Irby, Merseyside

] Other nearby towns and villages with the Viking "by" suffix in their name include Frankby, Greasby and Pensby.

The village was formerly a township in Woodchurch Parish, Wirral Hundred.The population was 96 in 1801, 180 in 1851 and 146 in 1901. [citeweb|url=http://www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/CHS/irby.html|work=GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy|title=Cheshire Towns & Parishes: Irby|accessdate=7 March|accessyear=2007]

A reference to the existence of a mill at Irby was made in a rental agreement of 1431, whereby tenants were expected to "...grind at Irby Mill to the 16^th measure." This referred to the miller receiving this amount in flour as a toll. This original wooden structure was replaced by a post mill in the early 18^th century. After being disused since about 1878 and in a very dilapidated condition, the mill was demolished in 1898. It was the last post mill of its kind on the Wirral.cite news|title=The Wirral Journal - Volume 1, Number 3|first=Kenneth|last=Burnley|date=1982] The demolition work was carried out by unskilled labour hired by the miller. They removed the brick base first, resulting in the whole structure becoming dangerously unsafe and crashing to the ground, narrowly avoiding injury or loss of life. [citebook|title=Yesterday's Wirral: Pictoral History|last=Boumphrey|first=Ian & Marilyn|page=p13|date=2000|isbn=1-899241-15-9 ] The Irby Mill public house, which opened for business in 1980, stands adjacent to the site in a building formerly known as 'Irby Mill Cottage' [citeweb|url=http://www.oldcommunitykit.ik.com/pub/customersites/communitykit/tis-040510124458.nsf/0/79C28CDC20891A85802570220017FD02?open&add=yes|title=Irby Mill Hill - the mills, the cottage and the pub|accessdate=10 May|accessyear=2007]

On 1 April 1974, local government reorganisation in England and Wales resulted in most of Wirral, including Irby, transfer from the county of Cheshire to Merseyside.

Demographics

Whilst not being diverse in terms of ethnicity, Irby is an economically diverse neighbourhood, possessing a mixture of large 1930s built private houses together with an estate of 1970s built homes of in a range of sizes and an element of 1950s built council housing all in close proximity. In this respect it is regarded locally as a very desirable place to live. Irby is within the catchment area for two local grammar schools: Calday Grange Grammar School for Boys and West Kirby Grammar School for Girls. Despite the typically suburban character of most of its neighbourhoods, Irby surrounded on all sides by a very large amount of greenbelt and woodland.

Education

Pensby High School for Boys (renamed Pensby Sports College) and Pensby High School for Girls are the nearest state secondary schools. Irby Primary School and Dawpool Primary School are the local state primary schools.

Transport

Irby is well served by local bus services, including the following routes:
* 71 - Heswall to Liverpool (every 20 minutes)
* 22 - West Kirby (Caldy crossroads) to Chester (hourly)
* 175 - Heswall to Irby (hourly)

The nearest railway station is Heswall (formerly Heswall Hills) on the Borderlands Line. From Irby, accessing the station is difficult via other public transport, it is approximately a 30 minute walk away and offers only hourly services. Alternatively, locals can either use buses exclusively or travel to West Kirby station, which is on the Wirral Line of the high-frequency Merseyrail system.

Notable people

*Frank Lester, recipient of the Victoria Cross.
*John Aldridge, former Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers footballer.

References

External links

* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=327369&Y=384592&width=700&height=410&gride=327550.204266927&gridn=384531.486628711&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=GB&pc=&zm=0&scale=25000&left.x=3&left.y=149 Aerial Photo]
* [http://www.eng-h.gov.uk/ArchRev/rev95_6/irby.htm English Heritage Archaeological Activities: Irby]
* [http://www.itpas.org.uk Irby Thurstaston & Pensby Amenity Society]