The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-28 00:00:00

SKETCHES OF LIVERPOOL AND ITS VICINITY
No. IV.

(Trritten for the Liverpool Standard.)
ST. NICHOLAS'S TOWER.
I was sauntering on the Egremont pier-head (the first to
the northward of George's dock entrance) waiting the de-
parture of the steam-boat, and on looking at the clock of St.
Nicholas's tower, I could not help admiring the taste dis-
played by the architect in that truly elegant structure. The
stone-work of the turrets and lantern, with its flying but-
tresses and rich open carved work, all in good preservation,
is beautiful; and the gilded ship, which surmounts the whole
as a vane, is appropriate. I was reminded of a quaint de-
scription given of this tower by a local bard whom I have
before quoted. In a satirical, digressive, but humorous de-
scription of the town, he says :
Not far from George's dock, but where there's less stir,
St. Nicholas' and its Gothic tower appear:
The last designed by Harrison of Chester.
('Tis well to have such clever neighbours near,
For here they care not with such piles to pester—
They'd rather build of cotton bags a tier;)
And thus are we indebted, I conjecture,
To Cheshire both for cheese and architecture.
Upon the tow'r, magnificent and tall,
Rise lantern top and turrets 'laborate ;
(There once a steeple stood which chanced to fall,
And crushed some hapless beings 'neath its weight;)
The windows of the church are rather small
(St. George's being too large makes matters straight):
Here vestries meet for poor-rates to beseech us,
And make their annual officers and speeches.
By the way, Mr. Editor, thought I, how does it happen
that the clock of St. Nicholas's church is so well illuminated
after dark (forming a pleasing and useful object to parties on
the river), and that the clock of St. George's church, facing
at its respective sides some of the finest streets in the town,
is generally half-eclipsed, or so bedimmed apparently with
smoke that the hour is not distinguishable ? It may be said
that such matters are scarcely worthy of the pen of a
" sketcher ;" but in this I do not concur, inasmuch as it is
the due attendance to each that makes up the aggregate of
those ornaments and utilities which are pleasing to the eye
and creditable to the town. But I was called from my di-
gression by the hissing of the steam from the ferry-boat, and
the cry of the boatman—" Now for Egremont; My pur-
pose was a ramble to the Rock battery and Light-house, and
a peep at New Brighton, and I regretted that my friend
Alfred was too much occupied to accompany me—the more
so as he would have entertained use, no doubt, with a recital
of a tradition relating to this point of the Wyrall peninsula
in olden times, and which I once heard him allude to as be-
ing entitled, " The Legend of the Black Rock." I shall,
however, obtain it from him some of these days, Mr. Editor,
ofor the entertainment of c•otir readers.
EGRRAIONT.
The forenoon (Saturday), I need scarcely remark, was ex-
ceedingly fine, and inclining to sultry, with, in the earlier
part, a light air, from the south, a cloudless sky, and a con-
sequently ardent sun.. It was yet scarcely noon. A number
of passengers crowded the boat, and we started to the tune
of Rule Britannia," on a couple of clarionets and an equal
number of French horns, though sooth to say, there were no
" waves" to rule. The river was, as usual, enlivened by sailing
vessels of all sizes and sorts, slowly moving down under sail,
against the rising tide, ordrifting up along with it. The
smoke of the town was carried in murky clouds down Bootle
Bay, and almost shaded Everton from view. The Cheshire
shore showed to comparatively greater advantage, the wind
from those points of the compass on which there is some
westing being alone favourable for a distinct view of our noble
port from the river.
In about a quarter of an hour we landed at Egremont.
Here there is a pier run out • but the water is too shallow
when the tide is not up to admit of the steamer's running
close to it. A small vessel is consequently moored a short
distance out, alongside of which she lies, and thence the pas-
sengers are landed in a large flat-bottom boat, simply and
effectually worked by a winch and rope at each end. The
end of one rope is attached to the stationary vessel and that
of the other to the pier, so that one of the winches being
turned (by two men) and the other let loose, the boat is al-
ternately warpedjbackwards and forwards without the aid o
oars

