Gateacre

Toponymy The name Gateacre was first used in the mid-16th century to refer to the area that had previously been part of the townships of 'Little' and 'Much' Woolton. The origin of the name is not fully known, although there are two parallel theories on where it may have come from. The first explanation suggests that the name may derive from 'gata' – meaning path or 'the way' in Middle English – to the 'acre field' of Much Woolton (which approximately encompasses what is modern day Woolton). An alternative suggestion is that the name may have developed from the Anglo-Saxon term gāt-æcer, which means a "newly cultivated plot where goats are kept". Much Woolton was centred on the nearby village of Woolton, with Little Woolton covering an almost entirely rural area adjacent to it. The area that would later become Gateacre was situated on the boundary between the two townships. The present day Halewood Road and Grange Lane approximately sit on the path of a former packhorse trail, which went from Hale to West Derby. Although Gateacre remained a mainly rural area until the nineteenth century, maps from the eighteenth century do show the crossroads in the centre of the Village. Subsequently, Gateacre was likely a central point for travellers across the region and it is during this period that both the Black Bull and Bear & Ragged Staff (today known as just the Bear and Staff) Inns emerged, providing shelter and accommodation for those travelling through the village. Gateacre began to grow as a village in the 19th century. Employment in the area expanded beyond agriculture, with the opening of the Gateacre Brewery mid-century and a local telephone exchange in 1889. Gateacre railway station also opened in 1879, on the Cheshire Lines Committee's North Liverpool Extension Line, providing the area with a direct link to Liverpool Central station. It was during this period that there was a shift in architectural styling, with mock-Tudor becoming popular. In the mid-to-late nineteenth century, several notable residents moved into Gateacre, including Sir Andrew Barclay Walker (the man who built the Walker Art Gallery as a gift to Liverpool) and John Hays Wilson (who was the Chairman of the Liverpool Council Water Committee). The monument was located in a prominent position on the village green, which was at the time owned by Walker. In 1887, four years after the monument was erected, Walker decided to give the green to the local council, in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. He commissioned his nephew Count Gleichen to sculpt a bronze bust of the Queen to be placed upon it. ==Description==

Gateacre is today a largely affluent suburb of Liverpool, containing mainly residential premises. Housing is primarily a mix of large detached and semi-detached properties, although older terraced housing remains, particularly around Gateacre Village. More recent developments, such as Woodsome Park on the site of the former Gateacre Hall Hotel, have increased the number of apartment properties in the area. The majority of the housing dates from the post-war period, particularly the 1960s, when the area grew into and became part of the Liverpool conurbation. ==Architecture==

The variety of architectural styles in Gateacre is considerable and is reflective of the long history of the area. In the late nineteenth century the 'black-and-white' or 'Mock Tudor' style became more common and is today synonymous with the area. Built from sandstone ashlar, the villas complement more moderate brick built houses that were constructed during the same period. A later addition were the Soarer Cottages, which were constructed by William Hall Walker (later Baron Wavertree) in 1896. These model cottages were built adjacent to a series of polo stables, which are today known as Grange Mews, that had been constructed for Walker in 1895. On Belle Vale Road, on land adjacent to the Church of St. Stephen are the Church Cottages. Built in the late-nineteenth century the cottages were built from a combination of timber and brick in mock-Tudor style. One of their most noted features are the large diagonally set chimneys. Also on Belle Vale Road are a series of early-nineteenth century houses built from sandstone ashlar with slate roofs. Buildings ==Notable people==

• Peter Serafinowicz (born 1972), comedian and actor, born in Gateacre ==References==