'Charming' tiny village on the edge of Merseyside where 'dogs are treated like humans'

Merseyside is home to countless villages steeped in history, but few offer as much unique character as Churchtown. The village, which is historically within the confined of Lancashire and is home to red rose stickers showing the historic pride of Lancashire DNA running through the area.

Found in north Southport, the village is quaint with a romantic blend of past and present. Despite it clearly being in the 21st century, you could easily be mistaken for thinking you had time travelled as you look around at the thatched roofs and 150-year-old stockings. Adjacent to the wall of St Cuthbert's Church nestled in the corner of the village, stocks dating from 1741 can be found behind a padlocked gate.

Written on a plaque that had been gifted to the people of Churchtown by North Meols Civic Society, it explains the stocks were last used on June 3 1861 when John Rimmer was sentenced to six hours for drunkenness. Nowadays, it's a clear representation of history we shouldn't forget in a hurry, preserved for residents in 2024 to learn, marvel and wonder about the history of their village.

Speaking about type of shops and businesses in the area, Jill Skelton of Vintage Home told LancsLive last month: "It's nice, there's lots of independent shops and it's sort of kept it's charm really, from what it used to be. It's not like a high street really, there's not big chains."

Vintage Homes has been a resident on Botanic Road in Churchtown for the last three years and has made itself at home. Selling antiques and vintage items, the shop has made a name for itself in the area.

The village is home to two 18th century listed pubs, the Hesketh Arms and the Bold Arms, with the former recently undergoing £600,000 renovation in a sign of the how successful the tightknit area is. The character of the village is not only cherished by those who live in the area but also protected.

Its history is closely connected to the church as well Meols Hall and is believed to the one of the twelve resting places of St Cuthbert, Bishop of Lindisfarne, whose remains were removed in the ninth century by monks fleeing the Danish invasion. Meols Hall also dates back to 1200s. Now used as a wedding and events venue, the estate has passed through generations of the Hesketh family and overseas many of the thatched cottages in the village.

But in a bid to protect the historic charm that Churchtown brings to Southport, a conservation order was introduced in November 1973 before being extended in May 2009 by Sefton Council meaning there are special planning procedures in place to limit unnecessary changes in the area.

Adding thoughts about the village itself and businesses nearby, Jill said: "It suits all the quaint shops and things like that. There's a little handmade chocolate shop and a deli and little gift shops, things like that. You do notice tourists here, they tend to go through the Botanic Gardens and through the village."

Another key part of the area is Botanic Gardens, an expansive green space used by people across Southport and surrounding locations. The gardens opened in the 1870s, with the Victorian gardens being home to colourful floral displays. Home to a winding lake with a variety of routes to walk, it is ever popular with people living locally.

But before getting to the gardens, you have the joy of walking past the variety, and at times slightly odd, businesses on Botanic Road. One of these is Penny's House, a dog café run by canine enthusiast Ceri Burns.

Inside the café, Ceri offers a menu curated especially for dogs, as well as one for humans too. The independent business opened in April under the name, but had been a dog café for seven years prior.

Named after Ceri's dog Penny, the pet lover offers parties in their function room upstairs, as well as plenty of place for the dogs to relax, unwind and enjoy a well-earned treat or two. "It's a normal café, but we serve dogs just like humans," Ceri explains with a huge satisfactory smile on her face. Charlotte Ashton works in the café too and is a local of Churchtown. "It's a nice little community village around here," she explained.

Another thriving business which has made itself at home in the village is Remedy. The booming cafe is regulalry full and is adored by people in Southport as the local chain has made its mark on the town. Susannah Porter, who quit her job to start the venture when she was 25, told the ECHO in 2022: "I ended up working in marketing and then education but I always felt as though I would get to this point at some point. When I was 45 I left education and opened up a business. It was a massive leap of faith."

She added: "You're worried you might regret it or that you're making a mistake but I have never regretted it. I love working in hospitality, it's my passion really. I should have always done it." The village is booming and looks to have an extensive future ahead of it, as well as behind it.