Three miles southeast of Liverpool city centre, Allerton is a residential suburb in the county of Merseyside, bordered by Garston, Hunt’s Cross, Mossley Hill and Woolton. The area is known for its large detached properties around Calderstones Park and the mainly 1930s semi-detached housing that lines the streets around Allerton Road, the suburb’s main shopping and dining corridor. Allerton is paired with Hunts Cross to form the Allerton and Hunts Cross city council ward, which recorded a population of 14,853 at the 2011 census.
History and Origins
Allerton’s name goes back to the Domesday Book, where it appears as Alretune – drawn from the Old English alr meaning “alder” and tún meaning “enclosure or village”. Historically part of Lancashire, it was a township within the parish of Childwall before becoming a separate civil parish in 1866. The Local Government Act 1894 made it an urban district, and on 9 November 1913 it was absorbed into the county borough of Liverpool. By 1921 the parish had a population of just 2,070 before the formal merger with Liverpool took effect on 1 April 1922. Over the course of the 2010s, new bars and restaurants opened along Allerton Road, drawing more visitors to the area.
Attractions and Points of Interest
Calderstones Park, formerly the grounds of Calderstones House, is one of the suburb’s most visited green spaces and sits alongside Clarke Gardens and Allerton Tower Park. Allerton Hall and Allerton Cemetery are also within the suburb, as is The Parish Church of All Hallows and Allerton Park Golf Club. Allerton has a strong connection to the Beatles – the song “Penny Lane” is set largely on Allerton Road, with the shelter in the roundabout, the barber shop and possibly the bank all located at the junction of Allerton Road, Penny Lane and Smithdown Road. Paul McCartney is among the notable people associated with Allerton, alongside footballer Sadio Mané, actor Peter Adamson and theatre producer Bill Kenwright.
Transport Links
Two railway stations serve Allerton. West Allerton handles services to Liverpool city centre and Manchester, while Liverpool South Parkway – on the boundary between Allerton and Garston – also runs trains to Southport, Hunts Cross on Merseyrail’s Northern Line and fast services to Birmingham. Liverpool South Parkway replaced the former Allerton railway station, though the old platforms remain in use. The station is also the nearest major bus stop, with the 86 service running to the city centre and shuttle buses connecting to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.