LIVERPOOL CASTLE

ABOUT THIS MONUMENT

+ / -

EH Visitor Information
Related Monuments
Related Text
Investigation History

More Pictures
Modern Map
Old Map
Aerial Photograph

Monument Types
Sources
Thesaurus
Description

DESCRIPTION

+ / -

Castle, mentioned in a document of 1347 as being moated with four towers. During the civil war it was occupied by the Royalists in 1643 and in 1659 Parliament ordered it to be demolished. but only the gatehouse and parts of the walls were pulled down. The castle was completely demolished in 1725 for the construction of St George's church, which has also since been demolished. The North and West sections of the moat were located during building work in the 1920s. A tunnel was also located which may have connected with a tower on the shore (SJ 39 SW 5).

DETAIL

+ / -

MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

+ / -

(SJ34269027) (1) Site of Castle (NR) (a). (1)

Liverpool Castle is first mentioned in 1347 among the estates of the honour of Lancaster as being moated with four towers. During the Civil War it was occupied by the Royalists in 1643, and in 1659 Parliament ordered it to be demolished. But only the gatehouse and part of the walls were pulled down. In 1725 the castle was completely demolished for the construction of St George's Church, which has since been demolished. (2)

Full and detailed architectural description of the castle with plans. (3)

In 1927 during the excavations for a public convenience in Derby
Square NW of the Queen Victoria Memorial, the west moat was found.

The north moat was found during the excavations for the now (1928) Midland and National Provincial Banks. Some twenty feet from the SW corner of the latter Bank a subterranean tunnel running in a southerly direction below James Street was found. It is probable that the tunnel connected the moat or ditch with the old tower or some defences on the shore. A sewer has now been constructed along the tunnel. (4)

Listed by Cathcart King as a vanished castle built in the early 13th century. (5)

A castle was built at Liverpool early in the reign of Henry III, probably by William de Ferrers. It became a Lancastrian possession and thence a royal castle in 1399. There are references to a gateway, curtain wall, chapel and interval tower or angle tower in the 15th century. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1a) Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book reference

ONB Lancs 106 SW, 1924, 249..

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" 1924

( 2) Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society

(H Fishwick). 19 - 1901 Page(s)61-3

( 3) Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society

(E W Cox). 42 - 1890 Page(s)195-254

( 4) Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society

(F C Larkin) 79 - 1927 Page(s)175-97

(5) by David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the islands. Volume I : Anglesey - Montgomery

1 Page(s)248

(6) R Allen Brown, H M Colvin and A J Taylor 1963 The history of the King's Works, volume 2 : the Middle Ages

Page(s)706

MONUMENT TYPES

+ / -

COMMENTS

+ / -

Please help us keep our information accurate let us know if you see any errors on this page.

Further information about monuments may be obtained by contacting NMR Enquiry and Research Services , through the English Heritage website.

EH Prints
English Heritage
Heritage Explorer
Heritage Gateway
Images of England
NMR
ViewFinder