Victorian Wirral

Over half of the Wirral’s built environment is Victorian; the era has left a huge imprint on the area. In this period the first docks across the River Mersey from Liverpool opened and Birkenhead became a pioneering planned Victorian town, including its municipal park and lodges which later provided the template for Central Park in New York. The coastal town of New Brighton was also developed as a coastal resort at this time and Lord Leverhulme built his masterpiece garden village at Port Sunlight. Alongside these, many grand Victorian public buildings, town halls, baths, markets, libraries and such were built as well as more humble but equally noteworthy structures. Another Victorian gem on Wirral is the magnificent cemetery at Flaybrick and the work of many nineteenth-century architectural greats such as Pugin, Gilbert Scott, Norman Shaw and George Street can be found throughout the area. Fully illustrated throughout, all those interested in the history of the Wirral will find this a fascinating exploration of the Victorian heritage of this area.