The River Mersey was created in the Ice Age period in north west England.
Thick glaciers and ice sheets moved from the Irish Sea and carved deep parallel iceways. As the Earth began to warm the ice melted and then the River Mersey came into being.
In the medieval times of England, the River Mersey played a major role in supporting the ancient kingdoms and being a natural reserve. The mouth of the River Mersey is at Liverpool Bay.
The Mersey leaves a history with its name and is also now designated as a Ramsar site. The Mersey River is also known as the Border River or Boundary River.
The old river bed in the north west of Liverpool Waterway is of strategic importance and connects to the canal past the River Mersey dock. The riverbed is mostly a dryland area and this place has also witnessed Atlantic gray seals near the river bed.
The widest point of the river bed is an estuary that later connects to the Irish Sea. The name Mersey is very popular in central England.
The ship canal was widely used in medieval times. There are also high tides observed during extreme weather conditions.
Due to excessive visitors and highly commercial use of the River Mersey and its adjoining areas the water quality of the river is deteriorating compared to ancient times. Chester zoo, Woolston Eye Nature Reserve, Sefton Park, and New Brighton beach, are some family spots that you can visit.
Read on to know more about River Mersey and its tributaries River Tame and River Goyt. Afterward, also check River Lea facts and River Jordan facts.
In Commercial Culture
The River Mersey got its commercial importance when the world’s first commercial sea dock was opened. This happened in 1715 when the trade was booming as industries began to flourish in the early phase of industrialization.
This gained a huge attraction and significance towards the Liverpool Waterfront. The city of Liverpool has flourished because of the Mersey docks and has enjoyed its economic success since then.
Within 300 years as the British Empire established more colonies they dominated global trade and contributed a massive growth in the movement of goods. An interesting fact is that Liverpool city is considered to be the pioneer of modern dock technology.
This River Mersey dock played a vital role in World War II and the American Civil War too. Liverpool also received a UNESCO World Heritage designation as a Mercantile Maritime City in 2004 as it was one of the hottest trading centers in the post-industrialization era.
The Mersey dock is still widely used for trade. However, the Liverpool Waterfront is now free from loading heavy goods. It is now utilized for art and culture. There are events and cultural happenings and festivals that attract many localities, tourists, artists, and art lovers from many places.
These events capture the beauty of the River Mersey and the seafront of Liverpool. This reflects the past stories of the River Mersey. The canal past the River Mersey connects to the Railway Tunnel.
Sacred Significance Of River Mersey
The British Hindus considered the Mersey as a sacred river. They worshiped the River Mersey as they would worship the Holy River Ganges in India. Here are some more River Mersey facts about its scared significance:
The River Mersey is considered sacred and there are ceremonies performed at the river. The popular Ganesh Festival of Hindus where the clay idols of Lord Ganesha are immersed in the river. The River Mersey, therefore, has a cultural significance given to it by the British Hindus who follow many customs similar to that of Hindus in India.
The River Mersey has a strong association with Liverpool in historical, economic, geographical, and cultural aspects. There are music lovers and artists who wrote about River Mersey and produced songs about the beauty of the river. The River Mersey is mentioned in many famous songs and is a word that is associated often with Liverpool.
The Mersey has accompanied Liverpool since the music of the 1960s and was popularized in the ‘Merseybeat’ song, ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’, and the ‘Peacemakers’. This was a music video released in 1965 and the video had the group of singers performing on a ferry as they crossed the River Mersey between Birkenhead and Liverpool.
Mersey lullaby was also recorded by the same group. This lullaby has become part of a 2007 children's book and CD. ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey' was also recorded in Hollywood by Frankie.
‘Mercy Paradise’ is a song by 'The Stone Roses' also has a reference to the River Mersey. The famous folk ballad the ‘Leaving of Liverpool’ also finds mentions of the river. The song ‘That Was Me' by Paul McCartney also mentioned the Mersey River.
Branches Of River Mersey
The natural course of the River Mersey is from north to south. The River Mersey marks the borders of Lancashire in the north and Cheshire in the south. So the natural and the total course of the Mersey River is marking the boundary of these two counties.
The length of the river is 68 mi (109 km). It begins in Stockport and the waters of the River Mersey are discharged in the Liverpool Bay which is a part of the Irish Sea.
Therefore the river drains its waters into the Irish Sea. The River Mersey is a formation of three tributaries.
The River Goyt, the River Tame, and the River Etherow. Since the river begins to flow in Stockport the modern maps have now shown the confluence of the two rivers Tame and Goyt to be the starting point of the River Mersey.
The River Mersey extends into a wide estuary. This estuary is 3 mi (4.8 km) wide.
The course of the river then heads north to the Manchester Ship Canal along the Cheshire Bank of the River Mersey and then enters the river. The eastern part of this estuary has large sandbanks and tides. These are important wetlands and are listed as Ramsar sites.
The estuary then narrows down and enters to flow Liverpool between Albert dock and Birkenhead. Then the river continues to flow and drains in the Irish Sea.
Did you know the Mersey Estuary narrows between Liverpool and Birkenhead and here it is limited to a width of 0.7 mi (1.1 km)!
Amusement: River Mersey
The River Mersey is also an amusement center filled with places to visit and enjoyed by kids, adults, and elders. The Merseyside Maritime Museum is a special attraction for family visits and one-day trips.
The museum has free events and exhibitions for the kids. This will lead the children to develop their understanding of the city’s heritage and commercial role. There are also ship models, the uniforms of naval officers, their badges, shipwrecked objects, and more.
Entry to the museum is free. It is located in Albert Dock. The next popular spot is the Mersey River Cruise which is a beloved ride for children.
They get to witness the vast beauty of the River Mersey. The cruises last for 40-50 minutes and kids love enjoying the River Mersey Dock view as well as the music.
The cruise takes you to visit the three important landmarks which are the Albert Docks, the buildings of the Three Graces, and two cathedrals. You get to enjoy the scenic landscape and admire the heritage site, the Liverpool Waterfront, and understand the roots of 'The Beatles'.
Another fun adventure is the Otterspool Adventure which is a fun activity for kids to explore climbing, and jumping around wooden equipment. It is an outdoor play area and has popular fun things like the minibike racecourse, maze, and bouncing pillow.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for River Mersey facts then why not take a look at River Tweed facts, or River Shannon facts.
