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Liverpool Castle,and the Medieval City We start at the Queen Victoria Monument , a few minutes walk uphill from James Street station. (If you use the station, the mural on the platf.JPG) orm wall is“Dream Passage” by Tim Chalk and Paul Grime. It was inspired by a local
architectural dig.)
The Monument is a good place to look at early Liverpool since it stands on the
site of the South Tower of Liverpool Castle If you look to the North, Castle Moat House and the Trials Hotel .JPG) stand on the site of the moat and both have sub-basements because the builders had to go deep to reach solid rock for the foundations. A tunnel runs from the Castle site down James Street to the former course of the river. A branch of the tunnel possibly also linked the Castle with Liverpool Tower at one stage.
Liverpool Castle was begun in 1235 by William de Ferrers. It was almost square with a circular tower at each corner and a fortified gatehouse. It was designed to be self-sufficient in the event of a siege, containing its own well, a bakery, a brewery, and an orchard.
Early Liverpool consisted of a few narrow streets, which survive to this day and all of which are within a few minutes walk of each other. The streets link the Castle, the Tower, the River and the Church. Little is known about the ordinary people of early Liverpool. As with other parts of Britain the record is more about the local noble families than the butcher, baker or candlestick maker. An important factor in the early days of the city was the granting of the freeman status to ordinary people. This gave them legal and other rights in contrast with the peasants who were slaves, or villeins. The latter were slightly better off than slaves but were tied to their Lords by a host of obligations. From the freemen’s point of view it was best that the balance between the two powerful noble families, the Stanleys and the Molyneux be maintained since when either one was in the ascendant the freemen’s rights were encroached upon. The Molyneux, Earls of Sefton, in the Castle and the Stanleys, Earls of Derby in the Tower schemed for domination of the city with the proximity of their strongholds always a potential source of conflict. The reigning monarch also played a part in this balance. He needed the barons in the North West to be strong enough to counter invasion from Scotland, Wales and Ireland, but not so strong as to threaten his throne. The balance of power between the two families varied as their relationship with the King changed.
For example, William De Ferrers ( Earl of Derby) supported Simon de Monfort’s rebellion in 1264 and was hung, drawn and quartered for his treason. Sir John Stanley helped to re-establish the family’s standing by serving under the Black Prince at Poitiers in 1336. Indeed he was famous throughout Europe as a champion at single combat.
A literary aside. One of the earliest classics of English literature is "Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight". The poets name is unknown but from the dialect used experts are sure he was from the North West and that he was born around 1330. His later works also suggest he lived near to the sea. Chandler states that he was from the Wirral. He would have been writing at the time that word of Stanley’s prowess in single combat was widespread so perhaps he was influenced by the latter’s adventures in his classic poem.
Richard Molyneux led men-at-arms, and local archers to serve Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt. His archers used to practice in what is now the suburb of Allerton. Robin Hood’s Stone, which stands on Archerfield Rd, shows the marks of centuries of bowmen sharpening their arrows. It is a few minutes walk from West Allerton Station.
The long rivalry between the families was settled with the Stanley’s in the ascendant following the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 between King Richard lll and the then Earl of Richmond, later King Henry Vll. Henry was Sir Thomas Stanley’s step-son, but before the battle it was unclear which side Stanley would choose, particularly as his son George was being held hostage by Richard lll. The conclusion was narrated by Shakespeare showing Stanley as the Kingmaker snatching the crown from Richard lll’s corpse to hand to Henry:
Derby - “Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee Lo here,
this long usurp’d Royalty
From the dead temples of this bloody wretch
Have I pluck’d off to grace thy brows with all:
Wear it, Enjoy it and make much of it.”
Richmond - “Great God of Heaven, say Amen to all
But tell me is young George Stanley living?”
Derby - “He is my lord and safe in Leicester town.”
Richard lll
Incidentally both families built stately homes nearby.
The Molyneux, Earls of Sefton - Croxteth Hall, which is about 6 miles from here and is open to the public. And the Stanley’s, Earls of Derby’- Knowsley Hall, about 9 miles from here whose grounds are open to the public in the form of Knowsley Safari Park
The end of the War of the Roses in 1485 may be seen as the beginning of the end of the Feudal System setting the stage for the development of some political rights and the eventual challenge by parliament to the King’s absolute right to govern leading to the English Civil War. During the English Civil War 1642-1651 the strategic location of Liverpool meant that both sides sought control The Civil War divided the aristocrats from the townspeople, with the most of the former supporting the Royalists and the latter on the side of the Roundheads.
