Childwall is almost entirely detached or semi-detached, with very few terraced properties.
Education and Media
Childwall has a broad range of schools, from Childwall Church of England Primary School and King David Schools – which cover nursery through to sixth form – to Childwall Sports and Science Academy at secondary level. Liverpool Hope University also falls within the area. On a patch of private land in Childwall Woods, television production company Lime Pictures – formerly Mersey Television – has its headquarters. The company produced Hollyoaks, Brookside and Grange Hill, all three filmed in Childwall, as well as Geordie Shore and The Only Way Is Essex.