Lytham St Annes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lytham St Annes |
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 Clifton Street, Lytham (2009) |
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 Lytham St Annes
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| Population | 42,695 (Built up area, 2021) |
| OS grid reference | SD322289 |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LYTHAM ST. ANNES |
| Postcode district | FY8 |
| Dialling code | 01253 |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Lytham St Annes is a fun seaside town in Lancashire, England. It's located on the Fylde coast, just south of Blackpool, near the Ribble Estuary. In 2021, about 42,695 people lived here. The town is actually made up of four smaller areas: Lytham, Ansdell, Fairhaven, and St Annes-on-the-Sea.
Lytham is the oldest part of the town. St Annes was built later, starting in the 1870s, as a new seaside resort. For a while, Lytham and St Annes were managed separately. But in 1922, they joined together to become "Lytham St Annes."
This area is famous for its four golf courses. One of them, the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, often hosts the Open Championship, a really big golf tournament! Lytham St Annes is also known as a well-off area, with many residents earning good incomes.
Contents
Towns and Districts
Lytham St Annes is made up of four main areas: Lytham, St Annes-on-the-Sea, Ansdell, and Fairhaven.
Lytham
The name Lytham comes from an old English word, hlithum, which means "place at the slopes."
A famous spot in Lytham is The Green. This is a grassy area between the shore and the main road. Here you can see the old Windmill and the Old Lifeboat House Museum. From The Green, you can look out over the River Ribble estuary and even see the Welsh mountains on a clear day! Lytham's town centre has many interesting buildings, like the old library, Lytham railway station, and the Clifton Arms Hotel.
For a long time, the Clifton family was very important in Lytham. Many streets are named after them, including Clifton Street, the main shopping area. Their family home, Lytham Hall, was passed down through generations until 1963. Now, the grounds of Lytham Hall are open to visitors. They often host fun events like outdoor plays and car shows. The main church for Lytham is St Cuthbert's Church.
Lytham is also home to the Foulnaze cockle fishery. Cockles are small shellfish. This fishery only opens its beds a few times every twenty years.
St Annes
St Annes-on-the-Sea was a planned town built in the 1800s. St Anne's Church and the St Annes-on-the-Sea railway station both opened in 1873. The town officially started on March 31, 1875, when the first stone of the St Anne's Hotel was laid. Architects Maxwell and Tuke, who also designed Blackpool Tower, planned the town. St Annes used to have a large outdoor seawater swimming pool from 1916 until the mid-1980s.
St Annes was the original home of Premium Bonds. These are special bonds where people can win tax-free prizes. The computer that picks the winners, called ERNIE, was also here for over 40 years before moving to Blackpool. The town centre has been updated to attract more shops and visitors. A special area with restaurants was created around Wood Street. Ashton Gardens, a park near the town centre, was also beautifully restored in 2009.
The beach north of St Anne's Pier was once famous for sand yachting. This sport has been stopped since 2002. However, St Annes Beach still hosts many exciting kite flying events each year. Kite flyers need to stay at least 50 meters away from the sand dunes for safety.
A statue of a lifeboatman stands on the promenade in St Annes. It remembers the brave people who died in the Mexico Disaster of 1886. The original lifeboat station closed in 1925 because the channel became too shallow. Now, the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) has a modern base south of St Annes pier, opened in 2000. St Annes-on-the-Sea Carnegie Library is a beautiful old building funded by Andrew Carnegie.
There's often confusion about whether to write "St Annes" or "St Anne's" (with an apostrophe). Many locals and official uses, like the Lytham St Annes Express newspaper, drop the apostrophe. The town is named after St Annes Parish Church.
In 2008, a bronze statue of comedian Les Dawson, who lived in the town, was unveiled near St Annes Pier. Another famous entertainer, George Formby, also lived here. You can see a plaque outside his former home.
Ansdell
Ansdell is a small area between Lytham and St Annes, on the side away from the coast. It has its own railway station, a club called the Ansdell Institute, and a public library. It's named after Richard Ansdell, an artist who lived here and painted many hunting scenes. Ansdell is the only place in England named after an artist!
Ansdell is home to Lytham St Annes High School, which is the largest school in Lancashire with about 1,500 students. Part of the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club is also in Ansdell. Fylde Rugby Club (FRC) is based here too. It was started in 1920 and has had many famous players.
Fairhaven
Fairhaven is located between Lytham and St Annes, on the coastal side of the railway. Some believe it's named after Thomas Fair, who managed the Clifton family's land. Others think Thomas Riley named it after a Bible passage from Acts 27, verse 8. Many street names in Fairhaven are linked to Paul's journey in the Bible.
Fairhaven's most famous feature is an artificial lake called Fairhaven Lake. It's a very important place for wild birds. The lake was bought by the new Lytham St Annes borough in 1923. It was reopened in 1926 as Ashton Marine Park, but later its name went back to Fairhaven Lake.
