Visit Birkenhead Places

Welcome to Visit Birkenhead Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Birkenhead

  

Birkenhead Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Birkenhead

---

Birkenhead history

---

Medieval period

The earliest records state that the Mersey ferry began operating from Birkenhead in 1150. Benedictine monks under the leadership of Hamon de Mascy built a priory there. The priory was visited in 1275 and 1277 by Edward I. Edward III granted the priory further rights.

19th century

Notable naval vessels built at Birkenhead include HMS Achilles, HMS Affray, CSS Alabama, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Thetis. Mersey Railway tunnel opened in 1886, providing direct railway access to Liverpool.

20th century

In 1932 thousands of unemployed people protested in a series of demonstrations organised by the local branch of the National Unemployed Workers Movement. The Queensway road tunnel opened in 1934 and gave rapid access to Liverpool. Bolstered by migration from rural Cheshire, southern Ireland and Wales, the town’s population grew from 110 in 1801 to 110,912 one hundred years later and stood at 142,501 by 1951.

Birkenhead economy & business

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding and ship repair has featured prominently in Birkenhead since the 19th century. Cammell Laird entered receivership in 2001. Shipyard was sold and became ‘Northwestern Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders’

Commerce

Birkenhead Market was first established on what is now the site of the town’s Town Hall, between Chester Street and Hamilton Street, on 10 July 1835. An increase in town’s population by 1841 led to the opening on 11 July 1845 of a much expanded market on a larger site nearby. During the 1970s, the commercial centre of the city was redeveloped around the principal shopping area of Grange Road.

Economic statistics

In February 2010, the town had an overall unemployment rate of 8.2% (males 12.4%, female 4.1%) as against a national average of 4.4%.

Birkenhead toponymy

The name Birkenhead probably means “headland overgrown with birch”, from the Old English bircen meaning birch tree, of which many once grew on the headland which jutted into the river at Woodside. The name is not derived from the Birket, a stream which enters the Mersey between Birkenheads and Seacombe.

Birkenhead landmarks

Birkenhead Park is acknowledged to be the first publicly funded park in Britain. Designed by Joseph Paxton in 1843 and officially opened in 1847, with great festivity. Grand Entrance modelled on the Temple of Illysus in Athens and its ‘Roman Boathouse’ are notable features.

Birkenhead geography / climate

The Birkenhead Urban Area is the 19th largest conurbation in England and Wales. In the 2011 Census, the area so defined had a total population of 325,264.

You can visit Birkenhead places with Walkfo Birkenhead to hear history at Birkenhead’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Birkenhead has 417 places to visit in our interactive Birkenhead map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Birkenhead, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Birkenhead places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Birkenhead & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 417 audio facts unique to Birkenhead places in an interactive Birkenhead map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Birkenhead Places Map
417 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

---

–

Birkenhead historic spots	Birkenhead tourist destinations	Birkenhead plaques	Birkenhead geographic features
Walkfo Birkenhead tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Birkenhead

  

Best Birkenhead places to visit

---

Birkenhead has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Birkenhead’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Birkenhead’s information audio spots:

Sacred Heart Church, Liverpool Sacred Heart Church is a Roman Catholic church in the centre of Liverpool, England . It is a Grade II listed building and was opened in 1886 . It was designed by Goldie, Child & Goldie and has an altar piece by Pugin and Pugin .

Rushworth and Dreaper The manufacturer was founded in 1828 by William Rushworth, operating until 2002 . Upon its liquidation, its archives were mostly destroyed, and the Victorian clock in the works tower was removed . The premises are now occupied by Henry Willis & Sons .

Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory The former Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory (POL) is based in Brownlow Street, Liverpool, England . It merged with the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS) in April 2010 .

Victoria Building, University of Liverpool The Victoria Building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse and completed in 1892 . It was the first purpose-built building for what was to become the University of Liverpool . In 2008 it was converted into the Victoria Gallery & Museum .

County Sessions House, Liverpool The County Sessions House is a former courthouse in Liverpool, Merseyside . It stands at the bottom of Islington, to the east of the Walker Art Gallery, which now occupies the building . It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building .

Steble Fountain Steble Fountain stands in William Brown Street, Liverpool, to the west of Wellington’s Column . It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building . It was donated to the city by a former mayor to fill a vacant plot west of the column .

North Western Hotel, Liverpool The Radisson RED Hotel Liverpool opened in 1871 as the North Western Hotel . The building is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building .

Liverpool Maternity Hospital The Liverpool Maternity Hospital was established in November 1841 in Horatio Street, Scotland Road, Liverpool . It was replaced by the Liverpool Women’s Hospital in November 1995 .

Liverpool Lime Street railway station Liverpool Lime Street is a terminus railway station and the main station serving the city centre of Liverpool . Opened in August 1836, it is the oldest still-operating grand terminus mainline station in the world . A branch of the West Coast Main Line from London Euston terminates at the station, as does the original Liverpool and Manchester Railway .

Liverpool Biennial Liverpool Biennial is the largest international contemporary art festival in the UK . Every two years, the city of Liverpool hosts an extensive range of artworks, projects, and a programme of events . The biennial commissions leading and emerging artists to make and present public artworks .

Visit Birkenhead plaques