History of a picture-postcard village

PAINSTAKING work by members of a local history society has resulted in a fascinating book that takes the reader back to the earliest times – even before human history started.
Early and Medieval Grappenhall has been written by John Dolan from research carried out by members of Grappenhall Local History Group.
It starts with Bronze Age settlements, then details the Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods and the Norman Conquest and details famine, war and pestilence to the beginning of the 16th century.
A far cry from the comfortable, picture-postcard village of today, with its cobbled street, stocks, rustic churchyard and elegant houses.
The 92-page book is the first in a series of books on the history of Grappenhall planned by the history group. It is well illustrated and provides a wealth of information about the history not just of Grappenhall but also neighbouring areas, such as Latchford, which was once part of Grappenhall.
Its original name, Gropenhale is derived from the Old English grop, grep or grepe, meansing a ditch or drain, and halh, meaning a piece of alluvial land beside a river. The ditch or drain may have been either Lumb Brook or Shepherd’s Brook and the river, of course, must be the Mersey.
The author acknowledges the assistance of a team of researchers who contributed to the book, including Graham Whibley, Carole Whibley, Margaret Fellows, Alan Stott, Wendy Wakefield, Ian Gault, Jill Tickle, John Bygate, Michael Taylor, John Cross and Anna Alexander. Ron Philips, chairman of the history group, did the final design work for the book.
Priced at £6, the book is available from Grappenhall Library or by telephone 01925 261505. It is essential reading for any student of the history of the area.