The name Kendricks Cross (without the apostrophe) was the original name for this area which is now Rainhill village. The Kendrick (Kenwrick) family owned land in the area in the 17th century.
It is marked on 19th century maps as the cross-roads where two highways passed through Rainhill – one from Prescot to Warrington and the other from Cronton to Eccleston. In 1754 a toll-bar or gate was installed at Kendricks Cross to collect tolls from travellers and the money was used for the repair of the roads. It is believed an ancient cross existed on the site during previous centuries, possibly where weary mourners rested on their way to bury their deceased friends and relatives.
In 1821, Bartholomew Bretherton provided a sandstone cross which now resides behind the hedge in the garden on the corner of Warrington Road and Victoria Street.