Eastham

History of Eastham
Eastham was an important crossing point of the Mersey from the Middle Ages, a ferry service operated across the river to Liverpool, an early ferry Job's ferry was run by monks from the Abbey of St. Werburgh in Chester. Several dozen coaches a day and both goods and passengers would arrive each day at the pier by the late 1700's. In 1816 a paddle steamer service was introduced replacing the sailboats but the service fell into decline as an important link with the opening of the Chester to Birkenhead railway and the ferry terminal at Woodside.

In the mid 1800's Thomas Stanley the owner of the ferry built the Eastham Ferry Hotel and Pleasure Gardens to attract more visitors and halt the decline.

The gardens included a zoo, with bear pit, lions, monkeys and antelope, an entertainment stage, tea rooms, bandstand, ballroom, boating lake, water chute and a wooden roller coaster.

Eastham also grew in importance when it became the entrance port to the Manchester Ship Canal. The canal was opened by Queen Victoria in 1894. A Jubilee Arch built to celebrate 60 years of the Queen's reign was brought to the entrance of the Pleasure Gardens in 1897. Eastham was now in its heyday as a 'resort' Eastham Ferry was known as the 'Richmond of the Mersey', but its popularity declined and the last ferry crossing took place in 1929. The Pleasure Gardens, Iron pier and Jubilee Arch were later dismantled. The area around the hotel and ferry pier now form Eastham Country Park.

The Carlett Park area of Eastham was originally the house and grounds of the Carlett Mansion House. The home of Canon Torr (1851-1924) , who was the Canon of Chester and Vicar of Eastham, who lived in the Manor House with his family until his death in 1924. The Chapel at Carlett Park was built in 1884 as a family chapel, it is the only remaining part of the original house listed in the Diocese records as ‘The Chapel of the Good Shepherd'. A listed building, it was built originally for family worship by Canon Torr.


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