Ellesmere Port facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ellesmere Port |
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| Town | |
 Ellesmere Port Civic Hall |
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 Ellesmere Port
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| Population | 61,090 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SJ4175 |
| • London | 170 mi (270 km) SE |
| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ELLESMERE PORT |
| Postcode district | CH65, CH66 |
| Dialling code | 0151 |
| Police | Cheshire |
| Fire | Cheshire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Ellesmere Port is a busy port town in Cheshire, England. It's located on the southeastern edge of the Wirral Peninsula, about 6 kilometers (4 miles) north of Chester. The town sits right on the bank of the Manchester Ship Canal. In 2011, about 61,090 people lived here. Ellesmere Port is also part of the larger Birkenhead urban area.
The town first started near the River Mersey where the Ellesmere Canal began. Today, Ellesmere Port has a strong service industry, but it also has big factories. These include the Stanlow oil refinery, a chemical plant, and the Vauxhall Motors car factory. There are also fun places to visit, like the National Waterways Museum, the Blue Planet Aquarium, and Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet.
History of Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port began because of a canal that was never fully finished. This canal, now called the Shropshire Union Canal, was planned by engineers William Jessop and Thomas Telford. Their idea was to connect three big rivers: the River Severn, the River Mersey, and the River Dee.
In 1795, a part of the canal opened, connecting the River Mersey to the River Dee near Chester. But the canal never reached the River Severn. Building it became too expensive, and new steam engines made canals less important for trade. The small village of Netherpool, where the canal started, soon changed its name to the Port of Ellesmere, and then to Ellesmere Port.
How Ellesmere Port Grew
Even before the canal, small villages like Great Sutton, Little Sutton, and Hooton existed here in the 11th century. The first houses in Ellesmere Port itself were built around the docks. Dock Street became the first main street, and it's now home to the National Waterways Museum.
One of the first big employers was Burnell's Iron Works, which opened in the late 1800s. Then, in 1905, the Mersey Ironworks factory opened. This brought 300 workers and their families from Wolverhampton to live in a new village called "Wolverham." As more factories opened near the canal, the town kept growing.
By the mid-1900s, Ellesmere Port had grown to include nearby villages like Great and Little Sutton. The town center moved to a new area where the Port Arcades shopping mall is now.
In 1962, the Vauxhall Motors car factory opened. This brought many more people to the town. The factory first made car parts, then started making cars like the Vauxhall Viva in 1964. Today, it's Vauxhall's only car factory in Britain and makes the Vauxhall Astra. It employs about 2,500 people.
In the 1980s, the Port Arcades, a covered shopping center, was built. In the 1990s, shopping became a big reason people moved to Ellesmere Port. The Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet and the Coliseum shopping park, which has a cinema, were also built.
Since 1974, Ellesmere Port has been part of a larger local government area. In 2009, it became part of Cheshire West and Chester council. In 2012, Marks & Spencer opened one of its biggest stores in the UK near the Coliseum shopping park.
Local Government
Ellesmere Port is part of the Cheshire West and Chester council. This council was formed in 2009, combining Ellesmere Port with other areas like Chester.
For national elections, Ellesmere Port is part of the Ellesmere Port and Neston area. The person who represents this area in the UK Parliament is called a Member of Parliament (MP). As of 2021, the MP for Ellesmere Port is Justin Madders.
Population and People
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Ellesmere Port has grown a lot over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Year | Population |
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| 1901 | 10,366 |
| 1911 | 10,253 |
| 1921 | 12,891 |
| 1931 | 18,267 |
| 1951 | 32,653 |
| 1961 | 44,681 |
| 1971 | 61,637 |
| 1981 | 63,315 |
| 1991 | 31,378 |
| 2001 | 64,100 |
| 2011 | 61,090 |
In 2011, there were 27,134 homes in Ellesmere Port. Most people (95.2%) were White British. Almost everyone (97.8%) speaks English as their first language.
Religion in Ellesmere Port
According to the 2011 census, most people in Ellesmere Port (72.1%) are Christian. About 20% of people said they had no religion.
Famous Landmarks
Ellesmere Port has several well-known places:
- Blue Planet Aquarium: This was the largest aquarium in the UK when it opened in 1998.
- Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet: This is a huge shopping village where you can find many brands at lower prices. It was the largest outlet village in the UK when it opened in 1995. It also has the UK's largest artificial Christmas tree, which is 27 meters (90 feet) tall!
- The Coliseum Retail Park: Another shopping area right next to Cheshire Oaks.
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: A local hospital located in Whitby.
- Ellesmere Port Sports Village: A modern sports center that opened in 2015.
- Marks & Spencer: The second largest store of this famous British retailer.
- National Waterways Museum: This museum has the world's largest collection of canal boats.
- Stanlow Oil Refinery: A very large industrial site that refines oil.
- Whitby Hall: A historic Victorian building in Whitby Park, home to the Theatre Porto company.
