Aintree
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Aintree | |
|
Aintree shown within Merseyside | |
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan borough | Sefton |
| Metropolitan county | Merseyside |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LIVERPOOL |
| Postcode district | L10 |
| Dialling code | 0151 |
| Police | Merseyside |
| Fire | Merseyside |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | Knowsley North and Sefton East |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Merseyside | |
Aintree is a village and parish in Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59, about six and a half miles north of Liverpool city centre, in the north-west of England.
It is best known as the site of Aintree Racecourse, which since the 19th century has staged the Grand National horse race. During the 1950s and 60s, there was also a three-mile-long motor racing circuit on the site, which used the same grandstands as the horse race. A shorter form of the racing circuit is still used for various events, although car racing ceased in 1982.
Contents |
[edit] History
The name is thought to be of Saxon origin, and means "one tree" or "tree standing alone". In 1999, the parish council decided to revert back to its original name of Aintree Village. This request was granted by Sefton Council. Local legend held that a tree on Bull Bridge Lane, one of the oldest parts of the village, was "the Ain tree"; sadly this had to be cut down in 2004 due to the tree having a disease.
[edit] Today
The village itself has two primary schools, Aintree Davenhill and the split site Holy Rosary, three churches (St Giles (Anglican), Holy Rosary (Roman Catholic), and Old Roan Methodist church, two small local shopping areas (on Altway and at the Old Roan) and two public houses, the Blue Anchor (which backs onto the Leeds and Liverpool Canal) and the Old Roan which gives its name to a railway station in the village. The village also has a public library. A retail park along Ormskirk Road on former industrial land has brought a significant amount of major out-of-town shops to the area.
Aintree Davenhill Primary School has a large field with a metal building which was built in the 1950's. The building was going to be a hospital building but was turned into a school, you can still see were the wards (the classrooms) are.
Holy Rosary Primary School as a small field and uses other fields for events such as their sports day, the building was built from the 1970's - 1980's.
[edit] The Racecourse
Unusually for racecourses or circuits, the site of Aintree Racecourse is split by Melling Road and Grand Prix cars (and Grand National horses) had to cross the (closed!) public road twice on each trip.
[edit] Transport
The main road from Liverpool to Aintree is the A59 (known as Ormskirk Road as it passes through Aintree). The M57, M58, A59, and A5036 meet at a complex junction called Switch Island between Aintree and Maghull.
The village is closer to Old Roan railway station, although Aintree railway station is convenient for the racecourse, both on the Merseyrail Northern Line's Ormskirk branch with regular service between Liverpool Central and Ormskirk.
It was in the past also served by Aintree Central railway station on the North Liverpool Extension Line, located behind Aintree railway station. The North Mersey Branch also runs through close to the station and had Aintree Racecourse railway station.
Bus services through the village itself are regular - a bus every 20 minutes to Liverpool runs through the village, while various other routes to Liverpool and destinations to the North including Maghull, Ormskirk and Southport stop near the Old Roan.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through the village.
[edit] External links
- Aintree Racecourse
- Aintree Village Parish Council Local History
- St Giles Parish Church
- Liverpool Motor Club
- Aintree Motorcycle Racing Club
- Multimap.com Aerial photograph
- grid reference SJ375985 Get-a-Map from Ordnance Surveyda:Aintree
de:Aintree nl:Aintree sv:Aintree
