The Diamond Match Factory is the most prominent industry in Litherland.
Before the Conquest Aughton contained two manors—Aughton in the south and Litherland in the north. Uctred, in 1066, held Achetun, and Uctred, perhaps the same person, held Litherland; in each case the assessment was a plough-land and the value 32d. At the death of Edward the Confessor Elmaer held LITHERLAND for a manor assessed at half a hide, or three plough-lands, and its value beyond the customary rent was the normal 8s. Within sixty years the whole had come into the possession of the Molyneux family, and has since descended with Sefton. It was, however, acquired in moieties by different titles. After the Conquest LITHERLAND seems to have been included in the royal demesne or held in thegnage at a rent or service of 10s. a year.
The ancient township, from which Seaforth has now been carved out, contains 1,205 acres. It was formerly called Down Litherland to distinguish it from the hamlet of Up-Litherland in Aughton. The roads from Liverpool to Southport, and to Sefton and Ormskirk, were the principal ones, but the township has become a residential district with numerous roads and streets. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company has a station at Seaforth on its Southport line, and the Fazakerley branch of the same company passes through the township. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal also passes through it. East of the present Seaforth Station was the Holme, and to the north Such Field and Whabs. The moss occupied the north-eastern part of the township; the moor adjoined it on the borders of Orrell. The Church Field was north of the old village, on the borders of Ford; the reason for this name, an ancient one, is unknown. Aynard Hey was a strip lying between the village and Church Field. The old village is in the centre of the township, about two miles south-east of Sefton church; but houses are multiplying on the Walton border, owing to the growth of Liverpool and the rise of industries in the neighbourhood. The main road from Liverpool to Ormskirk passes through it. The Mersey branch of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway joins the Liverpool and Wigan line at the south-eastern corner. There are two railway stations called Aintree, but actually situated in Netherton, close to the great racecourse, which was opened 8 July, 1829. The old hall of Uplitherland (now a farmhouse) was rebuilt in stone about 1686.
It thus appears that from an early time Litherland was divided into a half and two quarters; and this is perhaps the origin of the modern division into Litherland, Orrell, and Ford.