Another famous landmark is the Fairhaven United Reformed Church. It has a unique Byzantine design and is covered in shiny white tiles, so it's often called the "White Church." Fairhaven also has AKS Lytham, a school formed by the merger of two older schools.
The sandy beaches and mudflats of the River Ribble mouth are a vital feeding area for wader birds in winter. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) has a visitor centre at Fairhaven Lake.
Fairhaven used to be an area of sand dunes called Starr Hills. The name Starr Hills is still used for a residential home today.
History
People have lived in this area since the Bronze Age. Small villages have existed here for a long time. One village, Kilgrimol, might have been founded around 900 AD by Vikings. The area was known as Amounderness in old English and medieval times. Lytham is even mentioned in the Domesday Book as Lidun.
In 1199, Richard Fitzroger gave his Lytham lands to the Benedictine monks from Durham. These monks set up a small priory where Lytham Hall is now. This priory existed until 1539.
The Lytham estate was sold to Cuthbert Clifton in 1606. He made the manor house bigger, and it became the family home. The current Lytham Hall was built in 1757. At this time, St Annes didn't exist, but Lytham was already a town known as a resort.
North of Lytham, the Clifton family's land was mostly sand dunes. There was only a tiny village called Heyhouses and a pub. In 1873, the Cliftons built a church dedicated to St Anne in this area. This church became the parish church of St Annes.
In 1874, a company was formed to develop the area into a resort. Land was leased from the Clifton estate for 999 years! Buildings quickly went up, including the St Anne's Hotel and the railway station. A separate company built the pier, which opened in 1885. Back then, the main channel of the River Ribble ran right by the pier, and boats brought people from Lytham and Southport. However, work on the river in 1889 moved the main channel further out. This left St Annes Pier on flat sandbanks, so ships could no longer dock there.
In 1910, the Floral Hall opened at the end of the pier. It was a popular place for shows, with stars like Gracie Fields performing there. Lytham and St Annes officially joined together in 1922. A big fire badly damaged the Floral Hall in 1974. After another fire in 1982, about half of the pier was taken down to make the beach safe.
The Lytham St Annes Civic Society has a local blue plaque scheme. These plaques mark historic buildings and remember famous residents, like Sir John Alcock and George Formby.
The 2012 Olympic torch relay passed through St Annes, Fairhaven, and Lytham.
Governance
Lytham St Annes has two main levels of local government. These are the Fylde Borough Council and Lancashire County Council. The Fylde Borough Council has its main office at Lytham St Annes Town Hall in St Annes.
St Annes also has a third level of local government, called a civil parish. This council is officially named "Saint Anne's on the Sea" and covers the western part of the town. They call themselves the St Anne's on the Sea Town Council. The rest of Lytham St Annes does not have this third level of local government.
Transport
Disability Access
Lytham town centre has limited parking for disabled visitors. Other car parks are available, but they might be a bit far for those with limited movement.
Railway
Lytham, St Annes-on-the-Sea, and Ansdell & Fairhaven all have railway stations. They are on a single-track line that runs from Blackpool South to Preston. Trains run between Colne railway station and Blackpool South on this line.
In the past, there were other stations in Lytham and near the Old Links Golf Course in St Annes, but these are no longer in use.
Local Issues
Lowther Pavilion Lytham
The Lowther Pavilion is the only purpose-built theatre in the area. In 2008, local residents formed the "Friends of Lowther Pavilion." Their goal was to help the theatre stay open and raise money for improvements. They wanted to make the theatre a bigger part of the local community.
Closure of Public Facilities
In 2008, the local council announced that the public swimming pools in Kirkham and St Annes would close. People campaigned to keep them open, and they reopened in 2010. They are now managed by Fylde Coast YMCA with some council support.
Wildlife
The Ribble Estuary and the sands of St Annes and Lytham are very important for birds. Thousands of red knot, dunlin, sanderling, and other waders come here to feed in winter and spring. Over 100,000 birds spend the winter here! You can often see flocks of pink-footed geese flying over St Annes in winter. Many pintail ducks also feed and rest in the estuary.
The coast of Lytham St Annes has 80 hectares of sand dunes. These dunes are home to many rare and interesting plants and animals. The Lytham St Annes Nature Reserve has about 250 different plant species. Some of these plants are so rare they are not found anywhere else outside the UK! Common lizards live in the dunes, and it's an important place for birds like European stonechat, skylark, and linnet to nest. The grayling butterfly, which likes coastal areas, also lives on the dunes.
The Witchwood is a narrow strip of woodland next to the railway line. It's a protected area and part of a special scientific site. The Lytham St Annes Civic Society created a path through the wood. It's a peaceful place for wildlife.
Culture
Art and Architecture
Several groups in the area focus on art and history:
- Lytham St Annes Art Society (started in 1912)
- Lytham St Annes Civic Society (started around 1955)
- Lytham Heritage Group
- Friends of the Lytham St Annes Art Collection
- Friends of Lytham Hall
- Fylde Arts Association
There are also public artworks in The Square in St Annes-on-the-Sea, including a mosaic by artist Gary Drostle from 2005.
