Mere Brow is a small village in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, England, situated between

Tarleton Tarleton is a village and civil parish in the borough of West Lancashire, Lancashire, England. It situated in the Lancashire mosslands approximately 10 miles north east of Southport, approximately 10 miles south west of Preston, approximately ...

and

Banks A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Becaus ...

, 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 town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England. Southport lies on the Irish ...

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 in the borough is Skelmersdale. At the 2011 Census, the population of the borough was 110,685 ...

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 Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

, the largest being Tarleton and the smallest being

Holmes Holmes may refer to: Name * Holmes (surname) * Holmes (given name) * Baron Holmes, noble title created twice in the Peerage of Ireland * Chris Holmes, Baron Holmes of Richmond (born 1971), British former swimmer and life peer Places In the Uni ...

and

Sollom Sollom is a hamlet in the parish of Tarleton, in Lancashire, England. It lies south of Tarleton and north of Rufford on the A59 road, giving the village good links to Preston, Southport and Liverpool. Historically, the village was primarily an ...

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 electoral ward in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. The parish covers the village of Banks and the hamlet of Hundred End. The population of the parish/ward at the 2011 census was 4,146. His ...

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 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 was formed ...

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 a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

, 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 ...

, 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

. 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 Ormskirk and District General Hospital is an acute hospital at Ormskirk, Lancashire. It is managed by the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust. History The hospital has its origins in the Ormskirk Union Workhouse Infirmary which was establis ...

, 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 Colonel George Anthony Legh-Keck (1774–1860) was a British MP in the Georgian era who owned landed estates in Leicestershire and Lancashire. Early life Legh-Keck was born at Stoughton Grange, Leicestershire, the only surviving son of Anth ...

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 Tarleton Academy is a secondary Academy situated in Tarleton, Lancashire, England; the head is Simon Day, appointed April 2021."https://www.tarletonacademy.org/key-contacts" The school caters for 11 to 16-year-olds. The academy is scheduled a ...

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 vernacular term for mature winter squash of species and varieties in the genus ''Cucurbita'' that has culinary and cultural significance but no agreed upon botanical or scientific meaning. The term ''pumpkin'' is sometimes use ...

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