Birkenhead, United Kingdom
Birkenhead is a city of 325,264 people in England, United Kingdom.
Why visit Birkenhead
Townapedia lists 115 museums and landmarks, 61 parks and trails, 138 places to eat, 36 places to stay and 27 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Liverpool Empire Theatre, O2 Academy Liverpool, British Music Experience and International Slavery Museum.
Weather in Birkenhead
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Birkenhead
Birkenhead () is an industrial port town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, and became part of Merseyside in 1974. At the 2021 census, the built up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics had a population of 109,835.
From the Wikipedia article Birkenhead (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Birkenhead on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Birkenhead
Things to do27
O2 Academy Liverpool
Cinema and theater · 1.9 mi
Music venue (appropriate tagging isn't available yet)
11-13 Hotham Street, Liverpool
Everyman Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.0 mi
Theatre and building in Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Bidston Lighthouse
Lighthouse · 2.5 mi
Lighthouse in Wirral, Merseyside, England, UK
Dell Bridge, Port Sunlight
Bridge · 3.1 mi
Grade II listed bridge in Wirral
Leasowe Lighthouse
Lighthouse · 4.8 mi
Lighthouse in Wirral, Merseyside, England, UK
The Unity Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.8 mi
1 Hope Place, Liverpool
Argyle Theatre
Cinema and theater
Former theatre, music hall and cinema in Birkenhead, England
New Shakespeare Theatre, Liverpool
Cinema and theater · 2.0 mi
Theatre in the UK
15 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks115
Lady Lever Art Gallery
Museum · 2.7 mi
Art museum in Wirral, Merseyside, England, UK
Lower Road, Wirral
103 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds61
Birkenhead Park
Park · 1.1 mi
Public park in Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside, England, UK
Central Park, Wallasey
Park · 1.8 mi
Public park in Liscard, Wirral, England
Sefton Park
Park · 3.4 mi
Public park in south Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK
New Ferry Butterfly Park
Hiking and trails · 2.4 mi
UK urban nature reserve
Howell Road, Wirral
Ranelagh Gardens, Liverpool
Park · 1.8 mi
British amusement part established in the 18th century
49 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes138
Down The Hatch
Restaurant · Burger · 1.4 mi
62 Duke Street, Liverpool
Mo-Th 15:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00
Caffè Nero
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
38 Castle Street, Liverpool
Mo-Fr 07:00-18:30; Sa 07:30-18:00; Su 09:00-17:00
Ruppys
Cafe · Latin American
Ruppys is Birkenhead's go-to spot for Coffee and Smoothies and Latin-American food crafted with passion, such as Arepas, Pandebonos and...
68A Argyle Street, Birkenhead
Mo-Sa 08:00-17:00
Fogo dev chao
Restaurant · Brazilian · 1.4 mi
Exchange Flags, Liverpool
Mo-Fr 17:00-22:00; Sa 12:00-15:00,17:00-22:00; Su 17:00-21:00
126 more on the map.
History
The earliest records state that the Mersey ferry began operating from Birkenhead in 1150, when Benedictine monks under the leadership of Hamon de Mascy built a priory there. The priory was visited in 1275 and 1277 by Edward I. In a royal charter of 13 April 1330, Edward III granted the priory further rights.
Distanced from the Industrial Revolution in Liverpool by the physical barrier of the River Mersey, Birkenhead retained its agricultural status until the advent of steam ferry services. In 1817 a steam ferry service started from Liverpool to Tranmere and in 1822 the paddle steamer Royal Mail began operation between Liverpool and Woodside.
Shipbuilding started in 1829. An ironworks was established by William Laird in 1824, and he was joined by his son John in 1828. The business eventually became the shipbuilder Cammell Laird. Notable naval vessels built at Birkenhead include HMS Achilles, HMS Affray, CSS Alabama, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Birkenhead, HMS Caroline, Huáscar, the pioneer submarine Resurgam, HMS Thetis (which sank in Liverpool Bay during sea trials, and was refloated and commissioned as HMS Thunderbolt, only to be lost to enemy action with the loss of the entire crew), HMS Conqueror and HMS Prince of Wales. Merchant vessels were also built such as RMS Mauretania and RMS Windsor Castle.
Read more of the history
In 1833 an act was passed to introduce street paving, lighting and other improvements in the town. These included establishing a market and regulating the police force.
In the mid-19th century, Irish refugees fleeing the potato famine settled in large numbers in Birkenhead. Sectarian tensions between the Catholic Irish and local Protestant populations led to the Garibaldi riots of 1862.
