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{{Distinguish|Thornton, Merseyside}}
{{infobox UK place
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
|country= England
{{Use British English|date=March 2021}}
|latitude= 53.322
{{Infobox UK place
|longitude= -3.047
|official_name= Thornton Hough
| country = England
| type = Village
| population = 770
| static_image_name = File:Post Office, Thornton Hough - geograph.org.uk - 1411158.jpg
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]])<ref name=wirral2001census />
| static_image_width = <!-- allows control of the image width. Should be omitted in most cases (will default to 240) -->
|metropolitan_county= [[Merseyside]]
| static_image_caption = Thornton Hough Village Club and Bar
|metropolitan_borough= [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]]
|region= North West England
| coordinates = {{coord|53.322|-3.047|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Thornton Hough
|constituency_westminster= [[Wirral South (UK Parliament constituency)|Wirral South]]
|post_town= WIRRAL
| population = 770
| population_ref = ([[2001 United Kingdom Census|2001 census]])<ref name=wirral2001census />
|postcode_district= CH63
| metropolitan_county = [[Merseyside]]
|postcode_area= CH
| metropolitan_borough = [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]]
|dial_code= 0151
| region = North West England
|os_grid_reference= SJ303811
| constituency_westminster = [[Wirral South (UK Parliament constituency)|Wirral South]]
| post_town = Wirral
| postcode_district = CH63
| postcode_area = CH
| dial_code = 0151
| os_grid_reference = SJ303811
| london_distance = {{convert|176|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boulter.com/gps/distance/?from=53.322+-3.047&to=51.507+-0.127&units=m|title=Coordinate Distance Calculator|work=boulter.com|access-date=6 March 2016}}</ref>
| london_direction = SE
| iso_code = GB-WRL
}}
}}
<!-- start of article -->
<!--start of article-->
'''Thornton Hough''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ʌ|f}}) is a village in the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|Wirral]] district of [[Merseyside]], England. The village lies in the more rural inland part of the [[Wirral Peninsula]] and is of pre-[[Norman conquest of England|Norman Conquest]] origins. The village grew during the ownership of Joseph Hirst into a small [[model village]] and was later acquired by [[William Lever]], founder of [[Lever Brothers]], the predecessor of [[Unilever]].<ref name="AppP8">{{cite web |url=https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/planning%20and%20building/built%20conservation/Thornton%20hough/Thornton%20Hough%20%20Appraisal.pdf |title=Thornton Hough Appraisal (page 8)|page=8|publisher=Wirral Council|access-date=11 July 2011}}</ref> Thornton Hough is roughly {{convert|10|mi|km}} from [[Liverpool]] and {{convert|12|mi|km}} from [[Chester]]. It is part of the [[Clatterbridge (ward)|Clatterbridge]] ward and is in the parliamentary constituency of [[Wirral South (UK Parliament constituency)|Wirral South]].
'''Thornton Hough''' is a [[Victorian-era]] village on the [[Wirral Peninsula]], [[Merseyside]], [[England]]. Located near [[Neston, Cheshire]], it is roughly five miles from [[Liverpool]] and ten miles from [[Chester]]. It is part of the Clatterbridge Ward of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral]] and is situated in the parliamentary constituency of [[Wirral South]]. At the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]], Thornton Hough had 770 inhabitants<ref name=wirral2001census>{{citation|url=http://www.wirral.gov.uk/factsandfigures/census2001/oneward2recset.asp?ref=TS42|title=Wirral 2001 Census: Thornton Hough|publisher=Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|accessdate=17 May 2007}}</ref> of a total of 16,906 people living within the [[ward (country subdivision)|ward]].<ref>{{citation|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=5941388&c=clatterbridge&d=14&e=16&g=361442&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1|title=2001 Census: Clatterbridge (Ward)|publisher=Office for National Statistics|accessdate=17 May 2007}}</ref>

