Liverpool Bay

Liverpool Bay lies on the eastern side of the Irish Sea, between the coast of north Wales and the shores of Lancashire. The River Mersey opens into it through a tidal estuary, giving ships access to Liverpool while sandbanks and changing channels complicate the approach. The port grew rapidly in the eighteenth century: its enclosed Old Dock opened in 1715, allowing ships to remain afloat as the tide fell. Vessels crossing the bay connected Liverpool with Ireland, the Atlantic and ports farther afield.