Category: Attractions

[osm_map lat="53.3580969" lon="-2.8901391" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The Beatles Foliage Sculpture stands in Liverpool as a living tribute to the city's most famous musical export. Created in 2007 and 2008 to mark Liverpool's year as European Capital of Culture, the artwork transforms the band members into botanical forms, their silhouettes crafted entirely from carefully trained plants and foliage. The sculpture captures John, Paul, George and Ringo in a distinctive green medium that shifts with the seasons, offering a unique blend of horticulture and cultural memory.The installation gained further notoriety in April 2008 when the Ringo figure was decapitated, an incident that briefly drew international attention to the piece. Today, the sculpture remains a distinctive landmark for visitors exploring Liverpool's cultural heritage, combining the city's passion for the Beatles with innovative public…

[osm_map lat="53.4052446" lon="-2.9948088" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Occupying a substantial section of the Cunard Building on Liverpool's waterfront, the British Music Experience is a permanent exhibition covering over 20,000 square feet and tracing the history of British popular music from 1945 to the present day. The museum arrived in Liverpool in 2017 after its original incarnation inside The O2 in Greenwich, London, where it opened in March 2009 with a private concert by The View. That first installation ran until April 2014, and on 10 September 2015 it was confirmed that the Cunard Building would be its new home.Origins and FundingThe project was spearheaded by music industry figure Harvey Goldsmith, designed by Land Design Studio and funded by AEG, the owners of The O2. It was conceived to fill a gap…

[osm_map lat="53.4324348" lon="-2.9120126" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Casbah Coffee Club sits at 8 Hayman's Green in Liverpool, in the L12 postcode area. This intimate venue holds a distinctive place in rock and roll history as the basement club where The Beatles performed in their early years, when the band was still known as The Quarrymen. The club's name reflects its bohemian character, and it remains a working music venue that honours its legendary past.The location is accessible from central Liverpool and draws music enthusiasts and tourists interested in The Beatles' formative years. The venue operates as both a functioning coffee club and a heritage attraction, with its original character preserved. Visitors can experience the space where some of the most important moments in British popular music took place, making it a…

[osm_map lat="53.4426587" lon="-2.8918804" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Croxteth Hall lies in the West Derby suburb of Liverpool, on what remains of a centuries-old country estate that once belonged to the Molyneux family, the Earls of Sefton. Around 500 acres of the original grounds survive as Croxteth Park, open to the public and managed by Liverpool City Council following the death of the seventh and last Earl in 1972. The park once functioned as a hunting chase for the Molyneux family and now includes play facilities for children alongside the historic hall itself.The Hall and Its ArchitectureThe original house was built around 1575 and has grown through several building phases, incorporating Tudor, Georgian and Queen Anne styles. The principal west facade dates to 1702. A visitor wing was added in 1874, and…

[osm_map lat="53.4051923" lon="-2.9952992" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Lining the waterfront at Pier Head, the Cunard Building is one of Liverpool's most recognisable structures. It forms part of the celebrated trio known as the Three Graces, alongside the Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool Building. Together, these three buildings define the city's riverside skyline and form part of Liverpool's former UNESCO-designated World Heritage site, the Maritime Mercantile City. The building holds a Grade II* listing, reflecting its architectural and historical significance.Architecture and DesignConstruction began in 1914 and was completed in 1917, with the work carried out by the firm Holland, Hannen and Cubitts. The architects William Edward Willink and Philip Coldwell Thicknesse drew heavily on Italian Renaissance and Greek Revival styles, taking particular inspiration from the grand palaces of Italy…

[osm_map lat="53.4373971" lon="-2.9674337" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The Dixie Dean Statue stands as a tribute to one of football's most celebrated strikers. William Ralph Dean, known universally as Dixie, became a legend at Everton Football Club, where he spent the majority of his playing career. The statue immortalises the player who scored 60 league goals in a single season - a record that remains unmatched in English football history. Erected to honour his extraordinary legacy, the statue has become a focal point for Everton supporters and visitors exploring Liverpool's football heritage.Located in central Liverpool, the monument captures Dean in characteristic pose, reflecting his status as one of the greatest centre-forwards ever to play the game. His career at Everton spanned from 1925 to 1937, during which time he earned 16 England…