The Mersey Railway tunnel opened in 1886, providing direct railway access to Liverpool.
In 1908, Robert Baden-Powell announced the launch of the Scout movement during a publicity visit to the Birkenhead branch of the YMCA; his ideas had previously led to the creation of informal Scout patrols in some parts of the country. Among the troops formed in 1908 was the 1st Birkenhead (YMCA) troop.
In September 1932 thousands of unemployed people protested in a series of demonstrations organised by the local branch of the National Unemployed Workers Movement. After three days of rioting, police were brought in from elsewhere to help quell the rioters.
In addition to the ferries and the railway, the Queensway road tunnel opened in 1934 and gave rapid access to Liverpool. This opened up the Wirral Peninsula for development, and prompted further growth of Birkenhead as an industrial centre. Bolstered by migration from rural Cheshire, southern Ireland and Wales, the town's population had grown from 110 in 1801 to 110,912 one hundred years later and stood at 142,501 by 1951.
1989 saw the completion of a large shopping development within Birkenhead town centre, known as the Pyramids.
Conway Park station was opened in 1998 as part of a development that saw Wirral Metropolitan College open a new campus nearby.
The Wirral Waters development was announced in 2006, with work starting in 2011 and expecting to last for around 30 years.
Wirral Council announced in 2020 the formulation of a 20 year development plan known as the 'Birkenhead 2040 Framework'. The plan aims to regenerate parts of Birkenhead, with the creation of a new park (Dock Branch Park), new housing and an improved greener environment.
From the History section of Birkenhead on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Birkenhead
Geography
The Birkenhead Urban Area, as defined by the Office for National Statistics, includes Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Ellesmere Port (which is outside the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral) and the contiguous built-up areas which link those towns. In the 2011 Census, the area so defined had a total population of 325,264, making it the 19th largest conurbation in England and Wales.
Economy
Shipbuilding and ship repair has featured prominently in the local economy since the 19th century. Cammell Laird entered receivership in 2001. The shipyard was sold and became 'Northwestern Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders' (NS&S), which grew into a successful business specialising in ship repair and conversion, including maintenance contracts for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. In September 2007 NS&S acquired the rights to use the Cammell Laird name. The company was renamed 'Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders' on 17 November 2008, seeing the famous name return to Birkenhead after a seven-year hiatus. In 2010, Cammell Laird secured a £50 million contract to construct the flight deck for HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. In 2015, Cammell Laird was selected as the preferred bidder to construct RRS Sir David Attenborough, a Royal Research Ship.
Education
Birkenhead has a number of maintained schools, including Birkenhead Park School (formed after the merger of Rock Ferry High School and Park High School) and the only all-boys Catholic grammar school in the area St. Anselm's College.
Birkenhead also has two independently run schools. The oldest is Birkenhead School. It was exclusively a boys' school from its founding in 1860 until 2000, when its sixth form became co-educational. It became fully co-educational for pupils aged 3–18 in 2008. "Old Birkonians" (as former pupils are known) include the lawyer F.E. Smith (Lord Birkenhead); Andreas Whittam Smith (chairman of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and founder of The Independent newspaper); mountaineer Andrew Irvine; Philip Toosey (hero at the Bridge on the River Kwai); and Tony Hall (former Director-General of the BBC).
