Rainhill, Lancashire

Description
Rainhill, a village, a township, and an ecclesiastical parish in Lancashire. The village stands on the Liverpool and Manchester railway, 9 miles E of Liverpool. It carries on manufactures of watch movements, watchmakers' tools, and brooches; and has also a brass foundry, a quarry of fine red sandstone, a station on the railway, a post, money order, and telegraph office, a church, and Wesleyan, Congregational, and Roman Catholic chapels. The church was built in 1837, enlarged in 1843, and almost entirely rebuilt in 1868; and consists of chancel, nave, and aisles, with a tower and spire. The Roman Catholic chapel is a large and highly ornate edifice; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with a tower; was restored in 1868 ; and has in connection with it a school and a convent. The township comprises 1640 acres; population, 2294. There is a parish council consisting of eight members. Numerous villas stand on a hill, and command fine views over the Mersey into Cheshire. The ecclesiastical parish is more extensive than the township, and was constituted in 1840. Population, 3156. The living is a vicarage- in the diocese of Liverpool; net value, £240 with residence. The Rainhill County Lunatic Asylum is situated in Sutton parish.