Sandstone

	The Oratory and St. James's Cemetery As if to present an opposing perspective to the Anglican Cathedral, St. James's Cemetery, adjoining it to the east and sunken deeply in a disused sandstone quarry, used to be, according to Quentin Hughes writing in the 1960s, 'one of the most powerful and picturesque spectacles in Liverpool, awe-inspiring in its mouldering decay'. It is now a green and pleasant retreat, most of the gravestones and monuments having been relocated around the periphery. The entrance at the north end of the cathedral is still creepy though - a dark and narrow path descending to the old quarry through a deep cutting and tunnel in the smoke-blackened sandstone rock and lined with gravestones.
	The Anglican Cathedral from the South-East No superlative seems sufficient. The cathedral, Britain's largest and the largest Anglican cathedral in the world, is mind-bogglingly vast and seems, Tardis-like, even bigger on the inside. Moreover, these impressions are not dulled by familiarity. Commanding views are to be had from the top of the 331 ft (101 m) tower, which holds the heaviest and highest bells in the world. The interior is as impressive as the exterior. You are left marvelling that such a volume of space could be enclosed by a man-made structure. Giles Gilbert Scott, then only 23, won the competition to design an Anglican Cathedral in 1902, the assessors commenting that his entry had 'that power combined with beauty which makes a great and noble building'. The foundation stone was laid in 1904 by King Edward VII to the sound of a thousand voices singing Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. However, by 1909 Scott had completely revised his design, influenced by the 1902 design of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and he went on revising until 1936. The tower was completed in 1942 and the spectacular nave bridge in 1961, shortly after the architect's death in 1960. Work on the building was not finally completed until 1978, yielding 'one of the truly monumental buildings of our time' (Quentin Hughes).
	The Trans-Pennine Trail near Knotty Ash The Trans-Pennine Trail here follows the old Cheshire Lines railway that passes through the eastern suburbs of Liverpool and once connected Hunts Cross to the north docks (via Walton on the Hill) and Southport (via Aintree Central). Other stations were Gateacre and Woolton, Knotty Ash and West Derby and Clubmoor. Not much remains of these except at West Derby. Passenger services ceased in 1960. It is hard to imagine steam trains running here so recently. Despite the proximity of habitation, there is a sense of isolation, peace and quiet all along the track. Near Knotty ash, it cuts through sandstone bedrock.
	All Hallows Church, Allerton All Hallows church was built in 1872-76 by John Bibby in memory of his first wife Fanny, daughter of Jesse Hartley, who in turn designed the Albert Dock warehouses and much else along the Liverpool waterfront. The church building is particularly fine, but is of special interest because 14 of the 15 stained glass windows were designed by Edward Burne-Jones and constructed by William Morris. Burne-Jones thought that the east window, The Adoration of the Lamb, probably based on a painting by Van Eyck, was his finest window design.
	Allerton Hall The structure of Allerton Hall is Elizabethan in origin, though largely reworked in the early 18th century. Allerton Hall was from 1799 the home of Liverpool's own William Roscoe, merchant, poet, historian, botanist and anti-slave trade campaigner, who also made significant alterations. Roscoe was an italophile and the frontage was inspired by Italian architecture. It was later owned by the Clarke family, who left it to the city in 1927 and gave their name to the surrounding park (Clarke Gardens). Nowadays it is an unusual hostelry called The Pub in the Park. The pub interior is interesting and certainly different. The entrance immediately sets the tone, with twin staircases and paintings. Inside there are spacious rooms with wood-panelling and attractive views over the grounds.
	Sudley House, Mossley Hill Built in the early 1800s for Nicholas Robinson, a corn merchant merchant who was Lord Mayor of Liverpool in 1828, Sudley became the house of Victorian ship owner and merchant George Holt in 1883. It was bequeathed to the city by his daughter Emma in 1944. The interior is virtually unchanged since the 19th century and houses a fine collection of paintings and furniture. It is usually quiet and there are plenty of places to sit and ponder the lifestyle of the Victorian wealthy. The artists represented include Turner, Corot, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Millais, Rossetti and Holman Hunt.
	The Childwall Abbey, Childwall This pub originated as a coach house dating back to 1484. Childwall Hall used to stand nearby. A mock-mediaeval castle that was demolished in the mid-20th century, it also sported the local penchant for turrets. What we have now is a fine pub, atmospheric and original.
	St. Peter's Church, Woolton The present grand sandstone church, one of Liverpool's largest parish churches, was completed in 1887. It replaced an earlier chapel of 1826, described as built 'in the worst style of British church architecture'. It contains fine stained glass windows mainly by Charles Kempe but with two by William Morris. The top of the tower is reputed to be the highest point in Liverpool.
