I went to one of Merseyside's most historic sites and felt so ill I had to sit down

It was an overcast weekday in the summer holidays and my four-year-old was going a little stir crazy with his demands getting wilder by the minute.

As a seasoned parent now, I knew the only answer was to go outside. So on went the coats, wellies in the boot just in case and off we went to one of the most historic sites in Merseyside, which is just an eight-minute drive from my house. This was the first time I had ever been to Birkenhead Priory in Wirral and after visiting I was ashamed that I had not been sooner.

Tucked away on Priory Street the ruins of the 800-year-old building sit in the shadow of the Cammell Laird shipyard, and stepping into the gates it instantly transports you to another world; another time.

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For free you can stroll these hidden grounds on the banks of the Mersey River close to Monk's Ferry - one of the first important crossings across the water from Wirral to Liverpool. The site in Birkenhead was founded in 1150. The monks of the Benedictine monastery looked after travellers across the Mersey for hundreds of years.

That was until the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII in 1536. The Priory itself is classed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, while the neighbouring St Mary's Tower which was built in the 19th century, is ranked as a grade II listed building.

During open days, you can walk about freely, exploring this oasis of calm along the busy coastline. You can enter the part of the monastery that is left and imagine the stories and histories that have happened over the last 800 years.

I was in shock at its lasting beauty only heightened by the juxtaposition of all the industry that surrounds the ruins. You can also scale the 100 steps to the top of St Mary's Tower, which offers breathtaking, panoramic views out to Liverpool and across Wirral.

While I am usually OK with heights, after looking up at the spire of the tower it felt like a cruel optical illusion and I instantly felt very dizzy, so much that I had to go back down the stairs and sit down. But this will not stop me from going back, it has unrivalled views of the mega ships docked at Cammell Laird and the river.

I would recommend the beautiful tranquillity of Birkenhead Priory, for something so unique and so historic it is a marvel that it is free to visit and I can not wait to return with a good book under the golden leaves of autumn surrounded by the footprints of the past.

For more information about the history of the site, opening times and events visit the Birkenhead Priory website here.