Geography of the Town
Ellesmere Port is located at the southern end of the Wirral Peninsula in Cheshire. It has several areas around it, like Overpool to the northwest and Whitby to the south.
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Eastham | Garston (across River Mersey) |
Hale (across River Mersey) |
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| Ledsham, Willaston |  |
Elton, Helsby | ||
 Ellesmere Port  |
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| Capenhurst | Backford, Chester | Stoak, Thornton-le-Moors |
Parks and Green Spaces
Ellesmere Port has lovely green areas for people to enjoy:
- Whitby Park
- Rivacre Valley Local Nature Reserve
- Stanney Woods Nature Reserve
Local Media
For local news and TV shows, Ellesmere Port gets its signals from BBC North West and ITV Granada. You can also pick up signals from BBC Wales and ITV Cymru Wales because of how close the town is to North Wales.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Merseyside, Capital North West & Wales, Heart North West, Smooth Radio North West, and Dee Radio.
The town's local newspaper is the Chester and District Standard.
Transport Links
Ellesmere Port has good transport connections.
Road Travel
The town is close to where the M56 and M53 motorways meet. The A41 road, which connects Birkenhead and Chester, also goes through the area. The M56 is part of the European Route E22.
Bus Services
There's a bus station in the town center. Buses run often to places like Chester, Liverpool, and Birkenhead. Some services also go to Mold in North Wales. Most buses are run by Stagecoach.
Train Services
Ellesmere Port railway station is on the Merseyrail network. You can catch trains to Chester and Liverpool. The train line to Ellesmere Port was made electric in 1994. There's also a less frequent train service to Warrington.
Canal Routes
The Manchester Ship Canal connects to the Mersey estuary near Ellesmere Port. The town is also the end point of the Shropshire Union Canal, which used to be a busy route for moving goods.
Sports and Activities
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Ellesmere Port has a history with sports. Speedway racing, a type of motorbike racing, took place at a stadium in the 1970s and 1980s. The Ellesmere Port Gunners speedway team even won a national championship in 1985.
Ellesmere Port Town F.C. was the town's main football team until Vauxhall Motors F.C. was formed in 1963. Ellesmere Port Town F.C. played in a high league and even reached the first round of the F.A. Cup in 1971–1972. Vauxhall Motors F.C. is now the local football team.
In 2012, Ellesmere Port was part of the Paralympic Flame relay before the Paralympic Games in London. Events were held at the West Cheshire College campus and the EPIC leisure center.
A new, modern Sports Village opened in 2015. It has swimming pools, tennis courts, and football pitches. It's also the new home for the Cheshire Phoenix, a professional basketball team.
Notable People from Ellesmere Port
Many interesting people have come from Ellesmere Port or lived there:
- Arthur Goddard (1921–2022): He was in charge of developing the Land Rover from 1947 to 1957. He went to Little Sutton Primary School.
Creative Arts
- Edgar Foxall (1906–1990): An English poet whose work was featured in famous poetry collections.
- Lillian Beckwith (1916–2004): An author who grew up in Ellesmere Port. Her book About My Father's Business tells about her childhood.
- Mike Singleton (1951–2012): A British video game designer who used to be an English teacher in Ellesmere Port.
- Ian Prowse (born 1964): A singer and songwriter from bands like Pele and Amsterdam. He grew up in Little Sutton.
- Stevie Riks (born 1967): A comedian, impressionist, and musician.
- Stove King (born 1974): A musician who was the bassist for the rock band Mansun.
- Lee Latchford Evans (born 1975): A singer, dancer, and actor, best known as a member of the pop group Steps. He grew up here.
- Pele: An indie rock band formed in Ellesmere Port in the 1990s.
- Hooton Tennis Club: A four-piece indie-rock band with members who grew up in the area.
- Joshua Leary: An electronic musician and hip-hop producer known as Evian Christ.
Sports Stars
- Sam Chedgzoy (1889–1967): A footballer who played many games for Everton.
- Joe Mercer (1914–1990): An England football player and manager who led Manchester City to win the First Division championship, FA Cup, League Cup, and European Cup Winners' Cup.
- Stan Cullis (1916–2001): A famous Wolverhampton Wanderers player and manager. He played football for local Ellesmere Port teams as a boy.
- Dave Hickson (1929–2013): A footballer who played for Everton, Liverpool, and Tranmere Rovers.
- Ian Bowyer (born 1951): A footballer who played many games for Manchester City and Nottingham Forest.
- Rob Jones (born 1971): A former footballer for Liverpool and England. He grew up in the town.
- Anastasia Dobromyslova (born 1984): A former Women's World Professional Darts Champion who lives in the town.
- Tony Martin (born 1981): A professional darts player.
- Johannah Leedham (born 1987): The captain of the Team GB women's basketball team for the London 2012 Olympics.
- Paul Butler (born 1988): A professional boxer and former world champion.
- Doug Ellis: A business person and former chairman of Aston Villa football club.
See also
In Spanish: Ellesmere Port para niños
