Southport

The town was founded in 1792 by William Sutton, an innkeeper from Churchtown, who built a bathing house at what is now the south end of Lord Street. The area was previously known as South Hawes, and was sparsely populated and dominated by dunes. The area became popular with tourists due to the easy access from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and by 1848 had a railway connection. The resort increased during the Victorian era and contains examples of Victorian architecture and town planning. Lord Street was developed as a wide, tree-lined shopping street, and attractions such as Southport Pier, which is the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles, were constructed. A particular feature of the town is the extensive tree planting. This was one of the conditions required by the Hesketh family when they made land available for development in the 19th century.