River Mersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids River Mersey |
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The River Mersey at Liverpool, looking towards the Royal Liver Building
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The River Mersey is highlighted in red
Click to enlarge map Coordinates: 53°27′00″N 3°01′59″W / 53.45°N 3.033°W |
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| Country | England |
| Counties | Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside |
| City | Liverpool, Manchester |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | (source of the River Tame) west of Buckstones Moss, West Yorkshire 1,552 ft (473 m) 53°37′07″N 2°00′13″W / 53.6187°N 2.0035°W |
| 2nd source | (confluence of Tame and Goyt) Stockport, Greater Manchester 130 ft (40 m) 53°24′51″N 2°09′23″W / 53.4143°N 2.1565°W |
| River mouth | Liverpool Bay |
| Length | 70 mi (112 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Basin size | 1,810 sq mi (4,680 km2) |
| Designation | |
| Official name: Mersey Estuary | |
| Designated: | 20 December 1995 |
| Reference #: | 785 |
The River Mersey is a river in north west England. It is 70 miles (112 km) long, it stretches from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ends at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire.
Course
The Mersey is formed from three tributaries: the River Etherow, the River Goyt and the River Tame. The modern accepted start of the Mersey is at the confluence of the Tame and Goyt, in central Stockport, Greater Manchester. However, older definitions, and many older maps, place its start a few miles up the Goyt; for example the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica states "It is formed by the junction of the Goyt and the Etherow a short distance below Marple in Cheshire on the first-named stream."
Environment
Water quality in the River Mersey has been severely affected by industrialisation.
But Salmon are now found in the river. They can be viewed on the Salmon Steps at Woolston between the months of September and November.
In popular culture
The river is now internationally famous thanks to the music of the 1960s known as Merseybeat and its strong association with Liverpool, which produced songs such as Ferry Cross the Mersey.
Also, Paul McCartney's 2007 song That Was Me, from his album Memory Almost Full mentions merseybeating with the band.
Images for kids
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The River Mersey empties into the Manchester Ship Canal at Irlam
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Aerial view of the Runcorn Gap
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View of the Mersey Gateway bridge
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Egg Buoy near Egremont, Wallasey
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The River Tame (left) and the River Goyt (right) meeting to form the Mersey in Stockport
See also
In Spanish: Río Mersey para niños