At the [[2001 United Kingdom census|2001 census]], Thornton Hough had 770 inhabitants.<ref name=wirral2001census>{{cite web|url=http://www.wirral.gov.uk/factsandfigures/census2001/oneward2recset.asp?ref=TS42|title=Wirral 2001 Census: Thornton Hough|publisher=Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|access-date=17 May 2007}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Mentioned in the ''[[Domesday Book]]'' as ''Torintone'', the present name of the village was established when the daughter of local landowner Roger de Thorneton, married Richard de Hoghe during the reign of [[Edward II of England|Edward II]].<ref name="Thornton Hough history">{{citation|url=http://www.scarecrowfestival.co.uk/history.htm|title=Thornton Hough history|publisher=scarecrowfestival.co.uk|first=Gavin|last=Hunter|accessdate=17 May 2007}}</ref>
The name Thornton means "thorn-tree farm/settlement" and likely derives from the [[Old English]] words ''þorn'' (hawthorn tree) and ''tūn'' (a farmstead or settlement).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Cheshire/Thornton%20Hough |title=Key to English Place-Names: Thornton Hough|publisher=University of Nottingham|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> It is mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as ''Torintone'', under the ownership of [[Robert of Rhuddlan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/cheshire2.html#thorntonhough |title=Cheshire L-Z: Thornton Hough|publisher=Domesday Book Online|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> The present name of the village was established when the daughter of local landowner Roger de Thorneton, married Richard de Hoghe during the reign of [[Edward II of England|Edward II]].<ref name="AppP8"/>


By the beginning of the 19th century, Thornton Hough formed part of the Neston Estate owned by [[Baron Mostyn]] of [[Mostyn|Mostyn, Flintshire]] and was a [[Township (England)|township]] in Neston Parish of the [[Wirral Hundred]]. The population was 165 in 1801, 164 in 1851, 547 in 1901 and 506 in 1951.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/chs/thorntonhough.html|title=Cheshire Towns & Parishes: Thornton Hough|publisher=GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy|accessdate=17 May 2007}}</ref>
By the beginning of the 19th century, Thornton Hough formed part of the Neston Estate owned by [[Baron Mostyn]] of [[Mostyn|Mostyn, Flintshire]]. The population of the parish was recorded as 165 in 1801, 164 in 1851, 547 in 1901 and 506 in 1951.<ref name=GENUKI>{{cite web|url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CHS/ThorntonHough|title=Thornton Hough|publisher=GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy|access-date=29 December 2020}}</ref>


Joseph Hirst, a Yorkshire woollen millowner, bought farmland land in 1866 and began the development of a small model village, building a church, a school and 'Wilshaw Terrace'. The village was bought and expanded by [[William Lever]] who developed housing for family, estate workers and company staff in a similar way to [[Port Sunlight]], building another shop, the school, a social club and the Congregational church. Development continued in the early 20th century.<ref name="AppP8"/>
Ownership of a large part of the village passed to Joseph Hirst, who added a church, the first school in the area and built 'Wilshaw Terrace' cottages in the 1860s.<ref name="Thornton Hough history" />
The village was largely rebuilt and expanded in the 1880s by the third [[Lord Leverhulme]], of the then [[Lever Brothers]] soap company, now the [[Unilever]] corporation. His aim was to create as a clean and safe environment for the farm and Manor workers to live in. A similar village was built in nearby [[Port Sunlight]], next to the Lever soapworks, for the Soapworks workers.


==Geography==
Thornton Hough was part of the [[Wirral Rural District]] from 1894 until it was superseded in 1933 by the [[Wirral Urban District]]. Further changes occurred on 1 April 1974, when [[Local Government Act 1972|local government reorganisation]] resulted in most of Wirral, including Thornton Hough, transfer from the county of [[Cheshire]] to Merseyside as part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral.
Thornton Hough is in the central part of the Wirral Peninsula, approximately {{convert|11|km|mi|abbr=on}} south-south-east of the [[Irish Sea]] at [[Leasowe Lighthouse]], {{convert|3.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} north-east of the [[Dee Estuary]] at [[Parkgate, Cheshire|Parkgate]] and about {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} west-south-west of the [[River Mersey]] at [[Bromborough]]. The centre of the village is situated at an elevation of between {{convert|50-55|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.osola.org.uk/elevations/|title=SRTM & Ordnance Survey Elevation Data in PHP|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref>