The Royalists controlled the Castle and the Tower. Their cause was also strengthened by the appointment of Colonel Norris of Speke, as Governor of Liverpool. Lord Strange, later Lord Derby and his troops controlled most of the surrounding area, but they had to go to support Royalists in the South leaving the way open for the Roundheads. The Royalists fell back on their Liverpool strongholds; although they faced the problem that the townspeople were for Parliament. The battles raged all around this area, with the Roundheads capturing St. Nicholas’s Parish Church, and the North side of Dale Street. They mounted cannon on the Church Tower, allowing them to dominate the town. The commander of the Castle, Colonel Tyldesley, tried to negotiate terms of surrender, but these were refused by the Roundheads, who pressed forward their attack and took Liverpool.
A local man, Colonel John Moore was appointed Governor by Parliament. He was later to be one of the signatories of Charles I Warrant of Execution. Moore strengthened the town’s defences. The port was of critical importance to both sides. It was the only port on the West coast held by Parliament, and the Royalists wanted to capture it to allow free passage to Ireland and reduce pressure on Chester. A Royal army of 10,000 men, led by Prince Rupert encamped at Everton, overlooking the city. Prince Rupert’s Tower still stands in Everton Park, and the Tower features in Everton F.C.’s crest.
Prince Rupert looked down on the city and sneered “A mere crows-nest which a parcel of boys could take”. He was to rue his arrogance. He tried to storm the town but lost 1500 men in the attempt. Thereafter they settled for a month-long bombardment,
followed by a night attack on the fortifications on Old Hall Street. To their surprise the ramparts were unmanned, and as they penetrated further into the town they found the Roundhead troops had fled by ship. The abandoned townspeople resisted the Royalists and Prince Rupert’s men had to fight street by street. The troops led were allowed to ransack the town and slaughter the inhabitants. Three hundred and sixty locals were killed, many more were imprisoned in the Tower at St. Nicholas’s Church. The fact that the Troops were led by one of the Molyneux’s, Caryl, left a bitter legacy . Rupert went on, in July, to the critical Battle of Marston Moor. If he had not lost so many of his men at Liverpool perhaps he might have won.
Shortly afterwards in September Parliament laid siege to the town. A Roundhead fleet on the Mersey ensured supplies didn’t reach the Royalists by sea and blocked escape. Parliament troops recaptured Liverpool in early November and it remained in their hands until the end of the War.Parliament rewarded the town, and punished the Royalists by making Croxteth Park, Knowsley Hall, and Lathom House estates supply the timber to re-build property damaged during the War. One sad outcome was the wrecking of Liverpool Castle. Parliament determined that the stronghold should never again be held against them. It stood as a ruin until the early Nineteenth Century, when it was demolished. f you are interested in how the Castle looked there is a replica at Rivington, Lancashire, about an hour’s drive away, built by Lord Leverhulme.
Daniel Defoe stayed near Castle Moat in 1680 . He called Liverpool :
“one of the wonders of Britain, there is no town in England,
London excepted, that can equal Liverpool for the fineness of its
streets and beauty of its buildings.”
The Queen Victoria Monument was built between 1902-1906. For most Liverpudlians it is so much a part of the environment that they barely see it, but it wasn’t always so.
Students at Liverpool School of Architecture in the early 1940’s found it so offensive that they draped it with a banner “Hitler bomb here.”However, photos of the Blitz show devastation all around, buildings flattened to rubble, yet the Monument stands proud. Liverpool, may be the first place that U.S. troops were deployed in the Second World War-7 months before Germany declared war on the U.S.A. Mechanical diggers had been supplied to Britain and troops from the U.S. Army Engineering Corps had been sent to Liverpool to train locals in their use. When the bombs started to fall the Americans “forgot” their training role only instructions and manned the diggers to rescue the injured. Terrible though the May Blitz was we had some luck. Incendiary bombs had caused fires all over the city but fortunately we were spared the kind of strong winds that we often experience otherwise the whole city could have perished.
