Windle, St Helens
| Windle | |
|---|---|
 Lord Derby's Footpath, Windle |
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 Windle
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| Windle shown within Merseyside | |
| Population | 10,690 (2011.Ward) |
| OS grid reference | SJ4916297181 |
| Civil parish |
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| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ST. HELENS |
| Postcode district | WA10, WA11 |
| Dialling code | 01744 |
| Police | Merseyside |
| Fire | Merseyside |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Windle is a suburb of St. Helens,civil parish and ward of the metropolitan borough of the same name. The 2001 census gives Windle a population of 8,621 in 3,607 households, increasing to a population of 10,690 at the 2011 Census. It borders the villages of Eccleston and Rainford. It was one of the original four townships alongside Eccleston, Parr and Sutton formed that merged to become St. Helens. The name derives from Windy Hill.
Windhull, 1201, (and common; Wyndhill, 1320; Wyndhyll, Wyndill, Wyndell, Wyndle, 16th century) a Manor originally fell under the fee of the Warrington Barons until at least 1585. The first Baron is listed as Pain de Vilers. Vilers was disenfranchised by William de Ferrers the Earl of Derby to the benefit of William le Boteler from Warrington. The Manor was subject to contesting claims by the Vilers to no avail. Portions of Windle over the next three hundred years were divided between the families local gentry Peter de Burnhull, Alan de Windle III and Thurstan de Holand The de Burnhull family married into the Gerard family from nearby Kingsley in Cheshire who were the eventual inheritors of the land and title.
Other significant families were the Colleys (or Cowleys), Hindley and Urmstons. The families of Harflynch and Eccles appear in the 16th century; and others of the neighbourhood, like the Byroms, Parrs, and Woodfalls, were also owners of land.Adam Martindale, a puritan divine, born near Mossbank in 1623, recorded daily life and events of the area in his diaries, describing the chapelry and family interactions.
18th-century Windle was originally constituted by the villages and areas of Cowley Hill, Gerards Bridge, Hardshaw, Islands Brow, Laffak, Moss Bank, Pocket Nook, Windle Ashes and Windle Smithy. Hardshaw (or antiquated Hardsheigh), described as a Berewick in the Domesday Book was the site of The Chapel of St Elyn in Chapel Lane. The modern town of St Helens was formed around the Chapel of St Elyn that was located within the Hardshaw berewick since at least the 16th century.
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Wikipedia