Botanical Gardens in Churchtown, Southport (Image: Andrew Brown Media)
Just north of Southport, the “quaint” Churchtown village, with its “old-fashioned charm,” attracts visitors from all over the world. Merseyside boasts many historic villages, but perhaps not as clear as the Church Town.
Soaked in Lancashire heritage, local pride is evident in Red Rose stickers celebrating their roots as they return to Domes Day books. Not only is Churchtown a recognized conservation area, it also boasts picturesque views of its stunning botanical gardens, enchanting thatch cottages and fun array of cafes and pubs. Churchtown's medieval atmosphere is so well preserved that if there were no modern cars parked along the road, you might believe they've returned to time.
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Southport's last pie maker is Rob Marshall, located in Farmhouse Kitchen in Churchtown. (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
The lifelong local Mark told Liverpool Echo: “It's truly the most beautiful village.
“I've lived here for 70 years and it hasn't changed much. I have the same charm as I was a child. You might call it 'old-fashioned charm', but that's really true. ”
Rob Marshall, owner of Farmhouse Kitchen in Old Park Lane, shares this sentiment. He states:
“There is a good collaboration between businesses in this area, and we need to support local businesses.
A quaint local bakery, Farmhouse Kitchen takes the pie world by storm, securing a spot for the prestigious British Pie Award with charming delicious treats that have customers flock to miles.
Amidst the fierce competition of over 900 contestants in 2023, there was a series of awards under their belts, including bronze for their “best steak and ale” pie, which made them a pie feel.
At last year's impressive show, owner Rob won three bronze awards for his uniquely named pies such as “The Mother Clucker,” “The Southport Athletic JFC Pie,” and “The Queenie.”
Churchtown in Southport (Image: Andrew T-Bay)
This year, as they continue their winning streak, they have resubmitted their crowd favorites, “Big Beef and Potato,” and are optimistic about the new flavors.
Rob's mother Terry, who has been helped by creating a farmhouse kitchen since it opened 12 years ago, has expressed excitement about the award.
Rob added: “We are beyond the moon. I never thought in my dream I chose to join others at the winner's table for the honorable lunch held at Melton Mowbray.”
In a food landscape once filled with pie artisans, Farmhouse Kitchen proudly stands as the only traditional pie shop in Southport that continues its heritage.
Churchtown has two pubs listed in the 18th century, Hesques Arms and bold weapons, the former having recently undergone a £600,000 renovation.
The appeal of the area is not just a point of pride for its residents, it is heavily protected.
A bold arm hotel, one of two pubs in the village (Image: Jason Roberts/Manchester Evening News)
The picturesque botanical garden serves as a jewel in the crown of Churchtown.
This vast Green Haven has been a quiet retreat since the 1870s, with its Victorian layout showing dazzling flower arrangements.
Surrounded by paths that circumnavigate the calm lake, it is a local favorite for Southport and far away people.
Visitors on their way to the idyllic gardens are treated to a unique and sometimes quirky array of shops along the plant road. Among them is Penny's House, a quaint dog cafe run by dedicated dog lover Seri Burns.
Visitors are greeted with a thoughtfully crafted menu for their four-legged friends.
The cafe may recently arrive as Penny's home from April, but it has maintained its identity as a dog cafe for seven years.
Catering isn't just about catering, named in honor of Seri's own dog, Penny. It provides upstairs room for dog parties while providing plenty of room downstairs for puppies to kick back and enjoy delicious treats.
Seri said: “It's a normal cafe, but we serve dogs like humans.”
Churchtown Plant Road (Image: Double Handle)
Another business that's doing well is the vintage tea rooms. Owner Charlotte says it's “a perfect place for homemade cakes.”
She has owned a cafe since July. “I've always drove through the past and thought, 'I want a small tea room like that.' I've been hospitality for about 18 years so it's always my passion to have something one day.
“I'm a solid believer in simple food, but I do it well. If you're out and have a cheese sandwich, you need to make sure it's the best cheese ever – and a good bloody bread.
“I was just having a daughter and was on maternity leave, and I'm sure I'd definitely got mad. “How can I make my life even more difficult? I'll buy a tea room!”
“I changed a few things, but we want to keep it like it is now, just learn and learn about the village.
“I worked in a truly famous tea room in Birkdale before going on maternity leave, so I was used to the village of Birkdale, which is completely different from Churchtown, so I'm used to a different type of village.”
Charlotte added:
“I think Churchtown is slower and more relaxed. It's more quaint. You have gorgeous cottages, listed buildings, parks and gardens of plants. This is gorgeous all year round.
“It's a gorgeous village to do business and I feel really, really fortunate, I get all kinds of people, so it's nice.
“They must have gone to Google and searched for “typical British villages.” We literally get a lot of people from all over the world. This is really cool. ”