The Inland Revenue building was burnt down- good news some hard pressed taxpayers thought. Not a problem said the civil servants- all tax records are in a fire-proof safe. When it was retrieved, it was found that someone had left the safe door open and all the records had been destroyed! We also made some of our own luck- a dummy city was set up on the banks of the nearby River Dee and chinks of light were deliberately shown over a wide area of fields. They were heavily bombed.
We are about to move onto another area, and era as we move into the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century commercial area with its many fine historic buildings. At ground-floor level these buildings house the everyday shops and coffee shops of any modern city, but if you look up you will see the Italianate, and French Chateau styles favoured by the architects of the last 200 years.
Stand with your back to the Monument and in front of you on the corner with Castle Street is the former Trials Hotel,originally the headquarters of the Bank of North Wales. It was designed to impress customers with the Bank’s wealth. It is five storeys high, with iron balconies and reclining carved figures. The elaborately decorated entrance leads you to the Hotel’s public rooms with their high intricately decorated ceilings. The interior could grace a palace, and the Bar is a peaceful escape from the surrounding bustle.
As Liverpool is not in North Wales you might wonder why the Head Office of it’s Bank would be here. This emphasises the Welsh connection. Every Thursday, certainly until the Eighties thousands of Welsh people, mainly from the rural areas would arrive in Liverpool by train, to shop, to bank, and to meet up with relatives who had settled in Liverpool. There is a sizeable group of Liverpudlians of Welsh descent and there are a number of local churches which conduct their services in the Welsh language. A number of Eisteddfods have been held in Liverpool,and there is a Liverpool Welsh Choral Society.
Next to the No.62 Hotel,(the formerTrials Hotel), is Castle Moat House which stands where the protective moat barred access to the Castle. It was built in 1841 for London Life Assurance and like many other buildings in the area shows Italian influences. Cross to Castle Street with the Trials Hotel on the corner
On the right-hand side of Castle St. is Harrington St. where in1756 John Sandler invented transfer printing onto pottery .For many years Josiah Wedgewood sent his pots on packhorses along the rutted roads from the Midlands to be printed in Liverpool. It was finance from a Liverpool merchant, Thomas Bentley that allowed Wedgewood to open his business .
.No. 48 Castle Street on your left was designed by James Picton, and built in 1864. Note the arched openings, the granite columns and the relief busts on the first floor. Underneath at 48a is the Bar Italia which has been serving Italian food for twenty five years; you’re always sure of a warm welcome from Rome-born Franco. On the other side are two Bank buildings: the Bank of Ireland and the former Bank of England.JPG) building. built 1845-48 which is now a TSB. The architect was Professor Charles Cockerell and it is regarded as his masterpiece. Turn down Brunswick Street to the corner with Fenwick Street. This is the area used to distribute food rations during the 1840/50’s to survivors of the Great Famine. Thousands of desperate people packed the narrow streets for the meagre handouts.
If you look back down Fenwick Street you will see the Slaughterhouse Pub. The
premises have been used for a variety of purposes over the last couple of hundred years, including a slaughterhouse. It was one of the most distinctive pubs in the city having been deliberately left almost untouched for over 160 years. A few electric lights were just about tolerated so the historic ambience, with giant casks behind the bar was preserved. In the 1990’s it was turned it into a pretend “Irish” pub, complete with a false name. It reverted to its original name not long after, but the artificial theme still seems to be there. Food is reasonably priced and served rapidly, and all these locals can’t be wrong. It does have a good atmosphere though. The Cornmarket Hotel in the Old Ropery, Fenwick Street is a fine, friendly traditional pub, lovingly maintained and is much bigger than it looks from the outside. Food is basic pub-grub but is reasonably priced. It stands on the site of the school attended by Admiral Nelsons great love the future Lady Hamilton.
Return to Castle Street where you will see Café Nero on the corner which is housed in what used to be the Adelphi Bank. Pause to inspect the bronze doors.jpg) which in line with the Banks name depicts famous brothers-David and Jonathan, Castor and Pollux, Achilles and Patroclus, and Roland and Oliver. In the Nineteenth century the wreck of a Roman ship was found here and Roman coins were retrieved.