{{Geographic location|width=auto
==Community==
|title = '''Neighbouring places'''
Thornton Hough, along with the neighbouring villages of [[Brimstage]] and [[Raby, Merseyside|Raby]], are within an Area of Special Landscape Value, a protective designation to preserve the character and appearance of the area. This is part of the Wirral Unitary Development Plan of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.scarecrowfestival.co.uk/Thornton%20Hough%20Final.pdf|title=Brimstage, Raby & Thornton Hough: A Strategy for Change Management|page=28|publisher=Thornton Hough Community Trust|accessdate=29 August 2007}}</ref>
|Northwest = [[Barnston, Merseyside|Barnston]]<br />[[Heswall]]
|North = [[Brimstage]]
|Northeast = [[Clatterbridge]]
|West = [[Heswall]]<br />[[Gayton, Merseyside|Gayton]]
|Centre = Thornton Hough
|East = [[Raby Mere]]
|Southwest = [[Parkgate, Cheshire|Parkgate]]
|South = [[Little Neston]]
|Southeast = [[Raby, Merseyside|Raby]]
}}


===Key features===
==Landmarks==
[[File:All Saints Church, Thornton Hough - geograph.org.uk - 1411188.jpg|thumb|right|240px|[[All Saints Church, Thornton Hough|All Saints Church]]]]
Thornton Hough's central feature is the [[village green]], a patch of common ground that includes a [[cricket]] pitch and pavilion, [[tennis court]]s, and a children's play area.
Thornton Hough and the villages of [[Brimstage]] and [[Raby, Merseyside|Raby]] are in an Area of Special Landscape Value, a protective designation to preserve the character and appearance of the area<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wirral.gov.uk/udp/oneudp1.asp?id=CH15|title=UDP Topic : Heritage and Conservation|publisher=Wirral Council|access-date=13 July 2011}}</ref>
There are 22 [[Listed building#England and Wales|listed buildings]] in the village which was made a conservation area in 1979.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/planning%20and%20building/built%20conservation/Thornton%20hough/Thornton%20Hough%20%20Appraisal.pdf|title=Thornton Hough Appraisal (page 7)|page=7|publisher=Wirral Council|access-date=11 July 2011}}</ref>


Hirst employed Kirk and Sons of Huddersfield to design [[All Saints Church, Thornton Hough|All Saints Church]] and its vicarage, a school and school master's house and Wilshaw Terrace before 1870.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/planning%20and%20building/built%20conservation/Thornton%20hough/Thornton%20Hough%20%20Appraisal.pdf |title=Thornton Hough Appraisal (pages 22-23)|pages=22–23|publisher=Wirral Council|access-date=11 July 2011}}</ref> [[All Saints Church, Thornton Hough|All Saints]], the [[parish church]], is a grade II listed building built in 1867, it has a [[spire]] and tower displaying five clock faces. The north transept window, designed by [[H. Gustave Hiller]] is a memorial to Joseph Hirt.<ref name=NHLEAllSaints>{{NHLE|num=1075381|desc=Church of All Saints|access-date=15 April 2020|mode=cs2}}</ref><ref name="church">{{cite web |url=http://www.allsaintsth.org.uk/architecturehistory.htm |title=History and Architecture, All Saints Church Thornton Hough | publisher=All Saints Church Thornton Hough |access-date=8 July 2011}}</ref>
Thornton Hough has two [[churches]]: All Saints, built in 1867 by Joseph Hirst, has a [[spire]] and tower displaying five clock faces; St George's was built by William Lever in 1906 as part of his reconstruction of the village.<ref name="Thornton Hough history" />
The local [[primary school]] is Thornton Hough Primary School located on St George's way. This school building was originally built to serve as a military building, but was turned over for school usage after the [[Second World War]]. The original playground has been reduced in size due to the building extensions of decking and garden areas.


Lever's architects used a wide variety of building materials including red and buff sandstone, brick, timber framing, render and pebbledash with roofs made of clay tiles or thick stone slates which creates the impression that the village appears to be older than it is. Lever used several architects, including [[John Douglas (English architect)|John Douglas]]. The firm of [[Grayson and Ould]] designed the Village Club and Post Office, Weald House, several houses in The Folds and rebuilt Thornton House in 1895 and designed its lodges and stables. Jonathon Simpson built the Lever School and his son, James Lomax-Simpson, rebuilt the Smithy, designed D’Arcy Cottages and extensions to Thornton House. He also designed [[St George's Church, Thornton Hough|Saint George's United Reformed Church]], a [[Romanesque Revival architecture|reproduction Romanesque style]] church in 1906.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1185603|desc=Church of St George (United Reformed), Thornton Hough|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> William and Segar Owen designed various houses including Thicketford.
The Parish Hall, originally the village school until closure in 1953, is small and has a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] exterior, although its interior was recently redesigned to look more modern.


