Skelmersdale facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Skelmersdale
Town
The Concourse shopping centre, Skelmersdale
Skelmersdale
Population	38,813
OS grid reference	SD487062
• London	180 mi (290 km) SE
District	West Lancashire
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SKELMERSDALE
Postcode district	WN8
Dialling code	01695

Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West

EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	West Lancashire
List of places UK England Lancashire 53°33′00″N 2°46′34″W / 53.550°N 2.776°W / 53.550; -2.776

Skelmersdale, often called Skem by locals, is a town located in the West Lancashire area of England. It sits by the River Tawd, about 6 miles (10 km) west of Wigan, 13 miles (21 km) north-east of Liverpool, and 15 miles (24 km) south-west of Preston. In 2006, around 38,813 people lived there.

Even though Skelmersdale was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086, much of the town you see today, including its main centre, was built in the 1960s. This was part of a plan to create "new towns" in the UK. Before that, in the 1800s, Skelmersdale grew as a coal mining town during the Industrial Revolution, as it's located on the Lancashire Coalfield.

Exploring Skelmersdale's Geography

Skelmersdale is nestled in a small valley, with the River Tawd flowing through it. The town was planned to mix homes with nature, so you'll find lots of trees and green spaces, even in the town centre. To the east, there's Beacon Country Park, where you can find Beacon Point and a golf club. The Tawd Valley Park also runs through the middle of town, and the local council is working to make it even better.

The town shares borders with Up Holland to the east, Ormskirk to the north-west, and St Helens to the south. It's also close to Wigan and the larger Greater Manchester area. The M58 road passes south of Skelmersdale, connecting Wigan to Liverpool.

Skelmersdale has two main parts: the 'New Town' and the 'Old Town'. The New Town is the larger eastern part, mostly built in the 1960s as a "second wave" new town. The 'Old Town' is much smaller and older, located in the south-west. Skelmersdale is divided into seven smaller areas called wards: Skelmersdale North, Skelmersdale South, Birch Green, Ashurst, Digmoor, Moorside, and Tanhouse.

Skelmersdale's Past: A Look at its History

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Skelmersdale

The name "Skelmersdale" means "Skjaldmarr's valley." It comes from an old Norse name, Skjaldmarr, combined with either the Old Norse word dalr or the Old English word dæl, both meaning "valley." The town's name was first written down as Skalmeresedel in 1136.

Locally, people call it "Skem." They also sometimes talk about "Old Skem" to mean the small mining town that existed before 1961, and the newer, larger areas built later.

Early Days of Skelmersdale

For a long time, until the late 1800s, Skelmersdale was part of the Parish of Ormskirk. This parish was in the West Derby hundred, an old division of Lancashire that covered the south-west part of the county.

In the mid-1300s, the land of Skelmersdale was owned by William Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre.

Modern History and Growth

In 1858, a railway station called Blague Gate opened in Skelmersdale, on a new line from Ormskirk to Rainford. It was renamed Skelmersdale railway station in 1874 but closed in 1956.

Skelmersdale's population was only 760 in 1851, but it grew to 5,699 just 50 years later. It became a busy coal mining town. Many miners, including some from Wales, brought their own types of Christian faith with them. By the early 1900s, there were at least six different chapels in the town.

Today, there isn't much left to show that Skelmersdale was once a big part of the Lancashire Coalfield. However, a Skelmersdale Heritage Society was started again in 2019 to remember its past. The area also had many brickworks, and in the early 1900s, it was described as "a particularly bare, unpleasing district" because of its mines and brick factories.

Skelmersdale War Memorial

Becoming a New Town

In 1961, Skelmersdale was chosen to be a "new town." This meant it would be built to house people moving from the crowded areas of north Liverpool. It was one of the first towns chosen in this second wave of new town developments.

Over the last few decades of the 1900s, Skelmersdale faced some economic challenges. Many large factories and businesses left the town, which led to job losses. However, in 2006, a big effort began to improve the town. This included plans for a new central area for shops and entertainment.

In 2012, a £20 million plan was announced to rebuild Skelmersdale's town centre. This project was expected to create up to 500 permanent jobs. The plans included new shops, restaurants, bars, and a five-screen cinema. A new walking area would be built overlooking Tawd Valley Park, and a new public square would be created between the Concourse Shopping Centre and the town library.

By 2020, work started on new stores like Lidl and B&M, plus another shop that later became Poundstretcher. A new two-screen cinema also began construction in May 2020 and opened in May 2021. In June 2020, Lancashire County Council bought the land of the former Glenburn Sports College and approved £2 million to prepare it for a new railway station.

The new Lidl and B&M stores opened in 2022, and Poundstretcher opened later that year. A new park, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Park, was also built as part of the town centre improvements.

There are also plans to build a new health and wellbeing centre behind the new Lidl store. This centre would include a gym, swimming pool, café, and a children's play park.

Getting Around: Transport in Skelmersdale

Roads and Roundabouts

Hope Island, one of many roundabouts found within Skelmersdale.

Skelmersdale's roads are designed with many roundabouts, and there's only one set of traffic lights in the whole town! To help people walk around safely, there's a network of underground passages (subways) so pedestrians don't have to cross busy roads.

