Great Sankey

"GREAT SANKEY, a chapelry in the parish of Prescot, county Lancaster, 2½ miles S.W. of Warrington, its post town, and 7½ N. E. of Prescot. It has a station at Sankey Bridges, on the Grand Junction railway. The village is situated on Sankey Brook, and on the old Manchester and Liverpool turnpike road. The railway viaduct crosses the Sankey canal near this place. The latter was constructed in the years 1755-68, being the first canal made in England. It is 10 miles in length, and has 10 locks, with a fall of 78 feet from St. Helen's, where it commences, to the Mersey, from which place it was lengthened 30 miles to Runcorn Gap. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Chester, value £103. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing a clock and one bell. The parochial charities produce about £3 per annum. There is a day school for both sexes, in which a Sunday-school is also held. Lord Lilford is lord of the manor.