Penketh


Penketh is a civil parish and suburb of Warrington, Cheshire, England. It is located about west of Warrington town centre. It has a population of 8,699. It is in the historic county of Lancashire.
The name is derived from two Brythonic words: *penno- and *kēto- ; suggesting that the parish was at one time on the outskirts of a forest. The emblem/badge of Penketh is three kingfishers.

History

Penketh was originally part of Prescot parish but became a chapelry and then a separate parish. It grew due to the crossing over the Mersey at Fiddlers Ferry and the building of the Sankey Canal. The area was mainly rural and agricultural until well into the 20th century, though a tannery and boatyard were established in the 19th century.
The last 50 years has seen the area transformed into a large residential suburb.

Governance

Historically within Lancashire, the parish has a Parish Council and is a ward of Warrington Borough. It is in Warrington South constituency of the United Kingdom Parliament. Until the major local government reorganisation of 1974, Penketh was part of Warrington Rural District.

Industry

The former tannery and boatyard were the only major industries in Penketh. Fiddlers Ferry Power Station dominates Penketh, though it is in Cuerdley parish.

Churches

There is a parish church, and a Catholic church. There is a strong nonconformist tradition as exemplified by the Methodist chapel in Chapel Road. The Quakers were well represented at one time; the Meeting House was the present village hall on Meeting Lane.

Schools

The secondary schools in the area are Penketh High School and St Gregory's Catholic High School. The primary schools in the area are Penketh Community Primary School, Penketh South Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School and St Vincent's Catholic Primary School.

Pubs

Pubs in the area include the Ferry Tavern, the Crown & Cushion, the Sportsman's Arms and the Red Lion.

Transport

Railway stations in the area include local services from Sankey for Penketh on the Liverpool to Manchester Line, as well as Warrington Bank Quay on the West Coast Main Line. Frequent buses link Penketh with Warrington town centre: it is the terminus for Warrington's Own Buses, and the north of Penketh is also served by Warrington's Own Buses routes 14 and 15. Arriva North West inter-urban services also serve the main road through Penketh, heading towards Widnes and Runcorn and to Huyton and Liverpool. Penketh is on the A562 road linking Warrington with the Silver Jubilee Bridge. The nearest airports are Liverpool and Manchester.

Demographics