Next door to the Bank of England building is the Norwich Union building which
was built about 1850. The ground floor windows and entrance are bounded by
pilasters and a cornice upon which a Corinthian temple rests. The Nat West Bank on your left was originally Parr’s Bank, owned by a local businessman. It combines a striped marble wall with red terra-cotta window dressing on its upper levels, with granite for the lower storeys. It was built in 1900, and the architect was Richard Shaw. On the pavement in front of the bank is one of the sanctuary stones that marked the boundary of the Medieval Market. Within these bounds debtors were safe from arrest and lengthy internment.
Cross the road and walk down Cook Street to No. 16 which was built in 1866. The architect Peter Ellis, also designed Oriel Chambers. There is a link here to the pioneers of skyscraper buildings, and with the early Chicago skyscrapers, such as the Monadnock. The most interesting feature is in the courtyard, with its glazed spiral staircase. A Certain American boy was sent to Liverpool to avoid the dangers of the American Civil War. He was here when this building was under construction. The boy was John Wellborn Root who grew up to be a great architect, influence of Ellis’s work can be seen in his buildings ,in particular the Rookery in Chicago incorporated a glazed spiral staircase like this one. Also on Cook St. is Piccolino, a recommended restaurant.
Return to Castle Street and cross the narrow Sweeting Street, one of Liverpool’s medieval streets. The National Provincial Bank building, (now C&GU) was built in 1850 in Italian Renaissance style. Queens Arcade on your left allows a brief escape from the bustle of the main streets. There is a deli, and a café here, both called “Toffs”; a good place for a take-away sandwich, or a break.
After the arcade is an imposing six storey building at 3-5 Castle Street. .JPG) You really need to cross the road to fully appreciate it. On the first floor is a mosaic showing sailing ships and spelling out the name of the originalowners British and Foreign Marine Insurance Co. Ltd. It was built in 1839 and thearchitects were Grayson and Ould. In the 19th century Liverpool was the main insurance centre apart from London.
In earlier centuries merchants from the busy Exchange behind the Town Hallwould meet at local coffee shops. Starbuck’s stands almost on the site of one of these, George’s Coffee House
The Town Hall .JPG) has a colourful history. The first Town Hall was built in 1515. Since then there have been a succession of buildings culminating in the current one built 1749-54. Let us go back in time to the 1770s.The American colonists had dumped 3 shiploads of tea in Boston Harbour. King George III had responded with the “Coercive Acts, and the first blood of the War Of Independence had been spilt. The local ruling class feared that Liverpool sailors returning from America, might bring revolution with them. Indeed during the Sailors strike a local bigwig said
“I could not help thinking we had Boston here and I fear this is only the beginning of our sorrows.”
The ship owners had imposed a pay-cut and the sailors struck for the restorationof their wage. It started aboard “The Derby” when the sailors were told they were to be paid twenty shillings per month, rather than thirty shillings. They responded by cutting the rigging of “The Derby” and other ships in the dock. Nine sailors were arrested. Word spread like wildfire and soon a force of 3,000 seafarers besieged the gaol and the nine were freed. The strike spread throughout the docks and soon the strikers turned their attention to the Town Hall, which was also the merchants meeting place.The sailors wandered the town, levying “contributions” from all they met. Picton noted a lighter aspect to what was a perilous situation,. The sailors approached Leece’s house in Water Street, where only servants and the daughter of the house Miss Leece were at home, She bravely stepped in front of the mob and asked them their business,
“Whatever Jack’s faults may be, insensibility to female charms is not one of them. The leader immediately stepped back, took off his hat, and in the most gentle manner stated his case and solicited a contribution, which having received he made his bow, and retired with his myrmidons”
On August 28th the sailors surrounded the Town Hall in noisy, but peaceful protest. The Riot Act was read and immediately after, the Force in the Town Hall opened fire on the crowd, killing seven people and injuring a further forty. The next morning a thousand sailors marched down to the docks and armed themselves with swords, pikes, pistols, muskets and six cannons. Each wore a red ribbon in their caps. They fired the cannon at the Town Hall, killing two people and blowing out all the windows. They then looted the houses of some local merchants. Forty of the strikers were arrested, although all but eight were unconditionally released, and the latter were released on condition they join the Royal Navy.
