Ormskirk

Both towns are modern yet their names are Old Norse: Ormskirk means "Ormr's church", perhaps a foul-breathed fellow, since Ormr was a serpent or dragon. It stands on a sandstone ridge above soggy fields, reclaimed from wetland in the 18th and 19th century. Skelmersdale (usually just called Skem) means "Skjaldmarr's dale". Skem and Ormskirk grew from the 19th century when the Lancashire coalfield was exploited, and farm smallholdings became market gardens and dairy farms to supply the burgeoning cities, with milk churns clattering away early mornings on a leash of railways.

After the Second World War Britain's housing was in poor condition, and the population was booming. A series of "New Towns" were hurriedly built, sometimes greenfield and sometimes around an existing town core — for practical purposes Skelmersdale was greenfield. The positives were that it re-housed a great many people swiftly and inexpensively, to a far better standard than they'd enjoyed even before the Luftwaffe re-arranged their old abode. The downside was samey, ticky-tacky centreless burbs, with no community feeling, and an in-built assumption that everyone would get around by cars made in Britain.

The area suffered from the late 20th century economic slump. West Lancashire didn't itself have traditional textile or metal-bashing industries, but depended for its prosperity on nearby towns that did. It kept going and continues to eke a living from retail, local government and education. In 1974 the Borough of West Lancashire was created, with Ormskirk and Skem its towns. Edge Hill Teacher Training College became a university in 2006, with its main campus in Ormskirk.

By plane:

The nearest airport is Liverpool (LPL IATA), but Manchester (MAN IATA) has better flight connections.

By rail:

Trains from Liverpool Central run every 20 min and take 35 min via Walton, Aintree (for race track), Maghull and other small places. An adult single is about £8.

Trains from Preston run hourly and take 30 min to Ormskirk via Croston, Rufford (for Old Hall) and Burscough Junction. Change at Preston from London Euston, Manchester or Glasgow.

1 Ormskirk railway station north side of town has a staffed ticket office, tickets, toilets and a waiting room. There is step-free access to all areas.

Trains from Wigan to Southport cross the north of the district every 30 min, via Appley Bridge, Parbold, Hoscar, Burscough Bridge and New Hall (for Martin Mere) but they don't run through town. You can change at Burscough Bridge to Burscough Junction and ride one stop to Ormskirk.

Skelmersdale lost its railway in 1956. Since 2020 work has been underway to restore a rail link, but it won't happen any time soon.

By bus:

Arriva Bus 310 runs every 30 min from Liverpool via Aintree and Maghull to Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.

Stagecoach Bus 2A runs from Preston hourly via Penwortham, Hutton, Much Hoole, Tarleton, Rufford and Burscough, taking 80 min to Ormskirk. Don't take Bus 2, which bypasses town on its way to Southport.

Arriva Bus 275 / 285 runs every 30 min from Wigan via Orrell to Skelmersdale and Ormskirk, and continues to Southport.

Huyton Bus 152 runs five times a day from St Helens to Ormskirk.

Ormskirk bus station is 200 yards south of the railway station.

By road:

Get on M58, which branches west from M6 at Orrell near Wigan. Junctions 5 and 4 are for Skelmersdale and Jcn 3 is for Ormskirk.