Parkgate Then and now
Parkgate is Cheshire’s only coastal resort: it is an old Georgian fishing village on the edge of the River Dee. From 1686 - 1815 it was the main shipping port between England and Dublin, until the estuary silted up in the early 1800s and the main port moved to Liverpool.
Sea bathing along the base of the old sea wall at Parkgate
It lies within the parish of Neston, and takes its name from the former Neston Park, where deer were kept for hunting in the middle ages. In the early 1600s, after the sale of this park land, an anchorage was established for merchant ships and the packet boats sailing for Dublin. The shore became home to a small fishing village and in the 18th century evolved into a fashionable resort for sea bathing. In good weather people would socialise by parading along the seafront (now The Parade) admiring the views - JMW Turner painted it, or in inclement weather along Cheltenham Walk (now The Ropewalk).
Visitors still come to Parkgate although the sea has long retreated. The Parade is the main thoroughfare; it runs along the edge of the old Parkgate sea wall with views out over the RSPB managed salt marshes and the hills of North Wales. On very high tide days the river level rises, and the water comes flooding back in over the marshes up to the sea wall. Parkgate is very popular with visitors: the beautiful views, great walks, bird watching, the famous ice-cream and a good selection of restaurants and pubs mean it can be very busy at weekends. But behind the busy Parade are the many small, much quieter lanes and alleys with their hidden buildings and gardens.
Walking along the Parade and the old sea wall at Parkgate © Dave Mort
A drone tour of the marshes at Parkgate
Last Updated April 2022