Thornton Hall, once the home of wealthy shipping merchants, the Bamford Brothers of Liverpool, is believed to have been built in the mid-1800s. It was transformed into a hotel in 1954 and many of its original features remain intact including oak carvings and the ornate mother of pearl embossed ceiling in the Italian Room.
The Village Hall is a large extension to the original wooden structure hall belonging to St George's Church and was built in the 1970s by Collins Construction. It is also referred to as the 'New' Village Hall to set it apart from the Parish Hall which is used for the fortnightly youth club. Since it first opened, the hall has been used for a variety of local events and as a venue for parties. The hall is utilised by the local [[badminton]] club, the village play-school and provides a meeting place for the [[Cub Scouts|Cubs]], [[The Scout Association|Scouts]], [[Rainbow (Girl Guides)|Rainbows]], [[Brownies (Girl Guides)|Brownies]] and [[Girl Guide and Girl Scout|Guides]].
[[Thornton Manor]], built in an [[Elizabethan architecture|Elizabethan]] style dates from the 1840s, and was once the home of [[William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme|Lord Leverhulme]]. From 2005 the house and gardens underwent extensive renovation. The building is now a wedding venue and provides facilities for corporate functions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thorntonmanor.co.uk/about-us/ |title=About Us|publisher=Thornton Manor|access-date=1 May 2008}}</ref>


Thornton House, a grade II listed building built by [[John Douglas (English architect)#Douglas & Fordham (1884–98)|Douglas & Fordham]] in 1893 is a two-storey timber-framed house in a mock-Tudor style on a stone base.<ref name=NHLEHouse>{{NHLE|num=1299579|desc=Thornton House|access-date=15 April 2020|mode=cs2}}</ref> Thicketford built in 1892 is preserved in a largely unaltered condition.
Thornton Manor, dating from the 1840s, was occupied by Lord Leverhulme from 1893. The building was rebuilt over the next twenty years in an [[Elizabethan]] style. Today, the manor is used as a wedding venue and provides facilities for corporate functions.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.thorntonmanor.co.uk/history.asp|title=Thornton Manor website|accessdate=1 May 2008}}</ref>


Hesketh Grange, a grade II listed building, was built in 1894 for Leverhulme's father.<ref name=NHLEGrange>{{NHLE|num=1075417|desc=Hesketh Grange|access-date=15 April 2020|mode=cs2}}</ref>
===Shops and pubs===
The village has a number of shops, including a small and very traditional [[post office]]. The counter used to run across the length of the shop, but the interior was redesigned some years ago to maximize space and security.


==Governance==
Next-door to the post office is the [[British Legion]] also known as "the mens Club" due to the fact that women used to be barred with the exception of 2 days per year; and further up the road are the old Village Stores, which once acted as a key centre for provision for the village. The Village Stores struggled to compete with the bigger and cheaper local supermarkets, and were renamed the Tower Tearooms, before its closure in 2007.
Thornton Hough was a [[Township (England)|township]] and [[chapelry]] in the parish of [[Neston]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/1887|title=History of Thornton Hough, in Wirral and Cheshire|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref> of the [[Wirral (hundred)|Wirral Hundred]]. It became a [[civil parish]] in 1866. [[Historic counties of England|Historically]] within the county of [[Cheshire]], it was part of the [[Wirral Rural District]] between 1894 and 1933. In 1933 the parish was absorbed into the [[Urban district (England and Wales)|urban district]] of Bebington, which subsequently became the [[Municipal Borough of Bebington]] in 1937. After 1933 Thornton Hough was therefore an [[urban parish]] and so had no parish council, instead being directly administered as part of Bebington. Further changes occurred on 1 April 1974, when [[Local Government Act 1972|local government reorganisation]] resulted in most of Wirral, including Thornton Hough, being transferred from Cheshire to [[metropolitan borough]] of Wirral in the newly formed county of [[Merseyside]],<ref name=GENUKI/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10031497 |title=Thornton Hough Tn/CP|publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth|work=A Vision of Britain through Time|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> No [[successor parish]] was created for the former borough of Bebington.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/wirral.html|title=Wirral Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref>


As of {{year}}, Thornton Hough is within the [[Clatterbridge (ward)|Clatterbridge Ward]] of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral]]. The village is represented nationally through the parliamentary constituency of [[Wirral South (UK Parliament constituency)|Wirral South]].
'The Seven Stars', is a traditional [[pub]] popular with villagers and outsiders alike. Established in the 1840s, it is situated on what was once a busy [[turnpike]] route between [[Birkenhead]] and Neston.<ref name="Thornton Hough history" />


==Community==
The village [[forge|smithy]], relocated from its original site in 1905 into a building of [[half timbered]] construction, remains in existence (as of 2009).
[[File:The Stores and Wilshaw Terrace, Thornton Hough.jpg|thumb|240px|The Stores and Wilshaw Terrace]]
[[File:Thornton Hough Scarecrow Festival 2005 (6).JPG|thumb|240px|A scarecrow festival entrant from 2005]]
Thornton Hough's central feature is the [[village green]] with its cricket pitch and pavilion, tennis courts, and a children's play area.


The local [[primary school]] is Thornton Hough Primary School located on St George's Way and is the catchment school for children living in Thornton Hough, [[Raby Mere]], [[Raby, Merseyside|Raby]] and [[Brimstage]]. This school building was originally built to serve as a military building, but was turned over for school usage after the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The original playground has been reduced in size due to the building extensions of decking and garden areas.
===Other features===
[[File:Punch and Judy Thornton Hough.jpg|thumb|240px|right|A [[Punch and Judy]] show on the village green.]]
Just outside the village is The Westwood Grange Country Club, a restaurant/nightclub facility on the border of Thornton Hough and Neston and [[Thornton Hall Hotel]]<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.thorntonhallhotel.com/contact.html |title=Thornton Hall Hotel: location|accessdate=22 October 2008}}</ref>.


The Parish Hall was the original village school until it closed in 1953, it has a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] exterior, although its interior has been updated. The Village Hall is a large extension to the original wooden hall belonging to St George's Church and was built in the 1970s by Collins Construction. It is referred to as the New Village Hall to set it apart from the Parish Hall which is used for the fortnightly youth club. Since it opened, the hall has been used for a variety of local events and as a venue for parties. The hall is used by the badminton club, play-school, [[Cub Scouts|Cubs]], [[The Scout Association|Scouts]], [[Rainbow (Girl Guides)|Rainbows]], [[Brownies (Girl Guides)|Brownies]] and [[Girl Guide and Girl Scout|Guides]].
===Events and festivals===

The Thornton Hough [[Scarecrow]] Festival was held annually between 1999 and 2006. Residents participating made scarecrows of varying designs and quality, which were judged at the end of a week-long open season which attracted visitors from local areas. The festival also included a [[fete]] on the village green. The festival was not held between 2007 and 2009, and it is currently not decided whether the festival will return in 2010.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.scarecrowfestival.co.uk/ |title=Thornton Hough Scarecrow Festival website|accessdate=17 March 2008}}</ref>.
The village has a number of shops and a post office next to which is the [[British Legion]], known as "the Men's Club" as women were barred except for on two days per year. The Village Stores struggled to compete with the bigger and cheaper supermarkets before its closure in 2007. It is now Jennifer O'Neill Cakes and Dragonfly Couture Stationery, 'The Seven Stars', is a traditional public house established in the 1840s on what was once a [[Turnpike trust|turnpike]] route between [[Birkenhead]] and Neston. In 1905 the [[forge|smithy]] moved from its original site into a [[half timbered]] building and was extant in 2009.

Just outside the village is 'The Red Fox', a public house and restaurant on the border of Thornton Hough and Neston.

