Formby is a civil parish and town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. It has a population of approximately 25,000, measured at the 2011 Census as 22,419.
Historically in Lancashire, three manors are recorded in the Domesday Book under "Fornebei" as Halsall, Walton and Poynton. The town's early recorded industry points to cockle raking and shrimp fishing (in addition to arable ventures) last through into the 19th century. By 1872, the township and sub-district was made up of two chapelries (St. Peter and St. Luke), and contained Birkdale township, the hamlets of Ainsdale and Raven-Meols and Altcar parish. Formby was built on the plain adjoining the Irish Sea coast a few miles north of the Crosby channel where the sands afford shelter to the towns.
Formby is affluent with high owner-occupation and car ownership. Strong economic ties are retained with nearby Liverpool to which it acts as a dormitory town for some of its residents.
The greater area is a popular tourist destination during the summer months, with day trippers attracted to its beaches, sand dunes and wildlife - most particularly the endangered red squirrels and natterjack toads. The area is conserved by the National Trust, and designated a site of Specific Scientific Interest.
Erosion of sand on the beach at Formby is revealing layers of mud and sediment, laid down in the late Mesolithic to the late Neolithic, approximately 8,000 – 5,000 years ago, and covered in the early Bronze Age.[11] These sediments often contain the footprints of humans and animals (red deer, roe deer, wild boar, wolf, aurochs) and birds (oystercatcher, crane and other waders) from that period.[12] In June 2016, over 50 human footprints from 7000 years ago were uncovered on the beach.[13]
The common place-name suffix -by is from the Scandinavian byr meaning "homestead", "settlement" or "village". The village of Formby was originally spelt Fornebei and means "the old settlement" or "village belonging to Forni".[3] At that time Fornibiyum was also a well-known Norse family name. He could have been the leader of the invading expedition which took possession of this coast. Until its closure in 1998, Oslo Airport in Norway was situated in a town called Fornebu.
It was from Ireland in about 960 AD that these Norsemen or Vikings[14] first came to the west coast of Lancashire, initially trading or raiding and then settling. Tradition says that the Viking invaders failed to defeat the native Anglo-Saxons on the coast of Formby, so they sailed inland, up the River Alt, and attacked from the rear.[15] Dangus Lane, on the east side of the village, is sometimes called Danesgate Land, being connected by local traditions with this incursion.
Formby Hall is a Grade II listed building dating back to 1223. It has traditionally been the home of the lords of the manor. Much of the land around it is now a golf course.
Formby Beach is the location of the first lifeboat station in the UK. It is believed to have been established as early as 1776 by William Hutchinson, the Dock Master for the Liverpool Common Council. Although no exact record has been found, the boat used is believed to have been a 'Mersey Gig'.[16] The last launch from the station took place in 1916. Remarkably, a film of this event survived.[17] The foundations of the last of the lifeboat station buildings remain on the beach to this day.[18] In 2016, the newly opened Wetherspoons pub in the town was named 'The Lifeboat' in honour of the original lifeboat station.
Formby is home to RAF Woodvale, a small RAF station on the outskirts of the town.[19] The airfield opened in 1941 and is a former Second World War fighter station with three active runways, the main runway being a mile in length.[20] Today it is used by RAF for light aircraft and fighter training, as well as a few civilian aircraft. The station was also home to Merseyside Police's helicopter,[21] known as 'Mike One'.[22] The RAF station was also home to the last ever operational service of the British legend, the Supermarine Spitfire. In 1957 the last Spitfire to fly with British military markings took off from RAF Woodvale on an operational mission.[20] Woodvale is also home to the Woodvale Rally, one of the biggest shows on an active MOD station in the North West.[23]
Holy Trinity Church is believed to be the only church in the country which holds a special service in which seasonal greenery collected by the menfolk of the parish and then twined into wreaths by the ladies is lifted into place as part of a service of worship in the run-up to Christmas.