Gateacre can trace its roots back to at least the 12th century, although it was not until the mid-seventeenth century that the name was first used to refer to the area. It remained a primarily rural village until the nineteenth century, when it began to grow rapidly as new transport links and businesses developed. Gateacre was officially absorbed into Liverpool in 1913, however it was not until the post-war period that it became part of city's metropolitan area. In the 1950s and 1960s, large scale housing developments occurred in and around Gateacre, while a new comprehensive school and shopping centre were built. In 1969, in order to protect the area's historic buildings, Gateacre was declared a conservation area, becoming one of the first in Liverpool.