[osm_map lat="53.4026653" lon="-2.9935107" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The Edmund Gardner pilot ship sits moored on the Liverpool waterfront, a working vessel that has served the port since 1953. Now managed by National Museums Liverpool, the ship remains one of the last surviving pilot cutters of its kind, reflecting the maritime heritage that shaped the city's role as a major international port. Visitors can board the restored vessel to explore its compact quarters and learn how pilot ships operated in the Mersey estuary, guiding larger vessels safely through the treacherous waters to the docks.The pilot ship functions as both a floating museum and a tangible link to Liverpool's working waterfront history. Its presence among the historic dock buildings and contemporary developments demonstrates how the city continues to preserve its seafaring past while…

[osm_map lat="53.4174413" lon="-2.9699494" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] An 18th-century stone structure stands on Everton Brow, marking the spot where parish constables once held drunks and petty criminals overnight. Opened in 1787, this Grade II-listed lock-up served as a holding place before offenders faced local magistrates. Those convicted typically received sentences of community labour - clearing ditches, unblocking drains or removing rubbish from the streets. The building is one of only two surviving Georgian lock-ups in Liverpool; its counterpart remains in Wavertree. Its nicknames, Prince Rupert's Tower and Prince Rupert's Castle, reference the Royalist commander who camped on this hillside in 1644 before the siege of Liverpool during the English Civil War. From this vantage point, Rupert surveyed the town's castle and reportedly declared it "a crow's nest that any party of…

[osm_map lat="53.3925607" lon="-2.9779037" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Hinterlands sits on Mann Street in the L8 postcode area of Liverpool, a cultural venue and attraction drawing visitors interested in independent arts and creative spaces. The location is easily accessible within the city, positioned to serve those exploring Liverpool's growing network of grassroots cultural destinations.The venue operates as a hub for artistic activity and community engagement, with its own website providing details on current programmes and events. Whether you're passing through the neighbourhood or seeking out Liverpool's emerging creative venues, Hinterlands offers a focal point for cultural exploration in this part of the city.

[osm_map lat="53.3772587" lon="-2.8813612" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] At 251 Menlove Avenue in the Woolton area of Liverpool, a two-storey semi-detached house stands as the birthplace home of John Lennon. The National Trust operates the property, which remains one of the most visited Beatles-related sites in the city. Lennon lived here from his birth in 1940 until the age of five, when he moved to live with his aunt Mimi Smith at Mendips, just a short distance away on the same avenue. The house offers visitors a glimpse into the domestic life of the young musician during his formative years.The property is situated in a quiet residential neighbourhood within the L25 postal district, easily reached from Liverpool city centre. The area preserves much of its mid-twentieth-century character, with tree-lined streets and period…

[osm_map lat="53.3973823" lon="-2.9732617" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Occupying a commanding position on St James's Mount in Liverpool, Liverpool Cathedral - formally the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool - is the largest cathedral and religious building in Britain. The Church of England cathedral is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Liverpool and the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool. By several measures it is one of the most substantial church buildings ever constructed: it ranks as the fifth-largest cathedral in the world by overall volume, the longest cathedral in the world at 621 feet (189 metres) externally and 480 feet (150 metres) internally, and at 331 feet (101 metres) high it is among the tallest non-spired church buildings on earth. It holds the title of eighth-largest church in…

[osm_map lat="53.4071694" lon="-2.9916367" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Liverpool Town Hall occupies one of the most prominent intersections in the city centre, where High Street meets Dale Street, Castle Street and Water Street. A Grade I listed building on the National Heritage List for England, it has been described by the listing body as "one of the finest surviving 18th-century town halls" in the country. Architectural historians writing in the Buildings of England series go further, praising its "magnificent scale" and judging its civic rooms to be "probably the grandest suite of civic rooms in the country" as well as "an outstanding and complete example of late Georgian decoration".Construction and later alterationsThe present building replaced an earlier town hall that had stood slightly to the south of the current site since 1673,…

