Liverpool Castle
Encyclopedia
Liverpool Castle was a castle which was situated in Liverpool, England
. It stood from the early 13th century to the early 18th century.
. No record of the castle construction survive. Nearby in West Derby
, there had long been a castle, which was taken by the Ferrerses in 1232, but by 1296 it lay in ruins. The castle was built to protect King John's new port of Liverpool and was sited at the top of modern day Lord Street, the highest point in the city and overlooking the Pool. This corresponds to present day Derby Square (Queen Victoria Monument) near the city centre.
measuring 20 yards (18 m) was cut out of solid rock. The main building of the castle consisted of the gatehouse flanked by two towers at the north-east corner which faced Castle Street; three round towers at the three remaining corners, one being added at a later date than the others, in 1442. Four curtain walls connected the four towers, the northern and southern wall were recessed to allow them to be commanded from the towers. Inside the castle were a hall and chapel
, which were connected to the south-western tower, and a brewhouse and bakehouse. There was also a passage which ran under the moat toward the edge of the river. The courtyard was divided by a wall built running from the north wall to the south wall. Underneath the castle walls stood a dovecot
and an orchard ran from the castle to the Pool in the east.
inherited both Liverpool Castle and West Derby Castle. The heir to the title was Robert de Ferrers
. He rebelled against King Henry III
and was arrested and held in the Tower of London
and then Windsor Castle
. His lands and title were removed and taken back by the Crown. Henry III presented the land, along with Lancaster
to his second son Edmund
. Mary de Ferrers, wife of the forfeited earl and niece to the King was ordered to surrender the castle in July 1266. The lands were then held by Edmund and passed onto his successor Thomas.
It was under the administration of Thomas that Liverpool progressed steadily. The earl did not bestow much worth on the borough of Liverpool and in 1315, he granted the castle and the land to Robert de Holland
. The creation of the patronage of Robert de Holland caused some unrest among other landowners, and on 25 October in the same year, Adam Banastre, Henry de Lea, and William de Bradshagh (Bradshaw) banded together (the Banastre Rebellion
)and launched an attack on the castle, and were defeated within an hour. This is the only recorded attack on the castle to happen before the English Civil War
. Between 1315 and 1323 the borough of Liverpool returned to the hands of the Crown. In 1323 King Edward II
visited the town and lodged at the castle from 24 October to 30 October. Early in the reign of Edward III
the king utilised Liverpool as a port of embarkation in his wars with Scotland
and Ireland
. In 1327 Edward ordered the constable of the castle to give shelter to men fleeing from the Scots. There was an inquisition into the land at Lancaster in 1367 that stated 'there is at Liverpull a certain Castle, the foss whereof and the herbage are worth by the year 2s., and there is a dovehouse under the Castle which is worth by the year 6s.8d.'.
Sir Richard Molyneux was appointed constable of the castle in 1440 and the title was made hereditary five years later. In 1442 the castle was strengthened by the addition of a fourth tower in the south-east corner to the cost of £46 13s 10¼d. On October 2, 1559 the castle is stated as being 'in utter ruin and decay'. The Great Tower had a slate roof and it was suggested to be used as storage for the court rolls. It was decided that the castle would undergo repairs costing around £150, 'otherwaies it were a grate defacement unto the said towne of Litherpole'.
During the reign of Charles I
the castle was seized by Lord Derby. In 1644 Prince Rupert
and his men took the castle, which was later taken back by Sir John Moore. Protestant supporters of William of Orange
seized the castle in 1689. On March 5, 1704 the burgesses obtained a lease for the castle and its site from the Crown for fifty years. Lord Molyneux disputed this as he still claimed hereditary constableship. This delayed the settlement of the lease until 1726, when the last remaining ruins of the castle were removed. Finally in 1715 an Act was passed to demolish the castle and build a church in its place. Construction of St George's church begun on the site of the old castle and was consecrated in 1734. By 1825 the church had been pulled down and a new one built in its place. In 1899 the church was demolished and the Victoria Monument was erected in 1902. In 1976 excavation of the south side of Castle Street was conducted prior to the construction of the Crown Courts building which were built in the style of a castle.
near Chorley
, William Lever
built a folly
which is a scale replica of Liverpool Castle in ruins. Building started in 1912 and the replica which was not completed was based on a conjectural reconstruction of the castle prepared by E. W. Cox in 1892.
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. It stood from the early 13th century to the early 18th century.
Construction
It was probably erected in the 1230s, between 1232 and 1235 under the orders of William de Ferrers, 4th Earl of DerbyWilliam de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby
William II de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby was a favourite of King John of England. He succeeded to the estate upon the death of his father, William de Ferrers, 3rd Earl of Derby, at the Siege of Acre in 1190...
. No record of the castle construction survive. Nearby in West Derby
West Derby (hundred)
The hundred of West Derby was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in northern England. It was sometimes known as West Derbyshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of West Derby .It covered the southwest of Lancashire, containing the ancient...
, there had long been a castle, which was taken by the Ferrerses in 1232, but by 1296 it lay in ruins. The castle was built to protect King John's new port of Liverpool and was sited at the top of modern day Lord Street, the highest point in the city and overlooking the Pool. This corresponds to present day Derby Square (Queen Victoria Monument) near the city centre.