	Bidston Hill Bidston Hill is a designated Regionally Interesting Geological Site by virtue of its sandstone formations. The sandstone was deposited over 200 million years ago in the Triassic period when the land was a desert and located near the equator.
	Fort Perch Rock This Napoleonic defensive structure was finally completed in 1829, after Napoleon's death, and was nicknamed the Little Gibraltar of the Mersey. There were originally 18 guns and accomodation for 100 men. It was finally decommissioned and sold in 1954. After a rocky period (no pun intended), it is now being restored and houses a museum.
	The Hilbre Islands from Little Eye, West Kirby This view illustrates the beautifully shifting colours of sand and sandstone to be seen under low angle winter sunshine. Formed by the last Ice Age, these sandstone islands show signs of having been visited by Neolithic and Bronze Age people by the artefacts that have been discovered. There was permanent habitation at least from Roman times, which continued through Norman times, when the first written records were made by a cell of Benedictine Monks. The monks lived here until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538. Since then the islands have used by fishermen and as a stop-off on the voyage from Chester to Ireland, as a result of which a public house had been established by the 18th century at the latest. The islands have a more dubious reputation for wrecking and smuggling and the innkeeper in the early 19th century was said to be unaccountably wealthy. The present buildings date from the mid-19th century when a telegraph signalling station was built on the main island. The only permanent resident now is the Dee Estuary Ranger. I heard that a lady lived here until comparitively recently, but left after a wave passed right over her house one night during a freak storm. I don't blame her.
	Little Hilbre Island from Hilbre Island
	Caldy Village I'm not sure if the posh residents of this exclusive village are going to like it, but the name Caldy, formerly Calders, comes from the Anglo-Saxon for 'cold arse', referring, I hasten to add, to the hill-top around which it is located rather than any ragged-trousers among the residents. The village was bought and renovated by R.W. Barton, a Manchester businessman, in 1832. There is real old world charm here. The lovely old cottages, some in sandstone and some in mock Tudor style, date from around 1700 and were originally farm buildings.
	Thurstaston Hill Summit Thurstaston Hill is a rocky sandstone outcrop with magnificent views all around, including the Liverpool skyline, the Welsh hills over the River Dee, the Irish Sea coast and, in clear weather, Snowdonia, the Pennine Hills, the Lake District and (allegedly) the Isle of Man. The hill forms part of Thurstaston Common and is a focus for the many excellent walks in the area. The summit pillar has a direction finding table to help you find your way around the superb panorama.
	Thor's Stone, Thurstaston Common The origin and name of this isolated block of sandstone have been a target of much fevered romantic imagining, mainly by the Victorians, including it being man-made and used for sacrifices by the Vikings. The likely truth is more prosaic. It seems to have been carved out by water flows under the ice at the end of the last Ice Age and further modified by subsequent erosion and possible quarrying.
	Thor's Stone, Thurstaston Common Detail of the fantastic patterns of erosion on Thor's Stone.
	The Irby Mill, Irby Once the cottage next to the windmill of Irby Mill, this old sandstone pub has bags of character with small cosy rooms, beams, low ceilings and stone floors.
	The Dee Shore at Heswall Fields The coast between Heswall and Thurstaston has a distinctly different character from that just a little further up the Dee estuary. The water comes right up at high tide and there are substantial sandstone cliffs.
	Brimstage Hall, Brimstage Brimstage village is over 1000 years old and is still relatively unspoilt. The tower of Brimstage Hall dates back to at least 1350, possibly 1175. The main part of the hall is 16th century. The outlying buildings have now been converted into craft shops and restaurants.
	The Wirral Country Park near Neston The Wirral Country Park follows the route of the old Great Western and London North Western railway that used to run from Hooton to West Kirby, the other stations being Hadlow Road (Willaston), Neston South, Parkgate, Heswall, Thurstaston, Caldy and Kirby Park. The line was closed to passengers in 1956. In 1970, the route was taken to form the basis of the Wirral Country Park, Britain's first country park. In one of its more interesting sections near Neston, the track here cuts deeply through the sandstone bedrock.
	Denhall Quay, Little Neston Denhall Quay served the Denhall Colliery operations that probably started here in the 17th century under particularly miserable conditions for the miners, some of whom nevertheless made the crossing of the Dee from Wales to work here. It dates from the 1760s and coal was shipped from here to ports in North Wales, Ireland and the Isle of Man. The nearby Wirral Colliery, of which the spoil heaps are still visible (though cosmetically concealed), was opened in 1759. Underground canals were built beneath the Dee Estuary and man-powered boats were used to bring the coal from distant faces to the pit shaft, but all colliery operations finally ceased in 1928. Slate and limestone were imported and other industries here included coke and charcoal making, brick and tile making and metal smelting. This now peaceful area was once the largest industrial site in the Wirral.
	Vicarage Farm, Shotwick One of the many beautiful old cottages in Shotwick, none of which seem to be less than about 250 years old.
