Hale, Lancashire

Description
Hale, a village, a township, and an ecclesiastical parish in Childwall parish, Lancashire. The village stands on the Mersey 1 mile from Hale Bank railway station, and 10 miles SE by E of Liverpool; is a picturesque and pleasant place; much frequented by pleasure parties from Liverpool, and has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Liverpool. The township comprises 2612 acres of land and 961 of water; population, 518. The manor belonged in the time of William the Conqueror to John de Ireland, and has descended from him to the Blackbume family, who are lords of the manor and sole landowners. Hale Hall was built in 1674 by Sir Gilbert Ireland; has a modern front, and commands a fine view of the Mersey. A decoy pool for catching wild fowl is about a quarter of a mile from the village. The ecclesiastical parish is more extensive than the township. Population, 1991. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Liverpool; gross value, £188. The church is a plain building with aisles, porch, and tower. John Middleton, known as " the child of Hale," who was 9 feet 3 inches high, was born here in 1578, and died and was buried here in 1623.