Calderstones Park
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| Calderstones Park | |
|---|---|
 Calderstones Park, showing Calderstones House |
|
| Type | Public Park |
| Location | Liverpool, England, UK |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | 94 acres (0.38 km2)[1] |
| Created | 1905 [2] |
| Operated by | Liverpool City Council |
| Open | All year |
| Status | Open |
Calderstones Park is a public park in Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom. The 94 acres (0.38 km2) park is mainly a family park. Within it there are a variety of different attractions including a playground, a botanical garden and places of historical interest.
Calderstones botanical garden contains[1] almost 4000 species of plants brought from all over the world by merchants and other travellers.[3]
There is a lake in the park with geese and ducks, and there is also the mansion house, which features a café and a children's play area.[3]
Contents |
History
Originally part of the 1,583-acre (6.41 km2) expanse of the Manor of Allerton, around 1726 the area now known as Calderstones Park was sold by its owners to settle family debts. Eventually, the Liverpool merchant Thomas Martin became owner. He added to the estate before selling the area to Joseph Need Walker, a lead shot manufacturer with business interests in Liverpool. Walker acquired the estate in 1825 when the principal building was known as "The Old House". By 1828 this old farmhouse had been swept aside to make way for the mansion, Calderstones House.[1]
In 1875 the estate was sold to Charles MacIver for £52,000. A Liverpool shipping magnate, he had joined Samuel Cunard in establishing the British and North American Royal Steam Packet Company — later and better known as Cunard Line. Charles MacIver retired in 1874 and his younger sons, Henry and Charles, took the reins.[1]
In 1902 the MacIvers sold Calderstones for the sum of £43,000, to Liverpool Corporation.[1]
| Ownership | Year from | Year to | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Martin | 1807 | 1829 | Debt settlement |
| Joseph Need Walker | 1825 | 1875 | Unknown |
| Charles MacIver | 1875 | 1875 | £52,000 |
| Henry & Charles MacIver | 1875 | 1902 | Inherited |
| Liverpool Corporation | 1902 | Present | £43,000 |
Notable Features
The Calderstones
| The Calderstones | |
|---|---|
| Location | near Allerton |
| Region | Merseyside, England  |
| Coordinates | |
| Type | Chambered tomb |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Website | reference Megalithic Portal |
The Calderstones are six neolithic sandstone boulders remaining from a dolmen.
Little was known about the Calderstones until the 18th century when they are thought to have been disturbed. In 1825 it was reported that, "in digging about them, urns made of the coarsest clay, containing human dust and bones were found.[4]
During the mid and later 19th century certain academics had declared the Calderstones to have been part of a druidical circle. In the closing years of the century Professor Herdman returned to the earlier evidence and concluded that the stones were once part of a ruined dolmen which had been mistakenly taken for a circle due to the false impression held that all druidical remains should be so arranged.[4]
The six surviving stones are of local sandstone and their sizes range from approximately eight by three feet to three and a half by two and a half feet. The markings which had been studied the previous century by Simpson were again analysed and latex moulds were made of the stones and carvings, which both enabled a precise record to be made and also highlight other worn carvings which were not previously visible. The carvings were placed into six categories; spirals, concentric circles, arcs, cup marks, cup and ring marks and footprints. There is also evidence of post-medieval and modern graffiti. Several of the carvings are similar to examples found in Anglesey and the late-neolithic burial site of Newgrange in the Boyne Valley.[5]
The stones were relocated by Joseph Need Walker during his ownership, becoming a gateway feature to the eponymous estate.[6] The stones are now housed in the Harthill Greenhouses in Calderstones Park having been moved from their previous location in an enclosure just outside the park gates in 1954 to protect them from further weathering.[7]
Calderstones House
The mansion house was built in 1828 by Joseph Need Walker to replace the original farmhouse known as the Old House. The house is of Georgian style, though it has been subject to some unsympathetic alterations over the years and now houses council offices and a small café. The extensive stables and coachhouse are still at the rear of the house.[8]
The Allerton Oak
One of the park's two most ancient features, estimated at 1,000 years old, is an oak tree. According to legend the ancient local Hundred Court sat beneath its branches.[9]
Its dilapidated state is said to be due to the explosion of the gunpowder ship Lottie Sleigh over three miles away on the River Mersey in 1864. It is dependent upon a number of props that hold it up.[8]
Botanical garden
In 1964 Calderstones, particularly the Harthill estate, was designated Liverpools Botanical garden, the third site for the collection started in 1803 by William Roscoe.[6]
Activities in the park
Tennis Tournament
Set in the park, the Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International began in 2002 (with the women's event beginning in 2006) and has attracted many will known tennis stars such as, Martina Navratilova, Ivan Ljubičić and David Ferrer. In 2008 the tournament attracted over 2500 spectators.[10]
Solstice
On 21 December 2009 the Winter Solstice was celebrated in the Park.[11]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "Calderstones Park". Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "Calderstones Park - Historical Background". www.liverpoolparks.org. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
- ^ a b "Calderstones Park". The Mersey Partnership. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ a b Royden, Mike. "The Calderstones". Mike Royden. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ Calderstones: Prehistoric Tomb in Liverpool. Merseyside Archaeological Society. 1984. ISBN 0-906311-03-9 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK].
- ^ a b "Calderstones Park Historical Background". Liverpool Parks. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "The Calderstones - Chambered Tomb in England in Merseyside". The Megalithic Portal. February 2004. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ a b Royden, Mike (July 2008). "South Liverpool Calderstones Park". www.allertonoak.com. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "The Allerton Oak". Liverpool City Council. July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "About the Tournament". Tradition-ICAP Liverpool International. Archived from the original on 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "Whats on in Liverpool". Directory of Liverpool. October 21, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
Further reading
- The Calderstones: a prehistoric tomb in Liverpool. Merseyside Archaeological Society. 1984. ISBN 0-906479-05-3 [Amazon-US | Amazon-UK].