From the Wikipedia article Birkenhead, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Birkenhead
Glenda JacksonBritish actress and politician (1936–2023)Photo: Studio Publicity, Public domain
Taron EgertonBritish actor (born 1989)Photo: Gabriel Hutchinson, CC BY-SA 4.0
Malcolm LowryBritish writer (1909–1957)Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Barbara SteeleBritish actressPhoto: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Tim HetheringtonBritish photographer (1970-2011)Photo: Justin Hoch for a Hudson Union Society event, CC BY 2.0
Ryan MullenIrish road cyclistPhoto: Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0- Dixie DeanEnglish footballer (1907–1980)
- Andrew Comyn IrvineEnglish mountaineer (1902–1924)
- Jason McAteerIrish footballer
- Amelia WarnerBritish composer and former actress
- Charles JoughinBritish Cook, Titanic survivor (1878–1956)
- Hugh HuxleyEnglish biologist (1924-2013)
Born in Birkenhead, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay36
62 Castle Street Hotel
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
62 Castle Street, Liverpool
Churches and places of worship84
St. Bride's Church
Church · Anglican · 1.9 mi
Percy Street, Liverpool
Christ Church
Church · United Reformed · 2.9 mi
Church Drive, Port Sunlight
Shopping72
Gas and EV charging16
Schools, colleges and libraries40
Bidston Village CofE (Controlled) Primary School
School · Anglican · 2.9 mi
Ballantyne Drive, Prenton
Our Lady and St Edward's Catholic Primary School
School · Roman Catholic · 1.2 mi
Price Street, Birkenhead
Our Lady Immaculate Catholic Primary School
School · Roman Catholic · 2.8 mi
Northumberland Terrace, Liverpool
Healthcare35
Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Hospital · 2.4 mi
Mount Vernon Street, Liverpool
Claughton Medical Centre
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
161 Park Road North, Birkenhead
Map of Birkenhead
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Liverpool 2 mi northeast, about 3 min by car
- St Helens 12 mi east, about 20 min by car
- Warrington 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Wigan 19 mi northeast, about 30 min by car
- Bolton 27 mi northeast, about 44 min by car
- Preston 29 mi northeast, about 46 min by car
- Blackpool 29 mi north, about 47 min by car
- Salford 31 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Manchester 33 mi east, about 52 min by car
- Blackburn 33 mi northeast, about 53 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Birkenhead
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Stonework detail Birkenhead town hall, Paro7181, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stonework detail town hall Birkenhead, Paro7181, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grand entrance town hall Birkenhead, Paro7181, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grand entrance doors, Town hall, Birkenhead, Paro7181, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wirral - Birkenhead Town Hall - 20230719203820, Gary Bealr, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Birkenhead town hall, Paro7181, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wirral - Birkenhead Town Hall - 20230719204842, Gary Bealr, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wirral - Birkenhead Town Hall - 20230719204755, Gary Bealr, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Everyman Theatre, Liverpool 2018, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bidston Lighthouse 102, RHaworth, CC BY 2.5
- Dell Bridge, David Squire, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Leasowe Lighthouse 2019-1, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight - IMG 0915, Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grand Entrance, Birkenhead Park 2019, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chavasse Park 4, John Bradley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grants Gardens, July 07, 2012 (9), John Bradley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tree stump sculpture at Port Sunlight River Park (30099888911), Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Arrowe Park - DSC04037, Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Liscard Hall, Central Park-by-Sue-Adair, Sue Adair, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Otterspool Promenade, Liverpoolpics, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool, England-26Dec2009, Ben James, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Christ Church, Barnston north side, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Christ Church, Oxton 2018-2, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Christ Church, Higher Bebington 1, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Frontage of Liverpool Lime Street railway station, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- World Museum Liverpool, User:Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St George's Hall, Liverpool (2007), fabiopauleri, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral 02, Superchilum, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool 161009, Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL SEP2012 (7916053494), calflier001, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Entrance to The Beatles Story - Liverpool, Lipinski, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 60 & 62 Castle Street 2018 - Castle Street, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Britannia Adelphi, Liverpool 2018, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- British Music Experience LONDON, Liz Koravos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Church of Our Lady and St Nicholas, Liverpool, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Everton Park, Vanbasten 23, CC BY-SA 3.0
- North Western Hotel August 01 2010, John Bradley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gustaf Adolf Church, Liverpool 2018, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hard Days Night Hotel, Liverpool, John Bradley, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hilton Liverpool City Centre 2, Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Liscard Town Centre-by-Sue-Adair, Sue Adair, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Empire Theatre, Liverpool 2018, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Liverpool Philharmonic facade 2018, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Royal Liverpool University Hospital, The original uploader was Chowells at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
- St Philip Neri 2017-3, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St Brides Church Liverpool, User:David Humphreys, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Entrance of Unity Theatre, Liverpool, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Merseyside Maritime Museum 2021, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- FACT Liverpool, Sweetie candykim, Public domain
- Liverpool Cenotaph, SomeDriftwood, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Christ Church, Port Sunlight, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Baltic Fleet 2016-2, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 3.0
- All Saints, Edge Hill 2018, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vue cinema, Birkenhead (3), Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Picturehouse @ FACT, Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Entrance, Liverpool Women's Hospital 2, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Frontage of Western Approaches Museum, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hampton by Hilton Liverpool City Centre 2020, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Spa Liverpool, Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St Thomas the Apostle, Liscard, Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Shankly Hotel, Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Port Sunlight buildings 5, Man vyi, Public domain
- News From Nowhere 2, Frombowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benkid77 Anchor, Rept0n1x, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, victuallers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, victuallers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, johncassidy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, cyclestreets, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Junguin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, thingomy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, panieravide, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, panieravide, CC BY-SA 4.0
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