Toxteth and Lympstone

• Use the Case study of Toxteth and Lympstone when it says two contrasting place profiles at a local scale
• Toxteth and Lympstone collective location

  Both places have been shaped by the rivers they lie on - the River Mersey and the River Exe Estuary
• Lympstone Physical Characteristics

  • located along the River Exe Estuary in East Devon
  • 16 km South of Exeter
• Lympstone Demography Characteristics

  • Majority white population - 98.9% > not much ethnic diversity
  • High elderly population - 25% of Lympstone population are greater than 65 years old, compared to just 16% in England
  • Small population increase (1800: 900 people v 2000: 1800 people)
• Lympstone Socio-economic Characteristics

  • 14 % of 16+ year olds have no formal educational qualifications
  • 66% are owner occupiers > wealthy population
  • only 4% have bad health
  • High car access
• Lympstone Cultural Characteristics

  • Based on the Christian calendar
  • Holidays celebrated: Christmas and easter
• Lympstone Built environment Characteristics

  • Former low-grade shops have closed and been converted into residences
  • New housing constructed such as large houses on cliffs
  • Subject to strict planning rules and local residence protect architecture
• Lympstone Political Characteristics

  • Parish council with 11 elected people serving for local government body
  • Represented by conservative MP
• Toxteth Physical Characteristics

  • Located along the River Mersey in the suburbs of Liverpool
  • 1.5 km south of city centre
• Toxteth Demography Characteristics

  • 78% white population, 22% other > more ethnically diverse due to it attracting migrants
  • Higher working population > 76% of population is ages 16-64 years
  • Significant increase in population ( 1800: 5000 people v 2000: 135,000 people )
• Toxteth Socio-economic Characteristics

  • 1/3 people work in the tertiary sector
  • Only 24% are owner occupiers > significantly lower compared to 65% average of England overall
  • 34% live in social housing
  • 10% have poor healthcare > significantly higher compared to 6% average of England overall
• Toxteth cultural characteristics

  Evidence of many cultures:

  • Many Muslim festivals celebrated eg. Eid, Ramadan and Friday prayers
  • Traditional Christian services eg. Sunday services
  • Evidence of Jewish culture: 19th century Greek Orthodox church and synagogue
• Toxteth built environment characteristics

  • adapted by migrant communities > increased cultural diversity
  • Mosques and ethnic retailers are visual indicators of a changing place
• Toxteth political characteristics

  • Liverpool Riverside Parliament
  • Represented by labour MP
• Lympstone Past Connections: Pre 1750 Industrial Revolution


  • 13th century - Small port
  • 18th century - Transitioned into small fishing port during the Industrial Revolution
• Lympstone Past Connections: Industrial Revolution -> WW2 (1750 - 1945)


  • Boats were too big for the River Exe Estuary
  • Turned into fishing port
  • Became known for beach/ seaside resort > attracted wealthy visitors
  • Railway connected Lympstone > allowed for continuation of fishing ports > Lympstone became more connected to the rest of South East England with lots of knowledge-based jobs available > exporting fish and shell fish was possible
  • Due to connection from railway, Lympstone did not feel the effects of deindustrialisation as badly as Toxteth did
• Lympstone Past Connections: Post Industrial Revolution -> Modern day (1945 - present day)


  • Has remained distinctly rural compared to nearby cities eg. Exeter
  • Over 1/3 of population are classified as managers/are in professional occupations
  • 2003: the Met Office relocated to Exeter (UK's national weather service) > provides jobs
  • University employs around 3000 staff
• Toxteth Past Connections: Pre 1750 Industrial Revolution


  • Creation of Liverpool as a major port during 18th and 19th century
• Toxteth Past Connections: Industrial Revolution -> WW2 (1750 - 1945)


  1. Major trading hub

  • Cotton imported from India
  • New canals linked Liverpool to Manchester > expanded Liverpools city > greater need for cheap housing > Toxteth becomes an inner city suburb with lots of small back to back houses

  2. Increased emigration of middle class residents
• Toxteth Past Connections: Post Industrial Revolution -> Modern day (1945 - present)


  • Early 20th century: containerisation and deindustrialisation > Toxteth ports are too small for large container ships > industry decline in Toxteth
  • 1988: Art galleries open - Tate Liverpool
  • 2003: Liverpool science park > increase productivity and economic activity
  • Liverpool named European City of Culture 2008:
• Lympstone- Shifting flows of people/resources: Pre 1750 Industrial revolution


  • Small fishing village on the Estuary of the River Exe
• Lympstone- Shifting flows of people/resources: Industrial Revolution -> WW2 (1750 - 1945)


  • 1861: A railway line connected Lympstone with Exmouth + Exeter > Lympstone connected to urban hubs > became a commuter village ( a small village that neighbours a larger city with strong economic growth )
• Lympstone- Shifting flows of people/resources: Post Industrial Revolution -> Modern day (1945 - present)


  • Shift to a knowledge economy > positive effect on amount of inward investment into Exeter > MET Office relocated to Exeter in 2003 and Exeter University expanded
• Toxteth- Shifting flows of people/resources: Pre 1750 Industrial Revolution


  An attractive greenfield site for property developers on banks of River Mersey
• Toxteth- Shifting flows of people/resources: Industrial Revolution-> WW2 (1750 - 1945)


  • Liverpool became the leading world market for cotton and supplied the textile mills for Manchester and Lancashire > urban sprawl > Inner city housing scheme > built largely terraced housing
  • Influx of Irish migration in the 19th century
  • Influx of Asian and Caribbean migrants after WW2
• Toxteth - Shifting flows of people/resources: Post Industrial Revolution -> Modern day (1945 - present day)


  • Decreased manufacturing and containerisation> affected Mersey side > Increased unemployment > Many worked in the docks in processing goods
  • Increased diversity: 78% white, 22% other
  • Increased Muslim population > increased religious festivals celebrated, religious buildings and ethnic retailers
  • Increased crime rates > Example: Toxteth Riots, 1981 > affected the black community who rioted against the heavy handedness of the police