[osm_map lat="53.3975402" lon="-2.9916121" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] M&S Bank Arena sits on Monarchs Quay in Liverpool's waterfront quarter, a striking glass-roofed venue designed to host major events and performances. The stadium building stands 24 metres tall and commands views across the dock area, making it a distinctive landmark in this part of the city centre. The arena opened as a contemporary multipurpose space, drawing crowds for concerts, conferences, sporting events and large-scale productions throughout the year.Located in the L3 postcode district with direct access from Monarchs Quay, the venue benefits from its proximity to Liverpool's wider entertainment and cultural offerings. The waterfront setting places it near transport links and other attractions, making it easily accessible for visitors arriving by car, public transport or on foot. The glass architecture reflects the modern…

[osm_map lat="53.4047219" lon="-2.9685879" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] One of Liverpool's most striking pieces of twentieth-century architecture, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King occupies a prominent position on Mount Pleasant, at the top of Hope Street. Completed in 1967, the circular concrete structure is Grade I listed and draws immediate attention from across the city skyline. Locals have long given it two affectionate nicknames - "Paddy's Wigwam" and "The Mersey Funnel" - both references to its distinctive tent-like silhouette. The building is the seat of the Archbishop of Liverpool and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Liverpool.A Long Road to CompletionThe story of the cathedral stretches back to the mid-nineteenth century. The Great Irish Famine of 1845 to 1852 drove roughly half a million Irish Catholics to England, many arriving…

[osm_map lat="53.4300111" lon="-2.9618166" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Paisley Gateway stands in Anfield, the neighbourhood west of Liverpool city centre dominated by the football club of the same name. This historic gate marks a notable architectural boundary within the area, serving as a visual marker for those navigating the residential streets around the famous stadium. The gateway functions as a distinctive landmark that locals and visitors use to orientate themselves within the district.The structure reflects Anfield's layered past, where industrial heritage meets modern community life. Its presence on the map helps identify the character of this part of Liverpool, where Victorian terraced housing and sporting culture define the streetscape. For those exploring on foot or planning a route through west Liverpool, Paisley Gateway offers a clear reference point within the neighbourhood's geography.

[osm_map lat="53.3813013" lon="-2.9352497" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Two of Liverpool's most striking Victorian glasshouses can be found in Sefton Park and Stanley Park, both fine examples of the palm house tradition that flourished across Britain during the 19th century. These ornate structures of cast iron and glass were purpose-built to display palms and other tropical and subtropical plants, and they belong to a lineage of ambitious engineering that also shaped railway stations, markets and exhibition halls of the same era.A Victorian tradition in glass and ironThe palm house form grew out of advances in glass and iron construction that gathered pace through the early 1800s. One of the earliest surviving examples is in Belfast Botanic Gardens, completed in 1840 and built by iron-founder Richard Turner. Turner went on to construct the…

[osm_map lat="53.369711" lon="-2.8978967" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] At 20 Forthlin Road in Liverpool stands the modest terraced house where Paul McCartney spent his formative years. This unassuming two-storey dwelling, located in the southern suburbs of the city, holds significance as the space where the future Beatle developed his musical talents and songwriting craft during the 1950s. The house became a creative centre where McCartney and John Lennon worked together on early compositions, shaping the sound that would later define a generation.The property remains a point of pilgrimage for Beatles enthusiasts and music historians visiting Liverpool. Its position within the residential neighbourhoods of south Liverpool places it within reach of other cultural landmarks associated with the band's origins. The street itself reflects the working-class character of post-war Liverpool, offering visitors a tangible…

[osm_map lat="53.3872402" lon="-2.918486" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The mural sits on a corner building in the Penny Lane area of Liverpool, a street immortalised by The Beatles' 1967 single of the same name. This iconic artwork celebrates the neighbourhood's connection to the band's history and draws visitors keen to explore the locations referenced in the song. The mural depicts imagery associated with Penny Lane and serves as a focal point for fans retracing the band members' childhood routes through this residential quarter.Penny Lane itself runs through south Liverpool, lined with independent shops, cafes and period terraced housing that retains much of its mid-twentieth century character. The street has long been a working-class thoroughfare, and the song's lyrics capture details of the local barber, pharmacist and banker that once operated here. Today…