===Culture===
The Thornton Hough [[Scarecrow]] Festival was held between 1999 and 2006. Residents participating made scarecrows of varying designs and quality, which were judged at the end of a week-long open season. The festival also included a [[fête]] on the village green. By 2006, when the festival attracted over 35,000 visitors, it had raised £75,000 for village projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/2236006.wirral-scarecrow-festival-cancelled-again/ |title=Wirral scarecrow festival cancelled again|publisher=Wirral Globe|date=30 April 2008|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref>

In 2017 the village green was used as a location for the film [[Tolkien (film)|Tolkien]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=2017-10-27|title= Thornton Hough village green used as a location for filming of Tolkien biopic|url=https://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/news/15964992.thornton-hough-village-green-used-as-a-location-for-filming-of-tolkien-biopic/ |work= [[Chester Standard]]|location= Chester|access-date=2022-06-28}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme]], industrialist, lived at Thornton Manor
*[[William Lever, 2nd Viscount Leverhulme]], co-founder of [[Unilever]], born and raised in Thornton Hough

== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center">
File:Benkid77 Thornton Hough 1 240709.JPG|The village green
File:The Seven Stars, Thornton Hough 240709.JPG|The Seven Stars public house
File:Parish Hall, Thornton Hough.jpg|The Parish Hall
File:Thornton Hough War Memorial 2.jpg|The War Memorial, by [[Ernest Prestwich]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1464702 |desc=Thornton Hough war memorial|accessdate=30 December 2022}}</ref>
File:Thornton Manor.jpeg|An open day at Thornton Manor in 2005
File:Punch and Judy Thornton Hough.jpg|A [[Punch and Judy]] show on the village green
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Listed buildings in Thornton Hough]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|title=The History of the Hundred of Wirral|first=William Williams|last=Mortimer|year=1847|publisher=Whittaker & Co.|location=London|url=https://archive.org/stream/historyhundredw01mortgoog#page/n282/mode/2up|id=pp243-244}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Thornton Hough}}
*[http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&GridE=-3.04750&GridN=53.32260&lon=-3.04750&lat=53.32260&search_result=Thornton%20Hough%2C%20Merseyside&db=freegaz&keepicon=true&lang=&place=Thornton%20Hough%2C%20Merseyside&pc=&advanced=&client=public&addr2=&quicksearch=thornton%20hough&addr3=&scale=100000&addr1= Map of Thornton Hough, Wirral]
*[http://www.online.church123.com/allsaintschurchthorntonhough/ All Saints Church, Thornton Hough]
*[http://www.allsaintsth.org.uk All Saints Church, Thornton Hough]

*[http://www.dfes.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/dfepx1_05.pl?School=3442212&Mode=Z Department for Education & Skills: Thornton Hough Primary School statistics (2005)]
{{Populated Places in Wirral Borough}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Towns and villages in Wirral]]
[[Category:Towns and villages in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral]]
[[Category:Former civil parishes in Merseyside]]

Latest revision as of 12:12, 12 May 2024

Not to be confused with Thornton, Merseyside.

Thornton Hough
Village
Thornton Hough Village Club and Bar
Thornton Hough is located in Merseyside
Thornton Hough
Thornton Hough
Location within Merseyside
Population770 (2001 census)[1]
OS grid referenceSJ303811
• London176 mi (283 km)[2] SE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townWirral
Postcode districtCH63
Dialling code0151
ISO 3166 codeGB-WRL
PoliceMerseyside
FireMerseyside
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Merseyside
53°19′19″N 3°02′49″W / 53.322°N 3.047°W / 53.322; -3.047

Thornton Hough (/ˈhʌf/) is a village in the Wirral district of Merseyside, England. The village lies in the more rural inland part of the Wirral Peninsula and is of pre-Norman Conquest origins. The village grew during the ownership of Joseph Hirst into a small model village and was later acquired by William Lever, founder of Lever Brothers, the predecessor of Unilever.[3] Thornton Hough is roughly 10 miles (16 km) from Liverpool and 12 miles (19 km) from Chester. It is part of the Clatterbridge ward and is in the parliamentary constituency of Wirral South.