The most significant outcome was the establishment of a permanent garrison at Liverpool ready to quell any further hint of revolution. At least we didn’t have gunboats sent up the Mersey that was to wait until 1919!
The Town Hall was restored by James Wyatt after being gutted by fire in 1795.
The last act of the American Civil War took place here, with the surrender of the CSN Shenandoah by Lieutenant Commander James Waddell to the Lord Mayor. The ship had sailed thousands of miles, from the Bering Straits, so that the surrender took place 211 days after hostilities had ceased.
In 1881 Fenians tried to blow the building up, but a policeman managed to drag the bomb out of the Town Hall before it exploded.
Let’s give you some information about the current building
The statue by Italian sculptor Felix Rossi on top of the building is Minerva the goddess of wisdom. She is made of terra-cotta, coated in 87000 sq. inches of gold leaf. It was erected in 1811, and also serves as a lightning rod. At the North end are the four statues of the Seasons from the Irish Houses of Parliament in Dublin. The other three sides are covered with friezes of animals and people which represent Liverpool’s international trading connections. The entrance hall has hand-painted tiles and frescoes showing Liverpool’s history from the granting of the Royal Charter by King John in 1207. Liverpool’s Welsh heritage is represented by the two Bardic chairs; given to the city to mark the two Welsh Eisteddfods held here. (a third was held in Birkenhead)
Above the grand staircase is a blue and gold dome, some 106 feet above ground level. Upstairs are the Reception Rooms, the Dining Room, and the Small and Large Ballrooms. The latter is 89 feet long, 42 feet wide with a 40 feet high ceiling. There are three Georgian chandeliers each of which weighs over a ton,contains 20,000 pieces of cut glass and is twenty eight feet long.
The rooms were compared to those in the Czar’s Winter Palace in St. Petersburg by King Edward Vll as “the best proportioned in all Europe.” The balcony has been used on many celebratory occasions. The Beatles were welcomed home by their local fans here. .
The Town Hall is a place of work and as such is not normally open to the public but occasionally the public are welcome so it would be worthwhile asking at the door if it is open on the day of your visit as the interior is well worth a look.
The ‘phone booths .JPG) at the side of the Town Hall are listed. The designer of the famous British ‘phone booth was Giles Gilbert Scott who also designed the Anglican Cathedral- quite a contrast.
Behind the Town Hall is Exchange Flags In earlier centuries this area would have been crowded with merchants, bidding for cotton and other commodities. Until 1775 bulls were baited in this area every 10th October after the Mayors election.
In the centre is “The Nelson Memorial”.jpg) celebrating naval success in the
Napoleonic Wars. The statue is encircled with Admiral Nelson’s words to his
“ England expects every man to do his duty”
This sounds like typical English understatement but if you place the signal
in its context a deeper meaning emerges. Before the Battle, Nelson held a
meeting with all his captains and explained his strategy and the part they were to play. For the first time in such an engagement Nelson deliberately devolved leadership to his captains; so that once the battle started they were to command according to the circumstances.
The shackled prisoners depict captured French sailors. Nelson is shown holding a sword with three crowns representing three earlier victories, whilst Victory is behind him ready to place a further crown, representing victory at The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Death is shown reaching out to him. The four chained prisoners represent the victories of Copenhagen, Trafalgar, St. Vincent and the Nile.
It was commissioned by William Roscoe, a leading campaigner against the Slave Trade. Some believe that Roscoe may have wished to prick the consciences of those who opposed him by placing a statue showing the wretched state of chained human beings in such a public place.
Herman Melville assumed they were slaves. The statue was designed by Mathew Cotes Wyatt and was unveiled in 1813.
Other statues of great navigators Columbus, Cook, Drake, Galileo, Mercator and Raleigh used to stand here but were moved to Newsham Park, about 2 miles from here
If you face the gates the building to your left is Walker House named after Captain Johnny Walker the hero of the Battle of the Atlantic.Opposite it is Horton House named after the overall commander AdmiralSir Max Horton.
If you want breakfast, a snack or coffee/tea then Philpotts on Exchange Flags ishandy. Through Exchange Passage East will take you to Coffee Union and Anderson’s Bar which I also recommend.The nearest station is Moorfields. From the Town Hall head away from the River along Dale Street. Turn left onto Moorfields. |
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