[osm_map lat="53.3850103" lon="-2.923287" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Penny Lane Road sign stands as one of Liverpool's most visited tourist attractions, drawing music fans and curious visitors from around the world. The sign marks the location of the street immortalised in The Beatles' 1967 song of the same name, which referenced the real road where band members Paul McCartney and John Lennon spent their youth. The iconic street sign has become a symbol of the city's musical heritage and remains a focal point for those exploring Beatles-related landmarks across Liverpool.Located in the Wavertree area of south Liverpool, the road sign attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually who stop to photograph it as part of their pilgrimage through the city's cultural geography. The street itself runs through a residential neighbourhood and has…

[osm_map lat="53.4109538" lon="-2.9602137" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Philips recording studio stands at 38 Kensington in Liverpool, a modest but significant address in the city's musical heritage. The studio operated as a dedicated recording facility, capturing performances and sessions that formed part of Liverpool's rich tradition as a centre for live music and studio production. The address remains identifiable on the street, situated within easy reach of the city's wider cultural quarter.Visitors exploring Liverpool's music history will find the location of interest as a physical marker of the city's recording infrastructure. The Kensington area itself sits accessible to transport links across the city, making it a practical stop for those tracing the routes and venues that shaped local artists and sound engineers. The studio represents the kind of professional recording spaces that…

[osm_map lat="53.3887199" lon="-2.9596628" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The terraced house at 9 Madryn Street in Liverpool holds significance as the birthplace of Ringo Starr, the drummer of The Beatles. Built as a two-storey property in this working-class neighbourhood, the house no longer stands - it was demolished in later years. The location lies in an area of Liverpool that reflects the city's industrial heritage, where many of the city's notable residents grew up during the early twentieth century.Madryn Street itself is situated in the inner districts of Liverpool, within reach of the city centre. The site has become a point of interest for Beatles enthusiasts and music fans who visit Liverpool to trace the lives of the four band members. Though the original building is gone, the address remains documented and…

[osm_map lat="53.3890721" lon="-2.9613109" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] At 10 Admiral Grove in Liverpool stands the modest terraced house where Richard Starkey, who would become Ringo Starr, spent his childhood. The two-storey dwelling sits in a quiet residential corner of the city, a place that shaped the future Beatles drummer before he achieved global fame. Born in 1940, Ringo lived here during his formative years, when Liverpool was still recovering from wartime damage and slowly rebuilding its identity as a major cultural centre.The house remains a significant landmark for music fans and those interested in Beatles history. Admiral Grove itself is an unassuming street, but it marks an important point in rock and roll heritage - the early home of one of the most influential drummers in music. Visitors to Liverpool who…

[osm_map lat="53.4058433" lon="-2.9958437" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Overlooking the River Mersey from the Pier Head, the Royal Liver Building is one of Liverpool's most recognisable landmarks. Completed in 1911 and Grade I listed, it forms part of the celebrated trio known as the Three Graces, alongside the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building, which together line the city's waterfront. The building was also part of Liverpool's formerly UNESCO-designated World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City.History and ConstructionRoyal Liver Assurance approved plans for a new head office in 1907, with the foundation stone laid on 11 May 1908. Designed by Walter Aubrey Thomas in the Edwardian Baroque style and built by Edmund Nuttall Limited, the building drew on reinforced concrete construction at a time when the method was far from standard -…

[osm_map lat="53.4086145" lon="-2.9802263" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Opposite Lime Street railway station on St George's Place, St George's Hall is one of Liverpool's most recognisable buildings. Completed in 1854, the Neoclassical structure houses both concert halls and law courts under one roof - a combination that was itself the result of a bold decision made early in its design. Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner rated it in 1969 as one of the finest neo-Grecian buildings in the world, though the hall draws on Roman sources as well as Greek precedent. It holds Grade I listed building status on the National Heritage List for England and falls within the William Brown Street conservation area.A Building Born from Two CompetitionsThe land had previously been occupied by the first Liverpool Infirmary from 1749 to 1824.…

