Croxteth Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Croxteth Hall |
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Croxteth Hall in 2012.
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Liverpool |
| Country | England |
| Construction started | 1575 |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 28 June 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1280299 |
Croxteth Hall is a large country estate and a very important old building in Liverpool, England. It is located in the West Derby area. This grand hall was once the home of the Molyneux family. They were important people known as the Earls of Sefton.
After the last Earl died in 1972, the estate became the property of Liverpool City Council. The council now looks after the remaining parts of the estate. About half of the original land was sold off. The rest, called Croxteth Park, was once a hunting ground for the Molyneux family. Today, it is a fun place that is open for everyone to visit.
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History of Croxteth Hall
The first house at Croxteth was built around 1575. Over many years, it was made bigger and changed. It has different styles from the Tudor, Georgian, and Queen Anne periods. The main front of the house, facing west, was built in 1702. In the past, there was a bakery and a brewery here. These were later taken down during the Victorian era. In 1874, a new part was added for visitors to stay in.
A very special event happened on October 9, 1851. Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and their children stayed at Croxteth Hall. The next day, they visited Liverpool, even though it was raining heavily. Before the rain, about 700 important local people were welcomed in the Hall's grounds.
Croxteth Hall and its smaller buildings are protected as "Grade II* Listed Buildings." This means they are very important because of their history and special design. Many other buildings on the estate are also protected. The Molyneux family lived at the Hall for a long time, from the 1500s until 1972. That's when the last Earl died. His wife, Josephine, Countess of Sefton, continued to live there for some time. She was the last Molyneux family member to live in the hall.
When the last Earl passed away, no one could find an heir to take his title. A lot of the original estate was sold for new buildings. But about 500 acres (2 square kilometers) remain. This area is now a country park. It is open to the public and has fun play areas for children. You can also visit the historic Hall itself for a small fee. There is also a beautiful Victorian walled garden and a working farm.
The walled garden is home to the Liverpool Botanics. This is one of Britain's oldest plant collections. It was started by William Roscoe in 1802. You can see many tropical plants there. This includes a special collection of Dracaena (dragon trees). There are also orchids and collections of Codiaeum, pelargoniums, and Solenostemon (coleus). The garden also has many bromeliads. Liverpool was once famous for its orchids. This is because the collection has many wild species, not just common garden types.
In March 2013, a big project was announced. It would cost £400,000 to fix the Queen Anne part of the hall. This part had been badly damaged by a fire in 1952.
In 2017, Liverpool City Council said they were looking for new ideas. They wanted someone to help manage the hall and park. It cost the council over £1 million each year to look after. By January 2018, two groups had offered to run the hall and park. One idea was to turn it into a fancy hotel, a place for relaxation, and a wedding spot. However, in March 2018, the council decided to manage it themselves. They plan to make it a popular place for tourists. They want to host concerts, fairs, and markets there.
The hall needed urgent repairs in the summer of 2020. An expert report found that chimneys, gutters, and roof linings needed fixing. This work cost about £650,000.
Future Plans for Croxteth Hall
In August 2022, Liverpool City Council asked the public for their ideas. They wanted to know how the park and hall could be used. They also wanted to find ways to make more money from the estate. People were asked to share their thoughts on different ideas. These included having paid parking and what types of events they would like to see there.
The Park at Croxteth
The park itself is also a protected historic site. It includes Mull Wood, which is part of the Croxteth Local Nature Reserve. This reserve is about 85 hectares (210 acres) in size. The reserve was made twice as big with help from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. This means more people can visit the reserve areas. It also includes new natural habitats. One improvement in Mull Wood is a new Wildflower Meadow. It is located near the Old Kennels.
Myerscough College has a campus at Croxteth Hall. They teach about 350 full-time students there. You can find more information on their website: Myerscough College Liverpool Homepage.
The "Friends of Croxteth Hall and Country Park" is a group that supports this important home. The Friends hold many fun events to raise money. They have paid for things like benches, plants, equipment, and studies about gardening.
Every Saturday morning at 9 am, the park hosts a free, timed 5km parkrun event. It starts and finishes at the hall.
The Kennels
The kennels building is on Croxteth Hall Lane. It was built in the 1870s and is also a protected historic building. The kennels were designed by an architect named John Douglas. He designed them for the 4th Earl of Sefton. The kennels are made of red brick. They have a roof with blue and green slates in a pattern. The building has one floor and three sections. The two sections on the left were for the kennels. The section on the right is taller with a steeper roof. There is also a tall brick chimney. The Kennels are currently used and looked after by the Croxteth Park Volunteer Group. This group was started in 2017.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Merseyside
