Merseyside is a metropolitan county in the north west of England on both banks of the Mersey estuary and encompasses five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral and the city of Liverpool.
Merseyside has a rich archaeological and historical heritage not least of which is the city of Liverpool’s world heritage status as one of the most important trading ports in the world.
Some of the archaeological and historical highlights include:
- Neolithic stone circle at Calderstones
- Late Neolithic footprints at Formby
- Norse-Irish rock carvings on Bidston Hill
- Anglo-Norse ‘hogback’ stone at West Kirby
- Viking settlement at Meols
- Medieval priory at Birkenhead
- Tudor mansion of Speke Hall
- 18th century links with the American War of Independence and the first US Consulate founded 1790
- 19th/20th century links with Liverpool’s mercantile history and important commodities such as tobacco and cotton.
- Two 20th century cathedrals – the Anglican and the Catholic