[osm_map lat="53.4309267" lon="-2.9591307" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Two gates at Anfield, the famous football ground in the Anfield area of Liverpool, carry the names of former Liverpool F.C. managers Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. The Shankly Gates are among the most visited landmarks at the stadium, which lies about 2 miles from Liverpool Lime Street railway station. Anfield has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since the club's formation in 1892, and the ground now holds 61,276 spectators, making it the fifth-largest football stadium in England.History of Anfield and the GatesAnfield opened in 1884 under the ownership of John Orrell, a minor landowner who lent the pitch to Everton F.C. in exchange for a small rent. Everton's first match at the ground, against Earlestown on 28 September 1884, ended in a…

[osm_map lat="53.3368143" lon="-2.8742305" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Speke Hall stands on The Walk in south Liverpool, a Tudor mansion managed by the National Trust. Built in the 16th century, the house survives as one of Merseyside's finest examples of half-timbered architecture, featuring original oak-framed walls and period interiors that reflect centuries of domestic life. The estate sits within easy reach of Liverpool city centre and is accessible by public transport, drawing visitors interested in Tudor history and heritage conservation.The property offers guided tours through rooms furnished in period style, gardens that have been restored and replanted, and grounds where woodland walks reveal the hall's relationship to the surrounding landscape. The National Trust manages the site as a visitor attraction, with facilities for exploring both the building's construction techniques and the family…

[osm_map lat="53.3803491" lon="-2.8838316" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The Strawberry Field Replica Gate stands as a tribute to one of Liverpool's most celebrated cultural landmarks. This recreation of the iconic red gate draws visitors keen to connect with the legacy of the Beatles and John Lennon's childhood memories. The original Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army children's home on Beaconsfield Road in Woolton, which Lennon visited as a boy and later immortalised in the 1967 song that became a global anthem. The replica gate allows fans and tourists to experience a tangible piece of this history without requiring a journey across the city.Located within easy reach of Liverpool's city centre, the gate serves as a focal point for music pilgrims and heritage enthusiasts exploring the musical roots of The Beatles. The site…

[osm_map lat="53.3733782" lon="-2.9213803" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Sudley House and Estate stands as a significant cultural attraction within Liverpool, drawing visitors interested in art and social history. The property functions as a museum and gallery space, offering insight into the collecting practices and domestic life of a nineteenth-century merchant family. The house itself reflects the architectural taste and ambitions of its period, with rooms arranged to display the accumulated artworks and furnishings that shaped its character over generations.The estate provides a window into Liverpool's merchant class heritage, when the city's prosperity from trade enabled wealthy families to build substantial homes filled with fine art and decorative objects. Today, the house operates as a public museum, allowing visitors to walk through rooms that preserve this domestic environment and examine the personal collections…

[osm_map lat="53.3825748" lon="-2.8927964" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The Allerton Oak stands as one of Liverpool's most distinctive natural landmarks, a venerable broadleaved tree of considerable age and girth. This ancient oak has long been a point of interest for visitors and locals alike, drawing people who wish to witness a living piece of the city's natural heritage. The tree's presence in Allerton reflects the area's historical character and its connection to Liverpool's green spaces.As a natural monument, the Allerton Oak represents the kind of mature deciduous growth that once characterised much of the region before urban development. Its status as a tourism attraction speaks to the value residents and visitors place on preserving such specimens. The tree remains accessible to those exploring Allerton and seeking to understand the area's environmental history…

[osm_map lat="53.3820859" lon="-2.8974462" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] The Calder Stones stand in Liverpool as one of the city's most significant prehistoric monuments. These ancient stones, believed to date back thousands of years, represent a rare survivor of Neolithic or Bronze Age activity in the region. Originally part of a larger stone circle or ritual site, the monuments have endured centuries of urban development and change, making them an invaluable link to Liverpool's deep archaeological heritage.Located within the city, the Calder Stones attract historians, archaeologists and visitors interested in early British prehistory. The site serves as a tangible reminder of human settlement and ceremonial practice long before Liverpool became a major port city. For those exploring the area's history beyond its maritime fame, the stones offer insight into the landscape and cultures…