At the 2001 census, Thornton Hough had 770 inhabitants.[1]

History

[edit]

The name Thornton means "thorn-tree farm/settlement" and likely derives from the Old English words þorn (hawthorn tree) and tūn (a farmstead or settlement).[4] It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Torintone, under the ownership of Robert of Rhuddlan.[5] The present name of the village was established when the daughter of local landowner Roger de Thorneton, married Richard de Hoghe during the reign of Edward II.[3]

By the beginning of the 19th century, Thornton Hough formed part of the Neston Estate owned by Baron Mostyn of Mostyn, Flintshire. The population of the parish was recorded as 165 in 1801, 164 in 1851, 547 in 1901 and 506 in 1951.[6]

Joseph Hirst, a Yorkshire woollen millowner, bought farmland land in 1866 and began the development of a small model village, building a church, a school and 'Wilshaw Terrace'. The village was bought and expanded by William Lever who developed housing for family, estate workers and company staff in a similar way to Port Sunlight, building another shop, the school, a social club and the Congregational church. Development continued in the early 20th century.[3]

Geography

[edit]

Thornton Hough is in the central part of the Wirral Peninsula, approximately 11 km (6.8 mi) south-south-east of the Irish Sea at Leasowe Lighthouse, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) north-east of the Dee Estuary at Parkgate and about 6 km (3.7 mi) west-south-west of the River Mersey at Bromborough. The centre of the village is situated at an elevation of between 50–55 m (164–180 ft) above sea level.[7]

Landmarks

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All Saints Church

Thornton Hough and the villages of Brimstage and Raby are in an Area of Special Landscape Value, a protective designation to preserve the character and appearance of the area[8] There are 22 listed buildings in the village which was made a conservation area in 1979.[9]

Hirst employed Kirk and Sons of Huddersfield to design All Saints Church and its vicarage, a school and school master's house and Wilshaw Terrace before 1870.[10] All Saints, the parish church, is a grade II listed building built in 1867, it has a spire and tower displaying five clock faces. The north transept window, designed by H. Gustave Hiller is a memorial to Joseph Hirt.[11][12]

Lever's architects used a wide variety of building materials including red and buff sandstone, brick, timber framing, render and pebbledash with roofs made of clay tiles or thick stone slates which creates the impression that the village appears to be older than it is. Lever used several architects, including John Douglas. The firm of Grayson and Ould designed the Village Club and Post Office, Weald House, several houses in The Folds and rebuilt Thornton House in 1895 and designed its lodges and stables. Jonathon Simpson built the Lever School and his son, James Lomax-Simpson, rebuilt the Smithy, designed D’Arcy Cottages and extensions to Thornton House. He also designed Saint George's United Reformed Church, a reproduction Romanesque style church in 1906.[13] William and Segar Owen designed various houses including Thicketford.

Thornton Hall, once the home of wealthy shipping merchants, the Bamford Brothers of Liverpool, is believed to have been built in the mid-1800s. It was transformed into a hotel in 1954 and many of its original features remain intact including oak carvings and the ornate mother of pearl embossed ceiling in the Italian Room.

Thornton Manor, built in an Elizabethan style dates from the 1840s, and was once the home of Lord Leverhulme. From 2005 the house and gardens underwent extensive renovation. The building is now a wedding venue and provides facilities for corporate functions.[14]

Thornton House, a grade II listed building built by Douglas & Fordham in 1893 is a two-storey timber-framed house in a mock-Tudor style on a stone base.[15] Thicketford built in 1892 is preserved in a largely unaltered condition.

Hesketh Grange, a grade II listed building, was built in 1894 for Leverhulme's father.[16]

Governance

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Thornton Hough was a township and chapelry in the parish of Neston,[17] of the Wirral Hundred. It became a civil parish in 1866. Historically within the county of Cheshire, it was part of the Wirral Rural District between 1894 and 1933. In 1933 the parish was absorbed into the urban district of Bebington, which subsequently became the Municipal Borough of Bebington in 1937. After 1933 Thornton Hough was therefore an urban parish and so had no parish council, instead being directly administered as part of Bebington. Further changes occurred on 1 April 1974, when local government reorganisation resulted in most of Wirral, including Thornton Hough, being transferred from Cheshire to metropolitan borough of Wirral in the newly formed county of Merseyside,[6][18] No successor parish was created for the former borough of Bebington.[19]

As of 2025, Thornton Hough is within the Clatterbridge Ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. The village is represented nationally through the parliamentary constituency of Wirral South.