Description
The castle was built on top a plateau, which had been specially constructed, and a moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
measuring 20 yards (18 m) was cut out of solid rock. The main building of the castle consisted of the gatehouse flanked by two towers at the north-east corner which faced Castle Street; three round towers at the three remaining corners, one being added at a later date than the others, in 1442. Four curtain walls connected the four towers, the northern and southern wall were recessed to allow them to be commanded from the towers. Inside the castle were a hall and chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, which were connected to the south-western tower, and a brewhouse and bakehouse. There was also a passage which ran under the moat toward the edge of the river. The courtyard was divided by a wall built running from the north wall to the south wall. Underneath the castle walls stood a dovecot
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
and an orchard ran from the castle to the Pool in the east.
History
Upon the death of William de Ferrers in 1247, his son WilliamWilliam de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby
William III de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby was an English nobleman and head of a family which controlled a large part of Derbyshire including an area known as Duffield Frith....
inherited both Liverpool Castle and West Derby Castle. The heir to the title was Robert de Ferrers
Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby
Robert III de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby was an English nobleman.He was born at Tutbury Castle in Derbyshire, England, the son of William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby and the Earl's 2nd wife Margaret de Quincy , daughter of Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester and Helen of Galloway.-Early...
. He rebelled against King Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and was arrested and held in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
and then Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
. His lands and title were removed and taken back by the Crown. Henry III presented the land, along with Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
to his second son Edmund
Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster
Edmund of Crouchback, 1st Earl of Leicester and Lancaster , was the second surviving son of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. In his childhood he had a claim on the Kingdom of Sicily. His nickname refers to his participation in the Ninth Crusade.-Childhood:Edmund was born in London...
. Mary de Ferrers, wife of the forfeited earl and niece to the King was ordered to surrender the castle in July 1266. The lands were then held by Edmund and passed onto his successor Thomas.
It was under the administration of Thomas that Liverpool progressed steadily. The earl did not bestow much worth on the borough of Liverpool and in 1315, he granted the castle and the land to Robert de Holland
Robert de Holland, 1st Baron Holand
Robert de Holland, 1st Baron Holand was an English nobleman, born in Lancashire.He was a son of Sir Robert de Holland of Upholland, Lancashire and Elizabeth, daughter of William de Samlesbury....
. The creation of the patronage of Robert de Holland caused some unrest among other landowners, and on 25 October in the same year, Adam Banastre, Henry de Lea, and William de Bradshagh (Bradshaw) banded together (the Banastre Rebellion
Banastre Rebellion
The Banastre Rebellion was an uprising in Lancashire, England in 1315 against the Earl of Lancaster and his supporters.The Banastre Rebellion took place in 1315 when a group of disaffected knights in Lancashire decided to revenge themselves on Earl of Lancaster by attacking his chief retainer Sir...
)and launched an attack on the castle, and were defeated within an hour. This is the only recorded attack on the castle to happen before the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Between 1315 and 1323 the borough of Liverpool returned to the hands of the Crown. In 1323 King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
visited the town and lodged at the castle from 24 October to 30 October. Early in the reign of Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
the king utilised Liverpool as a port of embarkation in his wars with Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. In 1327 Edward ordered the constable of the castle to give shelter to men fleeing from the Scots. There was an inquisition into the land at Lancaster in 1367 that stated 'there is at Liverpull a certain Castle, the foss whereof and the herbage are worth by the year 2s., and there is a dovehouse under the Castle which is worth by the year 6s.8d.'.
Sir Richard Molyneux was appointed constable of the castle in 1440 and the title was made hereditary five years later. In 1442 the castle was strengthened by the addition of a fourth tower in the south-east corner to the cost of £46 13s 10¼d. On October 2, 1559 the castle is stated as being 'in utter ruin and decay'. The Great Tower had a slate roof and it was suggested to be used as storage for the court rolls. It was decided that the castle would undergo repairs costing around £150, 'otherwaies it were a grate defacement unto the said towne of Litherpole'.
During the reign of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
the castle was seized by Lord Derby. In 1644 Prince Rupert
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
and his men took the castle, which was later taken back by Sir John Moore. Protestant supporters of William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
seized the castle in 1689. On March 5, 1704 the burgesses obtained a lease for the castle and its site from the Crown for fifty years. Lord Molyneux disputed this as he still claimed hereditary constableship. This delayed the settlement of the lease until 1726, when the last remaining ruins of the castle were removed. Finally in 1715 an Act was passed to demolish the castle and build a church in its place. Construction of St George's church begun on the site of the old castle and was consecrated in 1734. By 1825 the church had been pulled down and a new one built in its place. In 1899 the church was demolished and the Victoria Monument was erected in 1902. In 1976 excavation of the south side of Castle Street was conducted prior to the construction of the Crown Courts building which were built in the style of a castle.
Replica
In Lever Park, RivingtonRivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
near Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
, William Lever
William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme
William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme was an English industrialist, philanthropist, and politician....
built a folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
which is a scale replica of Liverpool Castle in ruins. Building started in 1912 and the replica which was not completed was based on a conjectural reconstruction of the castle prepared by E. W. Cox in 1892.