大象传媒

Liverpool Museums Stephen Guy is our guide on a tour of Woolton Mansions. Start at the junction of Menlove Avenue and Beaconsfield Road.

Begin by walking up Beaconsfield Road.

"A very well known mansion of course. It went in the early 1970鈥檚 and when they pulled it down all the houses around had to have their windows closed because it had dry rot and the spores from dry rot were everywhere. It was a very gothic place and it was occupied by a man called George Warren a ship owner. The original gates remain of course and are on the main entrance, these beautiful ornate gates, and all the Beatles fans have scrawled on the posts. The gates show the status of the man who lived here, a wealthy ship owner - a suitable entrance for a very important resident鈥�

Cross the road opposite Strawberry Fields

Abbots Lea

"This is now a school Abbots Lee School, a city council school. A solid sandstone building, possibly built from Woolton sandstone. This was the home of William Gottager JP who was a soap manufacturer. The soap factory was in Widnes so perhaps he had a private carriage to get to Widnes, we鈥檙e talking about the high Victorian era that he would have lived here."

Continue walking up the hill past Quarry Street

Beacon Hill

鈥淲e鈥檙e getting to a very high part of the landscape. In the early 1900鈥檚 a man called John Roger lived here. He was a wool broker, Liverpool of course dealt in all sorts of things. This is quite a modest house and of course there were very close neighbours with Abbots Lee next door.鈥�

鈥淚t reminds me very much of Sudley House, it鈥檚 Woolton stone. A hundred years ago two brothers lived here called Pilkington. There鈥檚 an interesting clock the on the mews where the coachman would have been able to see if he was on time when he was leaving to collect one of the Pilkington brothers in the coach.

"This is connected to the big house long gone now, Beaconsfield. This was either a lodge or dower house which is where an elderly relative would have perhaps lived. It鈥檚 covered with Virginia creeper, quite a substantial house.鈥�

Continue walking up the hill in the direction of the mini roundabout

鈥淭his is a regency house, Knoll Park built in the 1820鈥檚 by Thomas Foster who was the Town Clerk of Liverpool. He chose himself a fantastic location because we are now on the highest part of Liverpool, although in those days of course this wasn鈥檛 part of Liverpool.

"Next to the main gates there鈥檚 a Grecian style lodge, like a temple. These would have been the main gates where the carriages would have swept in. A very nice corner of the property. It鈥檚 something you wouldn鈥檛 notice easily which is why it鈥檚 very important to walk around an area鈥�

"The house would have had a marvellous view, as we can see right over looking east towards Manchester. That鈥檚 one reason why the merchants came here because it was an excellent location.鈥�

Baycliffe

鈥淭his house is the Bishop鈥檚 home now. In the period we鈥檙e talking about it was called Baycliffe, It鈥檚 vantage point is blocked now by houses which are more modern but it would have had a fantastic view over this surrounding countryside.鈥�

Turn right into Woolton Park Road

Woolton Towers

鈥淭here is even a tower on this building. Built in beautiful local stone and I would suspect an absolutely stupendous view from there. And lots of chimneys, tall thin ones, mock Tudor I think you鈥檇 call it.鈥�

Longworth and Highfield

鈥淟ongworth is gone now but this is something to look out for, the gateposts remain. Nearby is the site of Highfield. One of the best known citizens of Liverpool lived here, Henry Tate the sugar baron, this was his family home, it is gone now demolished in the early 1980鈥檚 I think. Which is a shame because it was a huge mansion built in 1871.鈥�

Turn right into Church Road

Reynolds Park

鈥淗ugely well known for its walled garden, there was a mansion here which burnt down years ago. About the whole area it has been said that this part of South Liverpool in Victorian times was the greatest example of conspicuous wealth in Britain, if not the world, which is a great accolade. And even now you can still get a feel of the reflection of that wealth that was generated in the city.鈥