The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-06-28 00:00:00

THE ROCK FERRY.

The pier, owing to the shore being here of a very gentlein-
clination until it bounds the immediately deep water of the
quarantine ground, is of considerable length, and the pas-
senger, during low tides, or at low water, has necessarily a
considerable walk up the inclined plain to reach the inn.
The,ferry-house, or entrance lodge, at the top, is an exceed-
ingly neat and appropriate building. It is in the ancient
gothic style, a miniature, in fine, of a baronial castle in the
days of yore. It consists of two conjoint compartments with
piqued roofs, gothic outworks, and an octagonal tower, used
as the ferry. belfry,—the whole embattled, and built of fine
stone, a handsome gate here crosses the pier. The principal
front is to the east or Lancashire shore, and round the build-
ing, which is on the north side of the pier, is a stone quay
constructed at great expense. One part of this erection is
used as a waiting room for passengers; another' for. the re-
ception of goods, particularly corn and other. agricultural
produce from the adjacent country, for shipment ; and ano-
ther, with a back entrance, is a blacksmith's shop, where the
Cylops forge bolts far more useful and available than those of
Jove himself.

. ,
• THE HOTEL.
Those who have not visited this part of Cheshire for the last
five years, will, doubtless, be at once astonished and delighted
to observe the extraordinary number of fine mansions that
have recently been here erected, and now but look forward
to a few short summers when they may anticipate " The
Rock" becoming the Hague, or splendid maritime village of
the Mersey.. The name of " The Royal Rock," was, we
understand, given to the ferry, from the circumstance of one
of the sons of George 111. having here landed, many years
ago, the guest of the members of the corporation of Liver-
pool, who were then wont to enjoy the chase in this part of
Cheshire. The hotel comprises extensive and commodious
premises, and being of a light stone colour, is a conspicous
object from the river. It is approached by a lawn, or plea-
sure ground, and has two parts, one to the south east, and
another to the north east. The former portion Of the pre-
mises (recently erected) consists of a handsome three story
house, with a Grecian portico. The latter of a pile of build-
ings of two stories, with demi-sexagonal wings, between
which is a colonnade forming the front entrance. The in-
terior .is replete with every convenience and accommodation,
and the urbanity and attention of Mr. and Mrs. King to
their guests, cannot fail to secure the return of visitors to
their hospitable board. On the lower floor there are four
pleasant sitting-rooms facing the north east, and one facing
the south east. One of them is a coffee-room. The other
portions of this story are appropriated to kitchens, snuggeries,
bar, &c. On the second floor there is an ample tea-room,
open, we learn, to visitors on holidays for refreshments
ad libitum, at a very moderate price. Adjoining it, is a fine
sitting-room, in the north west wing, with a large demi-
sexagonal window, commanding a charming view of Liver-
pool, and the country from Birkenhead to the Dingle on the
Lancashire shore inclusive. Adjoining, is a small snuggery,
over the central colonnade. Hence, visitors who delight to
enjoy " the light cigar," may walk out and recreate on a
spacious balcony, whence the prospect is delightful. The
other projecting wing is occupied as a bed-room, and, like
all the apartments, is splendidly furnished. Beyond it, is the
larger coffee-room, with two windows to the north east.
Here the newspapers and periodicals of the day are abundantly
provided, and dinners are frequently served up to large
parties, including the frequent " doments" of the worthy
Mayor and Corporation" of the Rock,—who are annually
elected from amongst the gentlemen of the " township,"
with all due gravity and decorum. Facing the south east,
there are several elegant sitting-rooms and bed-rooms, all
commanding a delightful view of the scenery towards Run-
corn. There is what is called a " tap-room" attached, in a
spacious yard on the north, equal in accommodation to an
ordinary inn.

THE GROUNDS.
Besides the pleasure grounds opposite both fronts of the
hotel, and which are tastefully laid out, there is at the back,
an entrance plot of ground devoted to gardens, with winding
walks, grottoes, and alcoves. The last are constructed of
fantastic bows of oak, forming rustic lattice work, and neatly
thatched. These are of different designs, principally 'round,
and each forms a pleasing retreat for parties who resort
thither from the town in quest of health and recreation.
The inn is resorted to not only by the gentlemen of the im-
mediate neighbourhood, and by casual visitors from the
Lancashire shore, but by a cricket club, a society of archers,
and numbers of young gentlemen who are fond of aquatic
sports, and who have here a boat-house, where are kept from
four to six elegantly built gigs. The ground on which the
archers pull their bows is kindly lent by R. W. Barton, Esq.
the great and spirited patron of the village, for so it is enti-
tled to be called. The present " Mayor " is John Nelson
Wood, Esq., of this town, a resident at the Rock. Mr.
Joseph Ackers is another member of the corporation.
The characters of both may be briefly and appropriately com-
prised in the appellation of "the fine old English gentleman,"
'and the same may be applied to several of their corporate
co-adjutors in this " unreformed borough."
THE VIEWS.
The prospects from every part of the shore at the Rock
are truly magnificent. It is just sufficiently distant from the
great town of Liverpool, to afford an accessible retreat for
men of business after the toils of the day, or for families in
quest of health and retirement ; and here as the noise of com-
merce is occasionally wafted on the breeze in the delightful
mansions or shady gardens, may the enthusiast " hear the
great dable, and yet not mingle in the crowd." On the North
is seen Holt hill, with its numerous elevated houses ; and be-
low it Birkenhead, with its church, hotel and mansions, em-
bowered in trees, forming an interesting promontory or pen-
insula. Far beyond it Waterloo and Bootle are distinctly
visible—the river assuming, below and above the appearance
of a lakei Liverpool with its crowded docks, its warehouses,
towers, spires, and domes, is visible along its whole extent ;
together with the heights of Everton and Edge Hill. More
immediately in front is Toxteth Park, the Park Church, and
further southward, the Dingle, St. Michael's Church peep-
ing from the trees ; Aigburth, and the wooded country to-
wards Speke, graced with beautiful mansions and homesteads.
To the south-east, the beautiful indenture of the Mersey to-
wards Runcorn, forms a bay in the distant landscape ; and a
little more to the south, is the rich low land of Ince, bound-
ing " the lake ," on this side, while in the back ground ma-
jestically rise, softened by distance, the interesting range of
Cheshire hills. Continuous with the shore on the South is
the richly wooded land of Sir Thomas Stanley, at Eastham,
and more proximate lies the New Ferry, a place also rapidly
rising in population and importance as a summer resort.
The river, noble from its breadth, and expanse from South
to North, forms continually diversified foreground. The
quarantine hulks, (six in number,) once gallant men-of-war,
are moored close to the shore, and are interesting objects,
surrounded as they frequently are by beautiful clippers, ships,
brigs, schooners, &c. with fruit and other commodities from
the Mediterranean.

Amongst these hulks, is the Arethusa, a finely modelled
frigate, which has never yet been to sea, her timber having
been seized while in the dock yard with that unaccountable
disease the " dry-rot." If to these stationary objects we add
the constant succession of vessels of all sizes and descrip-
tions, moving, by sail or steam, on the bosom of the Mersey,
the fleets of flats navigating to and from Runcorn, the sailing
and row boats, the government steam-vessels, and at times,
the great trans-atlantic " Liverpool" steam-ship herself,—
the view, it will readily be admitted, is made up of materials
of sufficient interest, variety, and magnitude, both as regards
land and water, to challenge, competition with any that is
presented by the most celebrated watering places in the king-
dom.