Spital () is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, in Merseyside, England. It is located mid-way on the Wirral Peninsula, and is mostly incorporated into the town of Bebington and the most westerly point of Spital forms the most northern edge of Bromborough. Spital is primarily a residential suburb which has apartments, and close proximity to the motorway network. The area contains shops, two bars, a chip shop and a primary school. Toponym The name "Spital" is a place or building known as a "spital house" that acted as a hospital or colony for lepers. However, the name might have been derived from the term "hospitality" - due to the large number of people working at the manorial estate in Poulton Lancelyn. Other original names of the village were "Poulton cum Spital" and "Spital Old Hall" until Spital was formally adopted at the end of the 19th century. It could also be a corruption of the Welsh ysbyty, as seen in place names like Spittal, Pembrokeshire. History Legend has it that Irish patron saint, St Patrick, blessed a well in the local Brotherton Park during a trip to England. Spital has a history spanning over 800 years. The first recorded dwelling in the area was a small chapel built sometime before AD 1183 with the name St. Thomas the Martyr. It is not known who built this chapel but was probably used by workers and owners of the Poulton Estate, founded in 1133 at nearby Poulton Lancelyn. In 1283, the brethren of Bebington were given licence to use the forested land where Spital stands today to be used as a hospital for lepers. This hospital was probably attached to the chapel already in the area, but there are no remains of this building today. The area became more popular during the 20th century after Spital Station on the Chester to Birkenhead railway was connected to the Mersey Railway line in 1891, and businessmen and workers could easily reach places of work, primarily in Liverpool. Spital was a particularly popular place to live with sea merchants and ships' captains due its proximity to the River Mersey and Irish Sea during the height of maritime activity in the area. Spital was originally part of Cheshire when on 1 April 1974 it was absorbed into the new administrative county of Merseyside created through the reforms of the Local Government Act 1972.