	Cottages, Little Crosby
	Pex Hill Quarry, near Cronton The old quarry is an interesting and atmospheric place. Sandstone had been quarried here since the 16th century, though it has been disused for over 100 years.
	Halton Castle, Halton The first Halton Castle was built of wood, probably in the motte and bailey pattern, shortly after the Norman Conquest (ca. 1070) and became the seat of the Barony of Halton. The site could hardly have been better chosen - a rocky outcrop on a hill overlooking the River Mersey, with a view especially of the Welsh hills and any marauding Welshmen who may have been looking for trouble at that time. The 3rd Baron began reconstructing the castle in sandstone quarried from the rock in the early 12th century. The castle became an administrative centre in 1274 and was used as a court and a prison. Much new building ensued in the following centuries. The castle was in a ruinous state after the English Civil War though part was still in use as a court until 1738, when the gatehouse was demolished and a new courthouse built using the same stone. This became the Castle Hotel in 1908.
	The Village Farmhouse, Halton The ancient village of Halton clusters around the base of the rock upon which stand the remains of the castle and has many old buildings. The Village Farmhouse dates from the early 17th century.
	Sandstone Cliffs, Runcorn Quarry There has been quarrying at Runcorn since Norman times when Halton Castle and Norton Priory were built, and possibly since Roman times (for Chester) and it was a major industry by the 18th century. Quarrying ceased at Runcorn Hill around 1850, but new quarries were opened and this site was used for spoil from those workings. Some of the present paths cut through the rock were the routes of tramways constructed to transport the rubble. Impressive though the present cliffs are, the quarry was apparently three times as deep before it began to be filled in.
	Jacob's Ladder on the Sandstone Trail The Sandstone Trail is a long distance path from Frodsham to Whitchurch through the beautiful mid-Cheshire countryside and largely following a ridge of sandstone hills. Jacob's ladder, near the Frodsham end, provides an entertaining scramble for those accustomed to this kind of thing.
	Helsby Crags Flat-topped Helsby Hill is the location of the most impressive of the sandstone crags in the Merseyside area. Traces of Stone Age and Iron Age settlements have been found in the area (including an Iron Age hill-fort called Woodhouses near the summit). The first identifiable settlers were the Vikings in the 10th century, the name being of Viking origin and meaning 'village on the edge' (of the Mersey estuary, presumably). The Domesday book lists the Normanised name Hellesbe. The hill is 427 feet (130 m) high and supported quarrying from the early 19th Century up to the 1920s, the stone being used for many buildings in Liverpool and Birkenhead. The crags are popular with rock climbers and offer everything from easy scrambles up to serious challenges.
A Brief Geology of Merseyside and the Surrounding Area The underlying rocks of northern England broadly speaking consist of limestone, gritstone, coal and sandstone. At the start of the Carboniferous period (354 - 290 million years ago), almost all of England was under the sea and located near the equator. This is when limestone, formed from the shells of marine creatures, was laid down. The land gradually emerged during this period and the process involved the formation of large rivers. These carried coarse sand and pebbles, formed by erosion, down to huge deltas where the sediment settled out and eventually formed gritstone. As the land continued to rise towards the end of this period, forming a supercontinent known as Pangea, a tropical landscape of luxuriant plant life emerged. The decayed remains of this vegetation eventually formed coal. Pangea continued to emerge during the Permian Period (290 - 248 million years ago), when England became an inland desert. Sand was formed by the action of wind, rain and rivers over a long period. During the Triassic Period (248 - 205 million years ago), England came to occupy a position similar to that of the Sahara Desert today. Internal lakes dried up forming salt deposits. Sandstone was formed by the pressure of overlying deposits and cementation of the grains by the separation of some of the minerals. The oxidation of iron-rich minerals gave the sandstone its characteristic red colour. Piled on top of the rocks in most places these days is an assortment of clay, pebbles, sand and gravels formed and transported by the last ice age about 20,000 years ago. In the period up to the present, this has been been modifed by decaying vegetation (e.g. peat), the action of rivers (erosion and flooding) and latterly agriculture. The rocks we see in the landscape these days have been exposed by the folding of the Earth's crust due to continental drift and the action of weather. This action, combined with the changing geography over time, has determined the kind of rocks we see. Despite the complexity of this process, the general chronological sequence can be seen geographically in our, and the neighbouring, regions in the limestone of the Derbyshire and Yorkshire Pennines, the gritstone of the hills in the Manchester area, the coal seams of south-east Lancashire (and western parts of the Wirral) and the sandstone of Merseyside, the Wirral and Cheshire (with its salt deposits). (My thanks to Brendon Cox for explaining the local geology to me.) Geology of Merseyside at English Nature Geology of the Mersey Basin at English Nature