Walton | |
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County Road, Walton |
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Walton shown within Merseyside | |
OS grid reference | SJ365945 |
Metropolitan borough | |
Metropolitan county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LIVERPOOL |
Postcode district | L4, L9 |
Dialling code | 0151 |
Police | Merseyside |
Fire | Merseyside |
Ambulance | North West |
EU Parliament | North West England |
UK Parliament | |
Walton, originally known as Walton-on-the-Hill, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, is an area situated to the north of Anfield and the east of Bootle and Orrell Park. Historically in Lancashire, it is largely residential, with a diverse population.
The town name 'Walton', may have been derived from the same origins as the country name 'Wales'. The incoming Saxons called the earlier native inhabitants (the Celtic Britons) the 'Walas' or 'Wealas' which means foreigner referring to the Celts and Romans. Thus, Walton may have once been called 'Walas' town. Another possible etymology derives from 'Wald tun' being Old English for 'Forest Town'. Regardless, Walton is one of the oldest areas of settlement in Merseyside.
The name Walton comes from settlement/farmstead of Wealas - native Celts which is what the new Anglo Saxon speaking peoples called the native inhabitants of England. There is strong evidence that in many areas of England taken over by Germanic speaking settlers, the native British (Wealas) remained undisturbed, farming the same land they did when the Romans left. Over time they just adopted or forgot their Celtic tongue (similar to Old Welsh/Cornish) for the language and culture of the newcomers in order to climb the social ladder or were coerced to do so. It was in the Anglo Saxon interest that the native British carry on as usual to ensure the economy produced food and goods for the new landowners.
Walton's recorded history appears to have started with the death of Edward the Confessor, when it was said that "Winestan held the manor of WALTON". After the conquest of the Normans, it is thought that Roger of Poitou included Walton in the lands he gave to his sheriff, Godfrey.
In 1200, the founder of Liverpool, King John of England gave the town of Walton to Richard de Meath, who left Walton to his brother, Henry de Walton. Henry's son William inherited the lands of Walton, but William died before his son Richard was of age, so Richard was made a ward of Nicholas de la Hose by the Earl of Derby and the estate was managed by nobles outside the family for a time.