For many centuries, much of the open space was private estate land. In particular, several of the city's grand houses of the Georgian and Victorian eras are now either demolished or in public ownership, with their grounds and gardens given over to the city. However, several parks which were conceived from the outset as public parks are partly modelled on the nearby Birkenhead Park, which was amongst the first of its type in the world.
Historical background
In 1833, the government's Select Committee on Public Walks emphasised the need to provide accessible space for recreation to improve the health of the urban population, defuse social tensions, and allow social classes to mix. From the early 1850s onwards, Liverpool endorsed this policy with the introduction of a ring of major municipal parks through a significant level of investment in public parks. These included parks such as Princes, Sefton, Wavertree, Shiel, Newsham, and Stanley.
The square was built in about 1820 for Liverpool Corporation on heathland called Mosslake Fields. The design was by the Corporation surveyor, John Foster (senior). The buildings around the square are now occupied by the University of Liverpool.[6]
The park originated as the grounds of Allerton Tower, a house designed by Harvey Lonsdale Elmes and completed in 1849. Liverpool Corporation bought the house and grounds in 1924, and the house was demolished. The park now hosts an outdoors activity centre.[9][10][11]
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Alt Meadows
8 hectares (20 acres)
The newest park in Liverpool, officially opened in March 2014.[12]
The cemetery was built in 1861–64 because those nearer the centre of the city were full. The layout was designed by Edward Kemp, and its buildings were mainly by the local cemetery architects Lucy and Littler. Two of the original three chapels have since been demolished.[13][14]
The park has been developed from the grounds of Calderstones House, built in about 1828. The grounds were converted into a park in 1913, and the house is used as council offices.[16][17][18]
This formerly consisted of the grounds of Childwall House, which became a golf clubhouse in 1922. The house and grounds were acquired by the city council in 1939, and the house was demolished in 1949.[22][23]
Nearby Craven and Dam Woods, separated from Croxteth Park by Fir Tree Drive but linked via the back of the housing estate, comprise roughly 75 acres of woodland (additional to the 500 acres of Croxteth Country Park proper).
This was one of the first public open spaces in Liverpool and was in existence by 1831. Building of the surrounding houses commenced in the 1840s.[33][34]
The park contains a lake as its centrepiece, which can be used for fishing. It also has a children's playground, a walled garden, and it hosts a graffiti art project.[35]
The park has been developed from the grounds of Newsham House, and was laid out by Edward Kemp. It contains two lakes, a bandstand, and play areas.[37][38][39]
The park was developed from the grounds of the former Otterspool House. It has been a public park since 1932, and is adjacent to Otterspool Promenade.[40][41]
This was Liverpool's first public park, and was the first park designed by Joseph Paxton. It contains a fishing lake, and children's play areas.[42][43][44][45]
This was the first open space for public recreation in the city, opening in 1722. It closed in the late 1790s, and its site is now occupied by the Adelphi Hotel[46]
The park has been developed from the grounds of the former Reynolds Park Mansion that burnt down in 1921. It contains a walled garden, a wildflower meadow, a sunken garden, a topiary and a ha-ha.[47][48]
Laid out between 1867 and 1871, the park was designed by Edward Kemp. It contains the Isla Gladstone Conservatory, lakes, a bandstand and play areas.[52][53][54][55]
Adjacent to St George's Hall in the centre of the city, the site was formerly occupied by a church. Opened in 1904 it contains formal gardens, statues to prominent men of Liverpool, and a memorial to King's Regiment (Liverpool).[59][60][61]
The park was developed in the grounds of Walton Hall, which was demolished in about 1918. It contains a fishing lake, a pool for sailing model boats, and a play area.[66][67]
Botanic gardens founded by William Roscoe opened in 1836 and were acquired by the Corporation in 1846. Ten years later the land to the south of the botanic gardens was laid out as a park. The glasshouses were destroyed in the Second World War. The walled garden is still present.[68][69][70][71]
II*
Entry to all of these parks is unrestricted in terms of opening hours, with the exception of the walled botanic garden in Wavertree Park; and free of charge in all cases.
Today Croxteth Hall and Country Park is managed by Liverpool City Council. This park is an example of a working country estate, with the park featuring the historic hall itself, surrounded by mature woodlands, a collection of rare breed farm animals in the traditional "Home Farm" yard, and a Victorian walled garden. The hall is Grade II* listed and the park is Grade II.[28]
Academic studies
Academics from the University of Liverpool's School of History have undertaken research on the historic development of parks and open spaces in the city and their future contribution to community development, education, bio-diversity, public health and urban regeneration. The team have worked to compile the first definitive chronology of the city’s parks over the past 200 years and a book should document the changing role of parks, from their prominence during the Victorian era through to the present day.[72]
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