The M58 motorway runs along the south of Skelmersdale, connecting to Wigan and the nearby M6 motorway, and then to Liverpool. The A570 and A577 roads also provide important connections.

In the New Town areas, residential streets often have single names like Abbeywood or Fairburn, without words like "Road" or "Street." These names are often grouped alphabetically in certain areas. In older parts of town or industrial estates, you'll find more traditional road names.

Bus Services

In September 2011, Arriva North West, a company that provided most of Skelmersdale's bus services, closed its local depot. Now, buses serving Skelmersdale come from depots in nearby towns like St Helens and Southport. In recent years, new bus services have been added, including a Stagecoach route to Kirkby and a Preston Bus service to Rainford.

Rail Connections

Since the Skelmersdale railway station closed in 1956, Skelmersdale has been one of the largest towns in the North West without its own railway station. The closest station is Upholland railway station.

There have been plans to bring the railway back to Skelmersdale. In 2009, Network Rail suggested extending the train service from Liverpool to Kirkby, so it would end at a new station in Skelmersdale. Another report in 2009 also recommended a new rail link from Ormskirk.

In 2017, Lancashire County Council identified the site of the former Glenburn Sports College as the best place for a new railway station. Merseytravel and Lancashire County Council put £5 million into a study to explore reopening the station. In 2020, the council bought the land and approved £2 million to prepare it for construction.

However, in 2022, the Department for Transport suggested that better bus links to the existing rail line would be a cheaper way to improve transport for Skelmersdale. So, a new bus service (the 319 Stagecoach bus) was introduced to connect Skelmersdale Bus Station to Kirkby Railway Station.

Learning and Culture in Skelmersdale

Skelmersdale has several primary schools and two high schools: Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Engineering College and Lathom High School. Glenburn Sports College closed in 2016.

West Lancashire College has a campus in the town centre. It's a "good" college according to Ofsted inspections. In 2021, physicist Brian Cox helped launch the college's 'School of Science,' a new facility designed to encourage more students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Skelmersdale Library

Skelmersdale is also home to a Transcendental Meditation movement community called "European Sidhaland." They have a Maharishi School which has performed "well above average" in inspections.

The town has a large public library where you can find free internet access and a big section on local history. Skelmersdale also hosts cultural groups like the Artz Centre, which offers creative opportunities, and The Birchwood Centre, which helps people avoid loneliness and homelessness.

The town has been featured in the TV series Utopia and in the musical Blood Brothers.

Skelmersdale's Economy and Businesses

Even though Skelmersdale has many homes, it's also a place where many businesses operate. These include the Co-operative Bank, which employs 650 people, and large distribution centres for companies like Asda and P&G. You'll also find a Walkers snack food factory and Chemist 4 U here. Frederick's Dairies, which makes ice cream for Cadbury, is also located in Skelmersdale.

The Town Centre: The Concourse

Skelmersdale's town centre is mainly built around the Concourse Shopping Centre, which locals often call "the Connie." It also includes a supermarket, the library, a swimming pool and gym (named after Aneurin Bevan), West Lancashire College's main campus, and the Tawd Valley Retail Park.

The Concourse has many well-known national chain stores. There are also smaller shopping areas in Skelmersdale, such as Sandy Lane Shopping Centre, Digmoor Parade, and Ashurst Shopping Centre.

Sports and Recreation in Skelmersdale

The town's football team, Skelmersdale United F.C., plays in the Northern Premier League. They won the FA Vase in 1971. Famous footballers like Steve Heighway (who played for Liverpool) and Leon Osman (who played for Everton) have connections to the club. Skelmersdale Football Club now plays at JMO Sports Park in the town.

Skelmersdale also has an archery club called the Bowmen of Skelmersdale. Its members hold many county and world records! Skelmersdale Cricket Club was started in 1891.

The Merseyside Nighthawks, an American football team, also play at JMO Sports Park. They are part of the BAFA National Leagues.

Cadet Forces in Skelmersdale

Skelmersdale is home to units of the Air Training Corps, Army Cadet Force, and Sea Cadet Corps. These groups are active in the local community and often take part in events like the Remembrance Sunday parade.

1439 (Skelmersdale) Squadron - Squadron Crest - College of Arms Approved Version

1439 Sqn Crest showing Ashurst Beacon and Canadian Maple Leaf

Air Training Corps

The 1439 (Skelmersdale) Squadron, Air Cadets, started in 1941. It was known as the 'Beacon Squadron' and taught young people about airmanship, especially those joining the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Today, the squadron continues to offer airmanship training and other activities for young men and women. They are based on Daniels Lane.

Army Cadet Force

The Army Cadets in Skelmersdale are part of 'S' Company of the Lancashire Force. They are also based on Daniels Lane.

Sea Cadets Corps

The Sea Cadets have a unit in Skelmersdale that trains cadets aged 10 to 17 years. Their unit is located on Tawd Road.

Famous People from Skelmersdale

Leon Osman – A footballer who grew up in Skelmersdale and played for Everton.
Matt Woods – A footballer born in Skelmersdale who played for clubs like Everton and Blackburn Rovers.
John Anderton – A professional footballer born in Skelmersdale.
Stephen James Bennett – A musician and writer.
John Littlewood – A chess player who lived in Skelmersdale.
Simon Tong – A musician who was a member of The Verve and played guitar for Damon Albarn.