Community

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The Stores and Wilshaw Terrace
A scarecrow festival entrant from 2005

Thornton Hough's central feature is the village green with its cricket pitch and pavilion, tennis courts, and a children's play area.

The local primary school is Thornton Hough Primary School located on St George's Way and is the catchment school for children living in Thornton Hough, Raby Mere, Raby and Brimstage. This school building was originally built to serve as a military building, but was turned over for school usage after the Second World War. The original playground has been reduced in size due to the building extensions of decking and garden areas.

The Parish Hall was the original village school until it closed in 1953, it has a Victorian exterior, although its interior has been updated. The Village Hall is a large extension to the original wooden hall belonging to St George's Church and was built in the 1970s by Collins Construction. It is referred to as the New Village Hall to set it apart from the Parish Hall which is used for the fortnightly youth club. Since it opened, the hall has been used for a variety of local events and as a venue for parties. The hall is used by the badminton club, play-school, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides.

The village has a number of shops and a post office next to which is the British Legion, known as "the Men's Club" as women were barred except for on two days per year. The Village Stores struggled to compete with the bigger and cheaper supermarkets before its closure in 2007. It is now Jennifer O'Neill Cakes and Dragonfly Couture Stationery, 'The Seven Stars', is a traditional public house established in the 1840s on what was once a turnpike route between Birkenhead and Neston. In 1905 the smithy moved from its original site into a half timbered building and was extant in 2009.

Just outside the village is 'The Red Fox', a public house and restaurant on the border of Thornton Hough and Neston.

Culture

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The Thornton Hough Scarecrow Festival was held between 1999 and 2006. Residents participating made scarecrows of varying designs and quality, which were judged at the end of a week-long open season. The festival also included a fête on the village green. By 2006, when the festival attracted over 35,000 visitors, it had raised £75,000 for village projects.[20]

In 2017 the village green was used as a location for the film Tolkien.[21]

Notable people

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  • The village green
    The village green
  • The Seven Stars public house
    The Seven Stars public house
  • The Parish Hall
    The Parish Hall
  • The War Memorial, by Ernest Prestwich.[22]
    The War Memorial, by Ernest Prestwich.[22]
  • An open day at Thornton Manor in 2005
    An open day at Thornton Manor in 2005
  • A Punch and Judy show on the village green
    A Punch and Judy show on the village green

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Wirral 2001 Census: Thornton Hough". Metropolitan Borough of Wirral. Retrieved 17 May 2007.
  2. ^ "Coordinate Distance Calculator". boulter.com. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Thornton Hough Appraisal (page 8)" (PDF). Wirral Council. p. 8. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Key to English Place-Names: Thornton Hough". University of Nottingham. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Cheshire L-Z: Thornton Hough". Domesday Book Online. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Thornton Hough". GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  7. ^ "SRTM & Ordnance Survey Elevation Data in PHP". Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  8. ^ "UDP Topic : Heritage and Conservation". Wirral Council. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  9. ^ "Thornton Hough Appraisal (page 7)" (PDF). Wirral Council. p. 7. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  10. ^ "Thornton Hough Appraisal (pages 22-23)" (PDF). Wirral Council. pp. 22–23. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  11. ^ Historic England, "Church of All Saints (1075381)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 April 2020
  12. ^ "History and Architecture, All Saints Church Thornton Hough". All Saints Church Thornton Hough. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
  13. ^ Historic England. "Church of St George (United Reformed), Thornton Hough (1185603)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  14. ^ "About Us". Thornton Manor. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
  15. ^ Historic England, "Thornton House (1299579)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 April 2020
  16. ^ Historic England, "Hesketh Grange (1075417)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 April 2020
  17. ^ "History of Thornton Hough, in Wirral and Cheshire". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Thornton Hough Tn/CP". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  19. ^ "Wirral Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Wirral scarecrow festival cancelled again". Wirral Globe. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Thornton Hough village green used as a location for filming of Tolkien biopic". Chester Standard. Chester. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  22. ^ Historic England. "Thornton Hough war memorial (1464702)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 December 2022.

Bibliography

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thornton Hough.
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