Hunts Cross

infobox UK place
country= England
official_name= Hunts Cross
latitude= 53.36084
longitude= -2.85469
population=
metropolitan_borough= City of Liverpool
metropolitan_county= Merseyside
region= North West England
constituency_westminster=
post_town= LIVERPOOL
postcode_district= L25
postcode_area= L
dial_code= 0151-486
os_grid_reference= SJ432852
map_type= Merseyside Hunts Cross is a suburb of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located on the southern edge of the city, bordered by Garston, Woolton and Speke; to the east is Halewood which is part of Knowsley.

History

How the area got its name is unknown, but the most common belief is that the area was originally where Liverpool fox hunts would meet before setting off, and the area's name is derived from this. It is often said that the fox hunted the hunter and the Hunt's Cross Animal Refuge is testament to this belief. An old stone cross can be found at the main crossroads in the area. It is local folklore that whoever takes the stone shall be possessed with the power of the Hunt.

However, nearby on what is now the Liverpool John Lennon Airport's runway, was a patch of land called "Hunt's Tenement", (shown on an 1855 map), which has thrown popular belief about the Hunters origins. The crosses original position is unknown, as on a map of 1855, the cross is only mentioned but not determined. A transcript stated that "a socket of a cross was found in a barn". In the 1960's it was moved for the road to be widened. There are identical crosses in the nearby villages of Cronton, Woolton, and Garston.

It is also said that Dick Turpin stayed in Hunts Cross on his way to York and stabled his horse Black Bess there. He is also reported to have stayed in many inns along the route of the original A1 too

Description

Hunts Cross is a typical suburban district: housing is almost entirely semi-detached or detached, being late Victorian or Edwardian in origin, with a number of 1930s developments. Located off Woodend Avenue, "Hunts Cross Village" is a new detached suburban development on the boundary with Speke. [citeweb|url=http://www.findaproperty.com/displaystory.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&storyid=20064|title=Guidebook - Woolton (Hunts Cross)|work=Find A Property|accessdate=30 October|accessyear=2007]

A number of local shops and businesses are located on Hillfoot Avenue. This area is known as "Hunts Cross Precinct". Further convenience shops also located on Mackets Lane. There are three pubs in the vicinity - "The Hunts Cross Hotel" on Hillfoot Avenue, "The Waiting Room" on Speke Road (The old station house), and the "Hillfoot Hotel" on Hillfoot Road. A large Asda supermarket can be found in the southern part of the district, with a bar, betting shop and other assorted businesses in the Asda complex. This complex is located on what used to be the famous Liverpool Triumph TR7 car factory.

Between the railway station and the precinct are a number of shops, with a community garden opposite them. This was the location of a large house where the actress Rita Tushingham grew up. Originally farmland owned by the Tushingham family, some of the houses built with it are still in existence today along Ashton Drive. When the house was destroyed, the Tushinghams gave the land to the council, with the proviso that it was to be used to build a library for the community. A mobile library came here once a week up until the late 1990s, when the nearby school opened up its library to the public. Subsequently, Merseytravel wanted to use this land as a bus turning circle, but was stopped by Tushingham, and the Hunts Cross Residents Association, as this was in breach of contract for the land's usage. [citeweb|url=http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=7503599&method=full&siteid=50061-name_page.html|title=Film Star's Mother In Row|work=icLiverpool|date=1 February 2001|accessdate=30 October|accessyear=2007 ]

The Local Primary School is "Hunts Cross JMI", but is referred to as "Kingsthorne", its former name. In the 1970s/80s, the primary school employed a system for checking pupils progress. Each year pupils were sorted into 4 different houses (Fleming, Rathbone, Scott and Nightingale) and when their work was marked, if the teacher awarded over a certain mark, their work was given by what was known as a School Stamp. These were issued at an afternoon assembly every Friday, and counted up. If pupils received no stamps for 3 weeks running, parents were notified of their child's poor performance. If pupils received more than 10, they received a certificate.

Hillfoot Hey Grammar later Comprehensive Senior school which stood on the corner of Hillfoot Road and School Lane from 1956 was demolished to make way for housing in 1985. It is reported that a school had been on this site since 1901.

There are three places of religion here: St Columba's URC, St Andrew's RC and St Hilda's CoE.

The 28th Allerton Scout Troop was based at St Columba's URC. It started in 1955, but has gone into temporary suspension due to lack of interest. A local drama group previously existed at St Columba's, where Rita Tushingham once performed.

Transport

The area is served by Hunts Cross station, the southern terminus of the Merseyrail Northern Line to Liverpool city centre, Southport, Kirkby and Ormskirk. Northern Rail trains also run to Manchester and Warrington.

Regular buses run along Speke Road, Hillfoot Avenue and Mackets Lane connecting with most of Liverpool, including routes into the city centre, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Speke, and also round the ring road to East and North Liverpool.

References

External links

* [http://liverpoolstreetgallery.com/thumbnails.php?album=28 Liverpool Street Gallery - Liverpool 25]