Ainsdale

Ainsdale
240px Ainsdale Village Church
Ainsdale  Ainsdale shown within Merseyside
Population	12,723 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SD312122
Metropolitan borough	Sefton
Metropolitan county	Merseyside
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SOUTHPORT
Postcode district	PR8
Dialling code	01704
Police	Merseyside
Fire	Merseyside
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Southport
List of places UK England Merseyside

Ainsdale is an area of Southport in the borough of Sefton, Merseyside, England, situated three miles south of the centre of Southport. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 12,723. By the time of the 2011 census only figures for Ainsdale (Ward)(qv) were available.

It makes up the southern edge of the town, bordering Formby. The village and roads leading to the beach are middle class areas, with some new modern developments around the station including the addition of the private estate Village Row in 2006 and the Belway estate in 2013.

History

Prior to 1600

Ainsdale was listed in the Domesday Book as Einulvesdel. Deriving from Old Norse name Einulfsdalr, this apparently was the valley occupied by a Scandinavian by the name of Einulf.

1600-Present

Ainsdale formed part of Sir Cuthbert Halsall of Halsall's estates during the early part of the 1600s. After financial difficulties the land containing Ainsdale (then Aynsdale) had to be sold. In 1634 the ownership was passed to Robert Blundell. The lands were passed from generation to generation within the Blundell family and remained in their ownership until the mid-1900s.

Throughout the 1800s Ainsdale remained an agricultural community. Prior to the British Agricultural Revolution fields and farms in the locality were small and land was enclosed. The 1841 Census listed 176 inhabitants in 33 houses with occupations of farmer, agricultural labourers and servants.

Ainsdale railway station opened in 1848. A second station was opened in 1901. It was originally named Seaside, being renamed Ainsdale Beach in 1912. It closed in 1952. The route of the line it was on now forms the Coastal Road from Woodvale to Southport. The row of houses over the road from the Sands Hotel were originally railway staff cottages for that line.

Ainsdale became part of the County Borough of Southport in 1912 after being part of Birkdale Urban District, though it remained a separate civil parish to Southport until 1925. Although now in the administrative county of Merseyside it is still in the County Palatine of Lancashire.

Governance

The area of Ainsdale, together with the adjoining settlement of Woodvale, and a significant part of South Birkdale, forms a single electoral ward named Ainsdale, it is currently represented by three councillors on Sefton Council: Brenda Porter and Terry Jones (both Conservative Party), and Haydn Preece (Liberal Democrats).

For parliamentary elections, the ward is part of the Southport constituency, currently represented by the Liberal Democrat MP, John Pugh, who was re-elected at the 2015 UK General Election.

Landmarks

Ainsdale Mill, built circa 1800 on the site of an earlier wooden mill, was an impressive - and functional - landmark until its closure in 1965 and later demolition. A branch railway line from Ainsdale station served the mill during its operating years.

Ainsdale boating lake, along with the beach itself, were popular tourist attractions, and thus Lakeside Hotel (now known as The Sands) was built to accommodate those wishing to stay in the area. However, a large campsite was also well populated in the busiest periods of the year.

In the village green there is a war memorial that commemorates the lives of forty-four Ainsdale residents killed as a result of World War I.

Transport

The locality is served by Ainsdale railway station, which is situated on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network, linking Southport to Liverpool. Trains operate every 15 minutes in each direction from early morning to late evening.

Frequent bus services passing through Ainsdale are provided by Arriva, including:
• 44/44A Crossens - Formby
• 47 Banks - Liverpool
• 49 Crossens - Woodvale

Recreation and sports

File:Ainsdale Beach - geograph.org.uk - 89188.jpg

Kitesurfing at Ainsdale beach

Ainsdale has teams in football, cricket, bowls, pool and chess. The village hosts the Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club. The football section of Ainsdale Sports and Social Club hosts teams from Under 7 up to Under 16 and Open Age Teams. Ainsdale Cricket Club play in the successful Liverpool Competition.

Every year at the start of July Ainsdale Horticultural Society hold a village show. This highly successful local event showcases local growers produce in an horticultural competition and hosts many other events by local people.

Ainsdale beach is designated by Sefton Council as a kite beach where kitesurfing and land-based kite traction activities are allowed.

The Sefton coastal path and the Trans Pennine Trail both pass through Ainsdale. A number of waymarked nature trails are also accessible from the town. These trails allow access to the Ainsdale Sand Dunes, designated as one of the National Nature Reserves in England. This nature reserve also comprises part of a Ramsar site.

Notable people

• Actor Anthony Quayle.
• Actress Sophie Abelson
• Actor/Broadcaster Wilfred Pickles

External links

• Ainsdale Pages
• West Coast Kitesurf Club - AOSKC
• Ainsdale Civic Society
• Ainsdale in the Domesday Book