[osm_map lat="53.3987694" lon="-2.9732645" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Just to the north of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, The Oratory is one of the most architecturally precise buildings in Merseyside. Built in 1829 to a design by John Foster, it originally functioned as the mortuary chapel for St James Cemetery, where funeral services were held before burials in the adjacent grounds. When the cemetery eventually closed, the building fell into disuse before coming under the care of National Museums Liverpool in 1986. It now holds a collection of 19th-century sculpture and funeral monuments as part of the Walker Art Gallery.Architecture and Listed StatusFoster modelled the building as a Greek Doric temple, with a six-column portico at each end. There are no windows; light enters entirely from above, falling onto a coffered ceiling carried by…

[osm_map lat="53.3894541" lon="-2.9147248" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Tony Slavin sits at 11 Smithdown Place in the L15 postcode area of Liverpool, a working hairdresser with a distinctive place in the city's cultural memory. The shop occupies the exact site of Bioletti's barbershop, the establishment immortalised in The Beatles' 1967 song Penny Lane as "a barber showing photographs". While the original Bioletti's has long since closed, Tony Slavin continues to operate from this historically significant address, drawing visitors and Beatles enthusiasts who retrace the locations mentioned in one of the most famous pop songs ever recorded.Smithdown Place is accessible from the wider Liverpool street network, and the location remains a modest but meaningful landmark for those exploring Beatles heritage across the city. The continuity of a hairdressing business at this spot connects…

[osm_map lat="53.4052915" lon="-2.9956734" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Underwater Street is a distinctive street in Liverpool that has become known as a notable tourist attraction within the city. The street's unusual name reflects Liverpool's rich maritime heritage and adds to the character of the area, drawing visitors curious about the city's water-related history and urban landscape. Those exploring Liverpool's streets and landmarks often include Underwater Street on their itineraries as a point of interest that offers insight into the city's unique naming conventions and historical development.The street is easily accessible to those navigating central Liverpool and forms part of the broader streetscape that characterises the city. Whether visiting as a tourist planning a walking route or as a local rediscovering familiar ground, Underwater Street provides a small but memorable part of Liverpool's…

[osm_map lat="53.410018" lon="-2.9796289" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] On William Brown Street, one of Liverpool's most architecturally distinguished thoroughfares, the Walker Art Gallery holds one of the largest art collections in England outside London. The neo-Classical building occupies a prominent position alongside the William Brown Library, forming part of a civic quarter that took shape through Liverpool's ambitions in the mid to late nineteenth century. The gallery has been part of the National Museums Liverpool group since achieving national status in 1986.Origins and Early CollectionThe story of the collection begins in 1819, when the Liverpool Royal Institution acquired 37 paintings from William Roscoe, a figure whose banking business had failed. His friends and associates ensured the collection was not broken up, and those works became the seed of what would grow into…

[osm_map lat="53.3982784" lon="-2.9909099" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Overlooking the River Mersey from Keel Wharf, the Wheel of Liverpool is a transportable Ferris wheel that has become one of the most visible structures on the Liverpool waterfront. Rising 196 feet (60 metres) tall and weighing 365 tonnes, it carries 42 fully enclosed capsules and sits close to the M&S Bank Arena Liverpool. Construction was completed on 11 February 2010 at a cost of £6 million, and the wheel formally opened on 25 March 2010 with its own launch party.Planning and early historyThe road to opening was a long one. The company Great City Attractions had been negotiating a deal for three years before submitting a planning application in October 2009, proposing the wheel for the former King's Dock site. The application argued…

[osm_map lat="53.403973" lon="-2.9585163" width="100%" height="480px" zoom="13"] Beneath the Edge Hill district of Liverpool lies one of the most puzzling underground networks in England. The Williamson Tunnels are a series of brick and stone vaulted excavations cut into the local sandstone, created sometime between 1810 and 1840 under the direction of Joseph Williamson, a tobacco merchant, landowner and philanthropist who had settled in the area. Despite being widely called tunnels, most of the structures are vaulted chambers built over excavations rather than bored passages, and their original purpose has never been definitively established. Theories range from commercial quarrying to a deliberate scheme to provide work for the destitute, including soldiers left without employment after the end of the Napoleonic War.Joseph Williamson and the Making of Edge HillIn 1805, Williamson acquired land…