Mere Brow is a small village in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

, England, situated between

Tarleton Tarleton is a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It is situated approximately north-east of Liverpool and south-west of Preston. The parish includes the village of Mere Brow and the hamlets of ...

and Banks, just off the

A565 road The A565 is a road in England that is around long and runs from Liverpool in Merseyside to Tarleton in Lancashire. It is a primary route linking the town of Southport to Liverpool and to Preston (latterly via the connecting A59), having bee ...

. It is 6 miles (9 km) east of

Southport Southport is a seaside resort, seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It lies on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain, West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea, approximately north of ...

and 10 miles (15 km) south west of Preston. It is administered by the

West Lancashire West Lancashire is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. The council is based in Ormskirk, and the largest town is Skelmersdale. The district borders Fylde to the north, over the Ribble Estuary; South Ribbl ...

Borough Council and the Tarleton parish council. It is in the

parliamentary constituency. Mere Brow is the second largest village in the

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

, the largest being Tarleton and the smallest being

Holmes Holmes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Holmes (surname), a list of people and fictional characters ** Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective * Holmes (given name), a list of people * Gordon Holmes, a penname used by Louis Trac ...

and Sollom.

History

Mere Brow and the neighbouring village of Holmes were part of the ancient parish of

North Meols North Meols () is a civil parish and Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom, electoral ward in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. The parish covers the village of Banks, Lancashire, Banks and the hamlet of Hundred ...

but now are part of Tarleton parish. The name Mere Brow is believed to have come from the time when it was the most northerly settlement on

Martin Mere Martin Mere is a Mere (lake), mere near Burscough, in Lancashire, England, on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain. The mere is a vast marsh, around that was, until it was drained, the largest body of fresh water in England. History Martin Mere ...

Economy

Mere Brow was primarily an agricultural village due to the excellent soil, although there was fishing activity for many years. Production of flowers and vegetables is common on the farms around the village. The village has a

public house A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption Licensing laws of the United Kingdom#On-licence, on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the ...

, the 'Legh Arms', named from the owners of

Bank Hall Bank Hall is a Jacobean mansion in Bretherton, Lancashire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building and is at the centre of a private estate, surrounded by parkland. The hall was built on the site of an older house in 1608 by the Banastres w ...

, a restaurant, cafe, smithy, a village hall, general store and animal feed merchants, "Ascroft's" and livery yard. At the leisure lakes there is a golf driving range and nine-hole course, caravan park, equestrian centre, paintballing, watersport and angling centre. The village had two petrol garages on the

which closed, one re-opened in 2002 as a carwash. The post office closed in 2008 leaving the nearest alternative in Banks. However, this one also shut recently which means that the closest option is currently situated within a Spar convenience store in Tarleton (ironically slightly nearer). The bank closed in the mid 1990s and is now a residential dwelling.

Public services

The local hospitals are Southport District General Hospital and Ormskirk District General Hospital, the nearest GP surgery is in Tarleton.

Education

Mere Brow Church of England Primary School was founded in 1847 as a national school providing free education. The school and adjoining school house were built on land known as 'the Warth' granted to Reverend Master by George Anthony Legh Keck for the poorer people in Tarleton. The school is associated with Holy Trinity Church in Tarleton and has expanded to meet the increased demands. As of 2010 the school had 52 pupils. Secondary age pupils attend Tarleton High School or Bishop Rawstorne CE Academy.

Religion

Mere Brow Methodist Church was opened in 1902. Before it was built, the tin roofed cottage next to it was used for worship.

St Mary's Church, Tarleton St Mary's Church is a redundant Anglican church on the A59 road as it passes to the south of the village of Tarleton, Lancashire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building, ...

was the nearest Church of England church until Holy Trinity was opened in 1888.

Community

The village has held a giant

pumpkin A pumpkin is a cultivar, cultivated winter squash in the genus ''Cucurbita''. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, but does not possess a scientific definition. It may be used in reference to many dif ...

competition in October since 1994.Mere Brow Village, (2001-2010) "Mere Brow Giant Pumpkins", http://www.merebrow.com/home/mbgp/ There is a bowling club and youth club at the village hall.

Geography

References

External links

Mere Brow Community Website
{{authority control Villages in Lancashire Geography of the Borough of West Lancashire