Music and Entertainment
Many famous musicians, actors, and entertainers were born or lived in Lytham St Annes. These include:
- Entertainer George Formby
- Comedians Les Dawson, Bobby Ball, and Roy Walker
- Comedian and broadcaster Jenny Eclair
- Actors Stephen Tompkinson, Jonas Armstrong, Ian Anderson, Dean Lennox Kelly, and Craig Kelly
- Composer Peter Dickinson
- Guitarist Mario Parga
Festivals
Beer Festival
The Lytham Beer Festival has been held every year since 2007, usually in September or October. It's organized by the local branch of CAMRA. You can try about 90 different kinds of real ale, as well as ciders and bottled beers from other countries.
Lytham Festival
Lytham Green hosts an annual five-day music festival called the Lytham Festival. It's run by Cuffe & Taylor, part of Live Nation UK. Music performances started here in 1999 as "Lytham Proms." Since 2009, the festival has grown and featured many top bands and musicians. Past performers include Kylie Minogue, Rod Stewart, Diana Ross, and Duran Duran.
Media
You can watch local TV news from BBC North West and ITV Granada. The local TV station That's Lancashire also broadcasts to the area.
Local radio stations include BBC Radio Lancashire, Heart North West, Smooth North West, Greatest Hits Radio Lancashire, Dune Radio, Coastal Radio, and Sands Radio.
The town has its own local newspaper, the Lytham St Annes Express. It's also covered by the Blackpool Gazette.
Sport
Golf
The Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club started in 1886. It has hosted many major golf tournaments, like the Ryder Cup and the Open Championship.
Lytham Green Drive Golf Club was founded in 1913. It has also hosted qualifying matches for the Open Championship.
There are two other golf clubs in the area that have hosted Open Championship qualifiers: Fairhaven Golf Club and St Annes Old Links Golf Club.
Rugby
Fylde Rugby Club plays at the Woodlands Memorial Ground. This ground is shared with Blackpool Rugby League Club. Many famous rugby players, like Brian Ashton and Bill Beaumont, have played for Fylde Rugby Club.
Football
The main office of the English Football League was in St Annes from 1959 to 2017.
Cricket and Hockey
St Annes Cricket Club is located on Vernon Road. The famous England and Lancashire cricket player Andrew Flintoff played for St Annes when he was 12 years old in 1989.
Lytham Cricket and Sports Club is on Church Road, Lytham. It is also the home of Lytham St Annes Hockey Club.
Religion
Lytham
- Lytham Methodist Church, Park Street; opened in 1868.
- St Cuthbert's (Church of England), Church Road; built in 1834.
- St John the Divine Church (Church of England), East Beach; built 1848–49.
- St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Clifton Street; built 1838.
- Lytham Christian Centre, Preston Road.
- Lytham United Reformed Church, Bannister Street; founded 1863.
St Annes
- Church Road Methodist Church, Church Road.
- St Anne's Church, Church of England parish church, Oxford Road – built in 1873.
- St Annes Baptist Church, St.Andrews Road South – opened on Christmas Day 1886.
- St Annes on Sea United Reformed Church, Clifton Drive – built from 1880 onwards.
- St Annes Hebrew Congregation, Orchard Road.
- Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Roman Catholic church, St Annes Road East, built in 1890.
- St Thomas' Church, St Thomas Road – built in 1899.
- Fylde Christian Service Church, St.Andrews Road South – located in the former St Annes Baptist chapel.
- St Margaret of Antioch, St.Leonards Road West – founded in 1925.
- St Alban RC Church, Kilnhouse Lane – founded in 1964.
- St. Gregory's Eastern Orthodox Chapel, Orchard Road – established in 2017.
Ansdell and Fairhaven
- The Well Church, Ansdell Road North; founded 1908.
- Ansdell Unitarian & Free Christian Church, Channing Road; opened 1930.
- St Joseph's RC Church, Woodlands Road; opened 1914; built 1909.
- Fairhaven United Reformed Church, Clifton Drive South; opened 1912; known as the "White Church."
- St Paul's CofE Church, Clifton Drive; built 1902.
- Fairhaven Methodist Church, Clifton Drive; founded 1909.
Twin Towns
Lytham St Annes is twinned with:
- Werne, Germany
- Caudry, France
Notable People
- John Talbot Clifton (1868–1928) of Lytham Hall, a famous traveller.
- Violet Clifton (1883–1961) of Lytham Hall, a traveller and writer.
- Albert Cordingley (1871–1939), a first-class cricketer who played for Lytham Cricket Club.
- Larry L'Estrange (1934–2007), born in Lytham, an Irish rugby player and British soldier.
See also
In Spanish: Lytham St Annes para niños
