Knowsley is a borough in Merseyside, northwest England.  Established in 1974, the borough includes the former Kirkby, Preston and Huyton-with-Roby Urban Districts as well as part of the Whiston and West Lancashire Rural Districts.  The original village of Knowsley developed around Knowsley Hall, a 12^th century estate owned by the Earls of Derby.  By the 19^th century, its population was little more than 1,000, and many of its inhabitants still worked on the estate.  Much of the area’s Victorian architecture has been preserved, including several alms houses and cottages.  No longer reliant on agriculture, the village’s economy is now supplemented by the Knowsley Industrial Park and Knowsley Safari Park.  Other attractions include the National Wildflower Centre and the 220-acre Stadt Moers Park.