Drive & Stroll, with RON FREETHY

MY first stop on a hot, muggy day at Eastham Country Park and Bromborough was at the Old Ferry. As I looked across the Mersey I could see the entrance to the Manchester Ship Canal in one direction and the majestic Liverpool skyline on the other.

Away towards the canal was one of the world's largest oil refineries and associated industries. There is enough beauty left, however, to see why Liverpool people loved (and still love) Eastham.

This ferry was one of the essential crossings between Liverpool and the Wirral and operated for centuries. This remained the case until the coming of the railway in the 1840s. The ferry was obviously only reliable in good weather. This accounts for the importance of the blacksmith's forge and also the need for a good hostelry.

Coach horses needed to be looked after and travellers also needed accommodation whilst waiting to be rowed across the wide estuary.

But why, I wondered, were there two hostelries here -- the Eastham Ferry and The Tap? Obviously the posh Eastham Ferry catered for the posh while The Tap provided sustenance for the servants, coachmen and those who tended the horses.

Probably in an attempt to attract more visitors following the opening of the railway Thomas Stanley decided to develop pleasure gardens and build new hotels. By 1846 his ambitious operation was in full swing.

The gardens were landscaped with rhododendrons, azaleas, plus ornamental trees and fountains. He added a zoo with a bear pit and monkey enclosures, as well as dens for lions. He provided a boating lake, water chute, roller coaster, bandstand, ballroom and cafes. He brought in star performers including Blondin, the tightrope walker, and other entertainers.

The opening of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894 increased business and visitors came by rail and by ferry, giving a real boost to the fun park. It was the theme park of its day. The amenity declined during the 1914-1918 war and never recovered. The last pleasure paddle steamer left Eastham in 1929 and at one time the overgrown area seemed destined to become a housing estate.

Fortunately, in 1970 -- which was European Conservation year -- the country park was set up. The present set-up is a tour of industrial (or should it be touristic?) archeology. There are native and exotic plants everywhere, bird sounds are always in evidence and on my stroll I found the remains of old fountains, animal enclosures and the well-preserved bear pit.

The Victorians had a different view of animal welfare but we should not forget that Eastham gives us a really nostalgic view of the Mersey. Long before the estuary was developed by industry Eastham Village had its place in history.

There is a mention of it in Domesday and in the churchyard is a yew tree said to be at least 1500 years old. Some day it is the oldest yew in England but at the very least it is a contender.

I returned from the church to the Ferry and there I discovered another remnant of the history of the area. A few years ago the red sandstone ticket office was used as a public toilet. This has been closed and the building is still solid but showing signs of wear and tear.

As I mentioned last week when I was at Roach Bridge on the River Darwen, we need to preserve all our historic buildings and one way of preserving them is to make use of them.

The village of Eastham is well worth the effort to get there and part of the history of the mighty River Mersey.