Ravenhead

Shops in the main residential area of Ravenhead are limited to a newsagent (Ravenhead), computer repair store (Thatto Heath) and a Spar local store (Toll-Bar). There is also a laundry (business not for individual use) and a 'Fives Football Centre' (closed down), opened by BBC television pundit and former England footballer Alan Shearer.{{cite web|url=http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/8180033.Football_hero_Shearer_launches___2m_indoor_sports_centre/ |title=Football Hero Alan Shearer Launches £2m Indoor Sports Centre |publisher=The St. Helens Star |accessdate=7 May 2011}}

St. John's Centre operates out of St. John's Parish Church (or Ravenhead Church as locals call it) and runs various community activities. Alexandra Court is a residential housing care home, run by Arena Options Ltd for the over 65s.{{cite web|url=http://62.73.173.233/CSCI/CRH/98/ES0000022398.V2000083784.R01.S.pdf |title=Care Quality Commission Random Inspection Report |publisher=Care Quality Commission |accessdate=8 May 2011}}

The Ravenhead Retail Park, to the north of Ravenhead near the Town Centre, is an out of town shopping area featuring a number of high-street outlets.{{cite web|url=http://www.ravenheadretailpark.co.uk |title=Ravenhead Retail Park |publisher=Ravenhead Retail Park |accessdate=7 May 2011}} Amongst these are B&Q and CurrysPCWorld, both of which at the time of building were the largest of the chain's stores in the country.{{cite web|url=http://umbrella.sthelens.gov.uk/SITEMANV2/publications/35/TourismandVisitorStrategy.pdf |title=St. Helens Tourism & Visitor Strategy (PDF) - Page 11, Item 7 |publisher=St. Helens Council |accessdate=8 May 2011}} Since the initial build, the retail park has been extended and now includes stores such as Bath Store, Pets At Home and Boots Pharmacy. It is rated amongst the top 20 retail parks in the country.{{cite web|url=http://www.visitsthelens.com/site/leisure/ravenhead-retail-park-p45012 |title=Ravenhead Retail Park |publisher=St. Helens - The Heart Of The North West |accessdate=7 May 2011}}

The presence of the retail park means Ravenhead boasts popular food outlets such as Burger King, Frankie and Bennys, Subway and a nearby McDonald's.

The Ecclesiastical Parish of Ravenhead is a Church of England parish, formed on 19 August 1870 by Order of Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/23647/pages/3875 |title=The London Gazette, August 19th 1870 (PDF) |publisher=The London Gazette|accessdate=8 May 2011}} Though there have been some subsequent boundary changes to the parish, it still encompasses some of the neighbouring areas of Thatto Heath, Sutton Heath and Nutgrove.

Ravenhead is served by the Church of England parish church of St. John the Evangelist.{{cite web|url=http://www.stjohnsravenhead.org.uk |title=St. Johns Church, Ravenhead|publisher=St. Johns Church, Ravenhead|accessdate=7 May 2011}} St. Johns has a smaller, sister church, Emmanuel in neighbouring Thatto Heath.{{cite web|url=http://www.stjohnsravenhead.org.uk/churches/buildings/emmanuel.shtml |title=Emmanuel Church, Thatto Heath |publisher=St. Johns Church, Ravenhead|accessdate=7 May 2011}} The church is also the home to St. John's Centre - a community outreach project which hosts youth activities, community lunches and various other organised events.{{cite web|url=http://www.stjohnsravenhead.org.uk/centre/centre.shtml |title=St. Johns Community Centre, St. Helens |publisher=St. Johns Church, Ravenhead|accessdate=7 May 2011}}

The church is part of the Eccleston Team, which partners St. John's & Emmanuel with St. Matthew, Thatto Heath; St. Luke, Eccleston; St. James, Eccleston and Christ Church, Eccleston.{{cite web|url=http://www.stjohnsravenhead.org.uk/churches/ecclestonteam/ecclestonteam.shtml |title=Church of England Eccleston Team |publisher=St. Johns Church, Ravenhead|accessdate=7 May 2011}} This means the benefice that the churches fall within are significantly wider than the parish boundary.

There is an Independent Methodist Church in West Street.{{cite web|url=http://www.mysthelens.org/group.do?id=17 |title=myStHelens.org |publisher=St. Helens Council|accessdate=8 May 2011}}

Ravenhead played a significant part in the development of St Helens' glass industry, as the base for Pilkington's Head Office.{{cite web|url=http://www.pilkington.com/europe/uk+and+ireland/english/about+us/default.htm |title=Pilkington In The UK|publisher=Pilkington |accessdate=7 May 2011}} and the Ravenhead Glass factory. Ravenhead Glass has since closed down, indicative of the decline in the glass industry in the town, and the former Head Office of Pilkington has been transformed into serviced office space, following the acquisition of Pilkington by Nippon Sheet Glass in 2006.

Pilkington's Head Office was formerly the home of Pilkington's Glass Museum, however it was closed in 2005 and incorporated into The World Of Glass museum in the Town Centre.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofglass.com/ |title=The World Of Glass|publisher=The World Of Glass |accessdate=7 May 2011}}

Formerly Ravenhead was home to Ravenhead Coal Mine. It along with numerous small pits were served by private rail lines running off from the main branch line of the Liverpool line, feeding down to the canal and direct to the city centre.

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{{Areas of St Helens, Merseyside}}

Category:Towns and villages in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens