Along with the Stanley Warehouse, this has to be the city's most pressing restoration priority.

It's one almighty (no pun) edifice and no mistake.

Hard to imagine a similar treasure being lain waste in any other (foreign) city's centre.

Have there ever been any even tentative official talks to save it? Be great to see the interior restored too rather than the usual facade job.

At one stage there was talk of it becoming a library for the University.
That was well before the new building was built behind.
I've got B & W photos I took when it had both its towers.

BTW, it isn't No 1 Rodney Street.
It's between 5 & 7.

Thanks to Nancy, the coolest Yank who has ever visited Liverpool for these pics taken in the 80s. Check out her pics here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nancyo23/sets/72057594095382976/)

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/nancy/001.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/nancy/002.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/nancy/003.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/nancy/004.jpg

oh wow! fantastic photos!
It would have been amazing to be able to wander around the church and graveyard (did that sound morbid????)

has anyone ever tried to open the pyramid tomb of McKenzie?
My dad told me a while back that a few workmen have tried...but none succeeded.

I slept in that graveyard once! It was lovely curling up in the long grass, but rubbish when I woke at around 4am freezing cold, only just managing to get back over the fence to stumble home...

The church we used to climb up the scaffolding after nights out, just to take in a bit of fresh air before going home. It was a good vantage point for watching people falling about in the streets.

Since they found that body in there I haven't been back, although it would be good to take some photos up the tower. It is in a poor state, and yes, something should be done about it asap - who owns the place?

I slept in that graveyard once! It was lovely curling up in the long grass, but rubbish when I woke at around 4am freezing cold, only just managing to get back over the fence to stumble home...

The church we used to climb up the scaffolding after nights out, just to take in a bit of fresh air before going home. It was a good vantage point for watching people falling about in the streets.

Since they found that body in there I haven't been back, although it would be good to take some photos up the tower. It is in a poor state, and yes, something should be done about it asap - who owns the place?

what body was that?

what body was that?
Was that the smackhead who fell a few months back and some passerby noticed an arm dangling over the scaffold the following day?

oohh i never heard about that. quite scary!

any info on the pyramid tomb anyone?

I heard that a property developer owns the church...

Spooky! (http://www.geocities.com/tom_slemen/rodney.html):shock:

indeed spooky...

i have read that before....

does anyone know of any attempts to open the tomb? or excavate the graveyard?

See www.edwardjkelly.com/standrewsgraveyard.htm

Sounds like rubbish to me...

You will notice two clear orbs near the area of the pyramid but also notice how the pyramid and background seem to be out of focus as if there is a haze in the air and yet you can see the grave stones and monument in the foreground are clear and sharply in focus.

If he used a flash, then that explains the 'orbs' - just the flash hitting moisture in the air. And of course the background will blur if it's low light, besides which his camera is probably rubbish at focusing in the dark. OR the aperture was wide for extra light and so he lost the depth of field.

Personally I don't buy into any of that. I'm not saying ghostly happenings don't occur, and I'm not stupid enough to say that just because I haven't seen a ghost or experienced something like that it's impossible, but 'orbs' and blurry pictures..?!

I don't believe in anything like that.

I just laugh at any such stuff. Things that go bump in the night :rolleyes:

oohhhh all interesting.

i might try and go to the library on saturday and see if i can find any attempts to try and open the tomb or anything like that. Because I am sure I have heard of some..

Beautiful:

fantastic pic.
why this church and it's grounds aren't high prority I have no idea
I was thinking today....if they turned the church into apartments of flats, they would surely get rid of the graveyard because I am sure 'suits' and developers would think it was an eyesore....:shock:

fantastic pic.
why this church and it's grounds aren't high prority I have no idea
I was thinking today....if they turned the church into apartments of flats, they would surely get rid of the graveyard because I am sure 'suits' and developers would think it was an eyesore....:shock:

A posh restraunt perhaps? I would win awards I'm sure. Just a restoration would do though, they must leave the graves alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's a pyramid tomb very like the one in Liverpool shown in Tom Slemen's article (http://www.geocities.com/tom_slemen/rodney.html) here in Baltimore in Westminster Cemetery, which also happens to be where Edgar Allan Poe is buried. See the following URL for more information: http://marylandghosts.com/post/41742/ Any visitors to Baltimore I will be glad to give them a tour. :unibrow:

Chris

tom slemen is actually my cousin.
He is a cool guy.
That pyramid tomb fascinates me...
How old is it?

tom slemen is actually my cousin.
He is a cool guy.
That pyramid tomb fascinates me...
How old is it?

1868.
The monument is to William Mackenzie, the railway contractor responsible for the Edge Hill - Lime Street tunnel.
Source: "Liverpool" by Joseph Sharples.

thanks philip!:celb (23):

Rodney Street is noted for the number of doctors and its Georgian architecture. It forms the Rodney Street conservation area. There are over 60 Grade II listed buildings (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1361) on the street and one II* church.

On a windswept Sunday morning (today 28th Jan 2007) I had a wander around taking photographs of the ornate doors. I managed to photograph every front door along the Rodney Street area plus a couple of beautiful Liver Birds (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showpost.php?p=36336&postcount=55).

Click here to visit the gallery (http://www.yoliverpool.com/liverpool_rodney_street.html) - hope you like 'em :)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/372078380_c968c22b80.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/372078380/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/372081508_733ef9b22e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/372081508/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/372080878_183d97ed92.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/372080878/)

When I worked on Hardman St, 1954-57 One of the shops in your pics I think the one on the right was prosecuted for running a brothel, it was a big scandal at the time. :037:

Top Pictures Sir! You didn't come across the Rodney Street 'ghost' - the Policeman? :eek: :)

Top Pictures Sir! You didn't come across the Rodney Street 'ghost' - the Policeman? :eek: :)

No but a bizzie car drove past very slow indeed, checkin' me out. Cheers for the comments :)

I hate It when people check me out with my camera! It makes me worried and nervous. :mad:

Nice Door pics though, the Cathedral pic Is too dark.

Wheres the plaque about a Liverpool Prime Minister who was supposed to be born In Rodney Street?

Kev, all those doors grouped together in your collection would make a fantastic postcard. Very colourful when they all on the same image. :handclap:

That'll be Gladstone Max. According to Tom Slemen, there's also that McKenzie ghost.

The fella born on Rodney street who became prime minister was prime minister 5 times! And some debate he was our best PM ever.

Rodney Street is noted for the number of doctors and its Georgian architecture. It forms the Rodney Street conservation area. There are over 60 Grade II listed buildings (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1361) on the street and one II* church.

On a windswept Sunday morning (today 28th Jan 2007) I had a wander around taking photographs of the ornate doors. I managed to photograph every front door along the Rodney Street area plus a couple of beautiful Liver Birds (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showpost.php?p=36336&postcount=55).

Absolutely fab photos Kev...that street is one of my faves.
I wonder what one of those houses would cost?:unibrow:

The Building on the right is No 4 Rodney Street,
Brian Epstein was Born Here on the 19th September 1934 when it was a private nurserie.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c60/gedfleming/L1020190.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c60/gedfleming/L1020187-1.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c60/gedfleming/L1020189.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c60/gedfleming/gladstone2B.jpg....http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/William_Ewart_Gladstone

Had a good mooch around there a couple of years back. Rather than add to the cracking pics on this thread, I'll post the plaques instead. I won't post the addresses, you'll have to go down there and explore yourselves:unibrow:

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image001.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image002.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image003.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image004.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image006.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image007.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image008.jpg

http://www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk/rodneyplaque/image009.jpg

:PDT_Piratz_26: ^^Fantastic Dave^^ :PDT_Piratz_26:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/372074539_80127cb571.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ijob/372074539/)
^^Number 62^^

All those photo's bring back a lot of memories for me! several of them were owned by the Liverpool Radium Institute ,where I worked, Next time your in the area Kev, how about a photo of the Radium Inst. in Hardman St? Ta.:handclap:

The fella born on Rodney street who became prime minister was prime minister 5 times! And some debate he was our best PM ever.

And he's a Jack the Ripper suspect as well! Not that I believe it. I said the following in my essay, "Jack the Ripper's Liverpool," (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27267&postcount=26) originally published in Ripperologist and now available on this site:

Gladstone, who was born on Rodney Street in Liverpool in 1809, himself has been named as a possible suspect—and the ‘Gladstone bag’ is a suspected receptacle for Jack to carry knives and organs. The great leader of the Liberal party had a penchant for wandering the streets at night to try to reform fallen women [i.e., prostitutes], though usually in the West End, not the East End. Did he take his reforming efforts a stage further? In 1888, as leader of her Majesty’s loyal opposition, and aged 79 at the time, he would seem to make an unlikely Ripper suspect. Supporters of the Gladstone-as-Ripper theory point to the fact that he remained a robust man even in old age, and could still chop wood on his Hawarden estate outside of Chester. But was he handy with a knife as well as an axe?

Meanwhile, fantastic pictures in this thread, everyone! Glad to see we at Yo Liverpool are adding to what our knowledge of one of Liverpool's most famous streets!

Chris

And he's a Jack the Ripper suspect as well! Not that I believe it. I said the following in my essay, "Jack the Ripper's Liverpool," (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showpost.php?p=27267&postcount=26) originally published in Ripperologist and now available on this site:
Chris
Yerrokay Chris, calm down. :)

My dentist Is on Rodney street too.

Where's Gladstones Plaque?

I've uploaded a poster which contains all the doors on. Download it: Here (http://www.yoliverpool.com/pictorial/rodney_street_liverpool/rodney_large.jpg)

Or look below:

http://www.yoliverpool.com/pictorial/rodney_street_liverpool/rodney_large.jpg

thats fab!
gonna use it as my desktop!!

I've uploaded a poster which contains all the doors on. Download it: Here (http://www.yoliverpool.com/pictorial/rodney_street_liverpool/rodney_large.jpg)

Or look below:

http://www.yoliverpool.com/pictorial/rodney_street_liverpool/rodney_large.jpg

Great stuff Kev.

^^Cheers buddy^^ :)

Warrapened t' me Tom Slemen thingy I put on before !!
Here it is again if its OK..
If this gets the boot I wont put it on again..
Oooohhh..Arrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhhhhhhh..Woooohhhhhh hhhhh....Lol !!!

http://www.geocities.com/tom_slemen/rodney.html

Gerard it got moved into Urban Myths: http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3347

Kev got my dentist door on there too!:celb (23):

Kev got my dentist door on there too!:celb (23):


4th down, column 1 ? :)

Nah It's one of the black doored ones.

Thanks Kev - fantastic poster. :celb (23):

Excellent photos Kev. I live just around the corner from Rodney Street. That whole area (hope street etc.) is a really nice part of town, it's just a shame that the Church is still to be sorted out!

A scaffolding wagon being unloaded and clean looking planks being passed up.

Saw something on New Folder's blog. A non-existent Rodney Park that's on Yahoo maps. Anyone know if such a thing was ever planned?

http://www.newfolder.co.uk/blog/uploaded_images/rodney_park_liverpool-783317.jpg

http://www.newfolder.co.uk/blog/2007/05/flickr-and-yahoo-maps-improve-liverpool.html

[QUOTE=geoffrey;58601]Saw something on New Folder's blog. A non-existent Rodney Park that's on Yahoo maps. Anyone know if such a thing was ever planned?

Most of that site is part of the John Moore's University, and the gates are there (with Liver Birds).
Perhaps JMU call it "Rodney Park"?
I've never heard of plans for a public park.
Originally, most of this site was the Convent of Notre Dame, with a large garden, part of which has been built over with the Aldham Robarts Centre.

Most of that site is part of the John Moore's University, and the gates are there (with Liver Birds).
Perhaps JMU call it "Rodney Park"?
I've never heard of plans for a public park.
Originally, most of this site was the Convent of Notre Dame, with a large garden, part of which has been built over with the Aldham Robarts Centre.

Right. That would figure.

I remember the convent. My dad was a tutor at Notre Dame College there.

I noticed this too, I hope it's not a new development, I take my classes there! I can't imagine they'd make it up though, it must be based on something. JMU refer to it just as either the Mount Pleasant Campus, or John Foster (the name of the main JMU building on Mount Pleasant.

The gates guard either end of the back of the Haigh student union, and the road is used for access to the back of that, and the shops on Hardman street on the other side.

THE future of a derelict Liverpool church was secured today after the city won legal ownership of the site.

Plans are now being drawn up to restore the landmark St Andrew’s Church, in Rodney Street.

Two years ago council managers ring-fenced £250,000 to spend on repairs.

But they were unable to carry out any extensive work until ownership was resolved.

Now the grade II* listed ruin, a key building on the ECHO’s Stop the Rot hitlist, will be made safe.

The council hopes it can be opened to visitors during Capital of Culture year.

They are also in discussions with neighbouring Liverpool John Moores about the 184-year-old building’s long-term future as a restored and working heart of the university site.

Liverpool’s environment head Cllr Berni Turner said: “In the short-term I’d like to see it as a living conservation project and as part of next year’s celebrations the site opened to the public so they can see the work going on.”

The church is also on English Heritage’s buildings at risk register.

The heritage watchdog’s Graeme Ives said: “This is positive news and we support the council’s approach to arresting the decay.

“We must now work with them to look at the long-term plans.”

A JMU spokeswoman said plans for the church were at an early stage but could form part of the university’s £110m, five-year development plan.

She said: “We have aspirations to redevelop the building and bring it back into use as a gateway to our Mount Pleasant site. It would be for staff and students. But there would be a public aspect as well.”

Today’s news follows a lengthy legal battle with former owner Dr Amoolya Prasad to gain control of the city centre church.

A compulsory purchase order for the building was made in September 2004.

In the meantime Dr Prasad lost a court battle with architects he commissioned to do a project then refused to pay.

The architects gained control of his assets and the council bought the landmark from them.

But Dr Prasad claimed he had already sold the building to his father, also Dr Prasad.

An Independent Adjudicator to the Land Registry heard arguments in January and yesterday confirmed it had found in the council’s favour, with no right of appeal.

catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk

**** giving It to the Uni they have been donated too much sites already and demolished some of Oxford for that gym they got!

They have had new buildings built around there recently too.

Good news,
at last.

If giving it to the university means it gets restored then it gets my vote.

Me and a mate used to take our kebabs up there after a night out. Was good to sit up there and eat, watching the really drunk people dragging themselves up the street!

Would the Uni open It to the public though?

They tend to turn them Into offices or some wing for students.

Good news, so I wonder if we will find out the truth about the Pyramid

I made up with this,another hanger on sent packing.:handclap:

CALLS are being made for a multi-million pound restoration of one of Liverpool’s most historic streets.

Rodney Street residents describe the 220-year-old thoroughfare, the birthplace of four-times prime minister William Gladstone, as an “underused resource” for the city.

They believe the historic street could be a major tourist attraction at the heart of Liverpool’s Georgian quarter.

Now they are calling for the road to be given similar treatment to nearby Hope Street, where £2m of improvements were carried out.

And they say they are willing to plough some of their own money into enhancing the look of the street.

Architects consulted by residents have suggested a series of improvements including:

Building owners reinstating railings and iron balconies removed during World War II.

Cutting the level of traffic, which often includes large lorries, by making the road one way and widening and improving the pavements.

Reducing the level of the roadway, which has risen by a foot over the years.

Installing effective and ‘sympathetic’ lighting.

Replacing Victorian water mains.

Residents believe public works and improvements to individual homes cost more than £3m.

Dr Emlyn Williams, who heads the Rodney Street Association and has lived on the street for more than 20 years, said: “We want the area to become better known and play its part in showcasing Liverpool. Hope Street has come up very well.

“This is parallel to Hope Street – if we could have an attractive street, with the legacy of Georgian heritage and with decent paving and lighting, that would be fantastic.”

A city council spokesman said: “Officers attended a meeting with residents last week where there were very interesting discussions of their plans. A future meeting has been arranged for November 19.

“We’d welcome investment by residents and the private sector in the street. There would be a significant cost implication of what they want to do and all agencies would have to look at it carefully.”

He said any discussions about a one-way system would have to consider the knock-on effect on nearby streets.

Birthplace and workplace of famous

RODNEY Street was laid out in 1783 by William Roscoe, among others, and named after 18th century naval hero Lord Rodney.

There are dozens of grade II listed buildings on the street along with the derelict grade II* listed Church of St Andrew, a landmark on the ECHO’s Stop the Rot buildings hit list.

Number 62, built for John Gladstone in the early 1790s, was the birthplace of William Gladstone in 1809.

Others born on the street include poet Arthur Clough (no. nine) and Cruel Sea author Nicholas Monsarrat (no. 11).

Number 59 was home and studio to photographer Edward Chambré Hardman and is now owned by the National Trust.

The country’s first public health officer Dr William Duncan lived at number 54 and writer and biographer Lytton Strachey at number 80.

catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk

CALLS are being made for a multi-million pound restoration of one of Liverpool’s most historic streets.

Rodney Street residents describe the 220-year-old thoroughfare, the birthplace of four-times prime minister William Gladstone, as an “underused resource” for the city.

They believe the historic street could be a major tourist attraction at the heart of Liverpool’s Georgian quarter.

Now they are calling for the road to be given similar treatment to nearby Hope Street, where £2m of improvements were carried out.

And they say they are willing to plough some of their own money into enhancing the look of the street.

Architects consulted by residents have suggested a series of improvements including:

Building owners reinstating railings and iron balconies removed during World War II.

Cutting the level of traffic, which often includes large lorries, by making the road one way and widening and improving the pavements.

Reducing the level of the roadway, which has risen by a foot over the years.

Installing effective and ‘sympathetic’ lighting.

Replacing Victorian water mains.

Residents believe public works and improvements to individual homes cost more than £3m.

Dr Emlyn Williams, who heads the Rodney Street Association and has lived on the street for more than 20 years, said: “We want the area to become better known and play its part in showcasing Liverpool. Hope Street has come up very well.

“This is parallel to Hope Street – if we could have an attractive street, with the legacy of Georgian heritage and with decent paving and lighting, that would be fantastic.”

A city council spokesman said: “Officers attended a meeting with residents last week where there were very interesting discussions of their plans. A future meeting has been arranged for November 19.

“We’d welcome investment by residents and the private sector in the street. There would be a significant cost implication of what they want to do and all agencies would have to look at it carefully.”

He said any discussions about a one-way system would have to consider the knock-on effect on nearby streets.

Birthplace and workplace of famous

RODNEY Street was laid out in 1783 by William Roscoe, among others, and named after 18th century naval hero Lord Rodney.

There are dozens of grade II listed buildings on the street along with the derelict grade II* listed Church of St Andrew, a landmark on the ECHO’s Stop the Rot buildings hit list.

Number 62, built for John Gladstone in the early 1790s, was the birthplace of William Gladstone in 1809.

Others born on the street include poet Arthur Clough (no. nine) and Cruel Sea author Nicholas Monsarrat (no. 11).

Number 59 was home and studio to photographer Edward Chambré Hardman and is now owned by the National Trust.

The country’s first public health officer Dr William Duncan lived at number 54 and writer and biographer Lytton Strachey at number 80.

catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk

I am all for this!
I completely agree. Not even nearly enough emphasis is on this fantastic street.

I am currently undertaking an MSc at Liverpool John Moores University in Commercial Building Surveying. At the moment I am involved in a project to convert a property on Rodney Street. I am trying to find out information on other renovations/refurbishments on this street in order to determine the complexity of such a task and discover benefits and drawbacks of converting listed buildings.

Any information that could be provided would be both beneficial and greatly appreciated. :)

LIVERPOOL has won an ownership battle in the high court to help preserve a derelict Stop the Rot landmark.

The court has ruled against a challenge to the city over the ownership of St Andrew’s church in Rodney Street.

Work will now finally be able to start on making the grade II listed church safe after a long legal battle.

It is hoped the site will be open for people to visit during this year’s Heritage Open Days event in September.

The council will now start talks with interested organisations to find a long-term use for it.

Cllr Berni Turner, Liverpool’s executive member for the environment, said: “St Andrew’s has been a blight on this area of the city centre for far too long.

“We’ve been extremely frustrated as there have been innumerable hearings about the ownership of the building but finally it appears that this legal saga is over.

“We want to find the best use for this imposing building as soon as possible.”

Three years ago council managers ring-fenced £250,000 to spend on repairs to the Georgian site.

But they were unable to carry out any extensive work until ownership was resolved.

The high court this week refused permission for an appeal to be heard against a land tribunal adjudicator’s ruling that the title of the 185-year-old church, in effect its ownership, rested with the city.

The council bought the building in 2005 from architects who acquired it following legal action against its previous owners.

This was disputed by the previous owners and led to the hearing.

St Andrew’s and its neighbouring Sunday School have been empty since the early 1980s ,and in 1983 the church suffered major fire damage.

Planning permission was granted in 1992 to convert it into a medical centre.

But no progress was made and the building continued to deteriorate.

In 2005 a body was discovered on scaffolding around the church.

catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk

LIVERPOOL has won an ownership battle in the high court to help preserve a derelict Stop the Rot landmark.

The court has ruled against a challenge to the city over the ownership of St Andrew’s church in Rodney Street.

Work will now finally be able to start on making the grade II listed church safe after a long legal battle.

It is hoped the site will be open for people to visit during this year’s Heritage Open Days event in September.

The council will now start talks with interested organisations to find a long-term use for it.

Cllr Berni Turner, Liverpool’s executive member for the environment, said: “St Andrew’s has been a blight on this area of the city centre for far too long.

“We’ve been extremely frustrated as there have been innumerable hearings about the ownership of the building but finally it appears that this legal saga is over.

“We want to find the best use for this imposing building as soon as possible.”

Three years ago council managers ring-fenced £250,000 to spend on repairs to the Georgian site.

But they were unable to carry out any extensive work until ownership was resolved.

The high court this week refused permission for an appeal to be heard against a land tribunal adjudicator’s ruling that the title of the 185-year-old church, in effect its ownership, rested with the city.

The council bought the building in 2005 from architects who acquired it following legal action against its previous owners.

This was disputed by the previous owners and led to the hearing.

St Andrew’s and its neighbouring Sunday School have been empty since the early 1980s ,and in 1983 the church suffered major fire damage.

Planning permission was granted in 1992 to convert it into a medical centre.

But no progress was made and the building continued to deteriorate.

In 2005 a body was discovered on scaffolding around the church.

catherinejones@liverpoolecho.co.uk

I can't say HOW PLEASED I AM ABOUT THIS! yay!

It will be brilliant if they do open it up for the Heritage Open days, would love to get a good look at the pyramid!:)