Description

The Wirral Peninsula was historically part of Cheshire and today lies partly within Merseyside. Evidence of the area's earliest human settlement dates back to around 7000 BC, and its long-standing importance is reflected in successive waves of Celtic, Roman, Norse, and Anglo-Saxon settlers.

Ferries have crossed the River Mersey since the fourteenth century, although today the Wirral is linked to Liverpool by tunnel. Europe's first street tramway opened in Birkenhead in 1840, and the world's first passenger hovercraft service began operating in 1962 between Wallasey and Rhyl.

The peninsula has played a major role in British industry, with famous names including Cammell Laird and Lever Brothers, whose founders created the model garden village of Port Sunlight for their workers. A growing population also benefited from the world's first publicly funded civic park in Birkenhead, which later inspired the design of Central Park.

The Wirral's cultural legacy is equally rich, with notable figures associated with the area ranging from Wilfred Owen to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and from Ian Botham to Daniel Craig.

Illustrated throughout, this engaging book offers a lively and positive exploration of the Wirral's rich heritage, key events, and defining moments. Celebrating the Wirral makes a valuable contribution to the region's history and will evoke many memories for those who know it well.