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Calderstones Park

Calderstones Park was once part of the 1583 acre (640ha) expanse of the ‘Manor of Allerton’ until about 1726 when this estate became fragmented through sale.

The area now known as ‘Calderstones’ passed through various owners until 1828 when the old farmhouse was replaced by the present Mansion House.

The park takes its name from the Calder Stones, six sandstone boulders remaining from a Neolithic dolmen discovered in the early 19th Century.

The stones were relocated by the then owner Joseph Need Walker as a gateway feature to the estate.

The Calderstones Estate was acquired by Charles McIver for £52,000 in 1875. The new owner was a Liverpool shipping magnate who, along with his brother David, had joined Samuel Cunard in establishing the ‘British and North American Royal Steam Packet Company’ – known as the Cunard Line.

Calderstones was sold by the MacIvers to Liverpool Corporation in 1902 for £43,000 and formerly opened as a park three years later. By the outbreak of the First World War, the Calderstones Estate had been augmented by the Harthill Estate to produce the present area which for some time known as Calderstones and Harthill Park.

The inter-war years saw two major landscape improvement initiatives undertaken, both Government supported unemployment relief schemes. The construction of a broad avenue in 1931, later dubbed ‘Jubilee Drive’ in 1935, from the Four Seasons Gateway (1928) through to the existing path which led to Yew Tree Road. The second major development was the construction of the park boating lake, opened in April 1933.

A later innovation was the construction of an open-air theatre at the rear of the Mansion House supporting ‘holidays at home’ in a period of post war austerity around 1945. By 1964 Calderstones Park and the former Harthill Estate in particular, had assumed the mantle of Liverpool’s (third) Botanic Garden, with the establishment of a new glasshouse complex, summer house/veranda and defined areas of themed outdoor planting.

The botanical importance of the park encouraged further horticultural improvements such as the creation of a Japanese Garden by park apprentices in 1969, and the introduction of a ‘bog garden’ linked to the artificial lake.

Calderstones Park has long been revered as ‘Liverpool’s most beautiful park’, a status notably enhanced by the Botanic Garden designation in 1964. A vast range of outdoor plantings combine to ensure horticultural interest throughout the year, most markedly in the feature garden areas.
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  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    The imposing Four Seasons Gate entrance to Calderstones Park on Harthill Road features the Four Seasons, statues of figures representing Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. These statues were removed from the roof of Brown's Buildings, an office block adjacent to Liverpool Town Hall which had been designed by James Picton. This building was demolished in 1926 and the statues were paces in their current position in 1928. The gateposts are supported by giant Atlas figures. Construction the Four Seasons gate was part of a 1920s unemployment relief project.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    The imposing Four Seasons Gate entrance to Calderstones Park on Harthill Road features the Four Seasons, statues of figures representing Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. These statues were removed from the roof of Brown's Buildings, an office block adjacent to Liverpool Town Hall which had been designed by James Picton. This building was demolished in 1926 and the statues were paces in their current position in 1928. The gateposts are supported by giant Atlas figures. Construction the Four Seasons gate was part of a 1920s unemployment relief project.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    The imposing Four Seasons Gate entrance to Calderstones Park on Harthill Road features the Four Seasons, statues of figures representing Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. These statues were removed from the roof of Brown's Buildings, an office block adjacent to Liverpool Town Hall which had been designed by James Picton. This building was demolished in 1926 and the statues were paces in their current position in 1928. The gateposts are supported by giant Atlas figures. Construction the Four Seasons gate was part of a 1920s unemployment relief project.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Welcome sign at the Four Seasons Gate on Harthill Road.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    View towards the Four Seasons Gate from within Calderstones Park looking along Jubilee Drive constructed in 1931 as a government unemployment relief project. The drive provides a link to Yew Tree Road and was given the name in 1935 commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George V when the trees were planted along its length.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    View towards the Four Seasons Gate from within Calderstones Park looking along Jubilee Drive constructed in 1931 as a government unemployment relief project. The drive provides a link to Yew Tree Road and was given the name in 1935 commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George V when the trees were planted along its length.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Path between the allotments and Botanic Gardens site (left) off Jubilee Drive.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park - The Coach House and Stables.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park Mansion House once home to the McIver Family is now used by the Reader Organisation as a cafe, conference, meeting and event hire location as well as featuring a display of the parks history and since 2019 has been hone to the Calder Stones themselves.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park Mansion House once home to the McIver Family is now used by the Reader Organisation as a cafe, conference, meeting and event hire location as well as featuring a display of the parks history and since 2019 has been hone to the Calder Stones themselves.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    View from near the mansion house looking south east.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    The Open Air Theatre constructed in 1947. It is now used as an events space - the steps being a recent addition.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park information board.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park Mansion House once home to the McIver Family is now used by the Reader Organisation as a cafe, conference, meeting and event hire location as well as featuring a display of the parks history and since 2019 has been hone to the Calder Stones themselves. - Notice the Ha Ha in the foreground a recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond and ideal for keeping livestock at bay.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park Mansion House once home to the McIver Family is now used by the Reader Organisation as a cafe, conference, meeting and event hire location as well as featuring a display of the parks history and since 2019 has been hone to the Calder Stones themselves. - Notice the Ha Ha in the foreground a recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond and ideal for keeping livestock at bay.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    L2020_1672

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    View towards Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

  • Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park, Liverpool - April 14, 2020

    Calderstones Park boating lake another featured added in the 1930s as part of a Government sponsored unemployment relief scheme.

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