Historic images from across the borough
Ainsdale is situated in north Sefton and the village centre is three miles south of Southport. The area is listed in the Domesday Book as Einulvesdel. The place name was derived from the Old Norse name Einulfsdalr, which apparently refers to a valley occupied by a Scandinavian with the name Einulf.
Ainsdale formed part of Sir Cuthbert Halsall’s estate during the early 1600s and in 1634 ownership was passed to Robert Blundell. Prior to the Industrial Revolution fields and farms in the locality were small and the land was enclosed.
Throughout the 19th century Ainsdale remained an agricultural community with the area starting to change once the railway arrived in 1848.
The proprietorship of the land was passed from generation to generation within the Blundell family until the mid-1900s.
Ainsdale became part of the County Borough of Southport in 1912 after being included with Birkdale, although the area remained a separate parish to Southport until 1925.
Today the sand dunes at Ainsdale have been recognised as a unique site with National Reserve status for the coast, fauna and flora.