The Egremont hotel is a large and handsome building.
Leading westward from it is a spacious street or road, on
each side of which are a number of modern built detached
houses, with small gardens or shrubberies in front. At the
top of the street, which diverges on the right towards Liscard,
stands Egreemont church, a handsome and spacious building
in the Grecian style. The front, or east end, facing the street
noticed is of stone, with a projecting collonade of four-fluted
doric columns, surmounted by a handsome boldly-corniced
pediment. The windows are large, and the whole with a
surrounded yard is neatly enclosed. There is a road thence
through Liscard to New Brighton ; but I preferred going
along the sands below, for the sake of the river scenery. At
first on leaving Egremont pier, the footing is loose, and walk-
ing somewhat laborious, but as the pedestrian draws nearer
to the Rock, the sands become firm and smooth.
A good deal of the land beyond Egremont, on the shore,
is of a clayey nature, and large masses of it have, from time
to time, fallen down in a puddled state, after heavy rains in
the winter, and more particularly after frosts. In several
parts strong stone walls have been built at its base to preserve
it, but much yet remains exposed to these periodical dimi-
nutions. Just above one of these mural erections, where
there are two inclined planes or slips, land is advertised to
be sold for building on ; and a little to the westward, and
facing a road laid out for a street in that direction, a hand-
some pavilion-roofed house is already completed. From
every eminence in this quarter, pleasing and extensive pros-
pects are obtained to the eastward ; from the basin of the
river above the Jungle point and the town, along the whole
extent of coast northward as far as Formby. The white
houses and villas of Bootle, Seaforth, "Waterloo, &c. have a
lively, and though apparently much exposed to the sea-breeze,
a warm appearance. It may be remarked that, whether
from the saline particles borne on the winter's gales or other
causes, neither there nor at New Brighton, the site of which
is for the most part of greater altitude, is the temperature
more severe or attended With greater vicissitudes than in
parts of the county situated in vallieior presenting an ap-
pearance of shelter. It may be added, that along the north
shore too, where the soil is light and sandy, spring scatters
her earliest garlands, and even winter reluctantly nips the
tenderer flowers, and seldom leaves the pasture without
some cheering floral mementos of the comparative mildness
of the climate.
On walking along the beach on a still day the novelty in
sound of modern times is the frequent dashing or thudding
of the water by the paddle-wheels of the steam-vessels that
are continually passing to and fro. This is peculiar, and,
like bells in the distance, falls upon the ear in varied modu-
lation, as it is borne more or less distinctly on the wind or
current of air. Passing northward, a handsome brick-built
mansion is seen on the eminence, overlooking the shore,
with a fine sloping lawn, diversified by shrubberies, and a
wood of considerable height on the north. The south front
is entirely covered with a fine pear tree, now in full leaf, and
rich with blossom. At the east front there is a veranda,
affording a shady walk. This is " Sea Bank," the seat of
Mr. Maddock, a magistrate. The gardens are said to be fine.
There are several neat houses built contiguously, a little
to the north, with hanging grass-plots and flower-gardens in
front. Near there is a small inn—" The Half-way House,"
with a green in front, on which there are green seats, for the
accommodation of those who prefer sitting out of doors. On
a sign-board swinging in front there is a picture of a fat
kitchan-maid, following her vocation. On this are inscribed
two homely couplets, inviting those " on pleasure" to par-
take of the ham and eggs and ale and porter provided within.
While I was passing this spot the wind, which had for some
time inclined to calm, chopped round to about the N.N.W.,
and gave some diversity to the vessels on the river. A vast
number of small fishing boats, which had been shrimping in
Bootle Bay, now made their way up the river. Many of
these have tanned or pointed sails, which gives a variety to
the scene. Several large vessels lay at anchor a little to the
eastward ; one of them, a bark, gaily decorated with flags
The pedestrian now reaches

THE MAGAZINES,
a hamlet, at the back of which is the gunpowder manufac-
tory, from which it derives its name. There are here some
neat cottage-built houses, with little gardens, on the sides of
the bank and on the eminence. Below the inn, or " Maga-
zine lIotel," is the Life-boat House, a substantially-built
shed, in which a large life-boat is kept in constant readiness,
in cases of danger to crews in the neighbourhood. There is
an inclined plane in front of it, by which the boat, mounted
on wheels, may readily be launched when the tide is thrown
up by gales. The spot is marked by a lofty flag-staff on the
high ground behind. Here considerable improvements are
going on for the protection of the land from the sea.
A little further on stands " The Royal Hotel," a fine large
building latelyerected,but unoccupied, with a piece of ground
in front strongly walled in from the river. North of it there is
a coppice, and a little glade or valley, at the top of which
stands a handsome two-story cottage facing the south, and
partly secluded from the shore. From this point Bootle
Landmarks, two slender and lofty pillars, painted white and
black perpendicularly, to render them more conspicuos from
the channels without,—and Bootle, Seaforth, and Waterloo
churches form prominent objects on the opposite side,—while
the villages themselves form a continuous line of lively
cottages and marine villas. Proceeding nothward, the
pedestrian reaches the freestone rock which is continued
hence all round the Rock point, with the exception of some
little intervening sand. Coppices overtop the rock, which
here forms the natural sea wall, and through which are cut
entrances with steps leading to several villas above. The
sand hills, commence at a short distance further on. The
pedestrian has now reached New Brighton pier, an erection
of wood of considerable length and elevation, and affording a
generally good and commodious landing from the steamer.
Near the top stands the " ferry house ; ' and here may be
seen ladies, and boys and girls riding along the sands on
asses, and occasionally ponies, a number of which is here
kept for hire. Passing on I soon reached
THE ROCK PERCII BATTERY,
A structure of no little interest to excurtionists. It com-
mands the mouth of the Mersey, and was built for the pro-
tection of the port against any possible aggrdsion from
abroad; but in all probability will never be called into
warlike requisition, the difficulties of the outward channels
for foreign vessels, being almost insurmountable.
The battery, to which I was politely admitted by Mr.
Oliver, the master gunner, who has charge of it, is of an
irregular triangular form, with a straight side facing the
landward or south, terminating in two round towers. It is
built of red free stone, in large blocks. The approach to the
entrance which is in the centre of the south side, is by alj
inclined plane raised on three arches of increasing size, and
terminating in a draw bridge. The foss is of no great depth,
the battery having frequentlya better substitute in the sea that
washes round it and isolates it from the shore. The gateway has two ionic pillars on each side with a surmounting r
en-
tablature over which is the Royal Arms in alto fievo, cast
in iron, and painted in immitation of stone. The esplanade
gor interior space is spacious and well fl 5d
. In the centre
is the magazine, partly sunk below the surface,a and strongly
_
arched for greater safety under the slated roof. There is a
cordon round the towers, and also round battery. On
the interior of the gateway is thehaving
i followingexceeded inse inscription,
actualre-
markable only in the estimate
cost:--

gipEßCii ROCK BATTERY. 0 8
Estimate
Expense { Actual cost
I Commencement 31st March, 1826.
Date of 1 Completion.... 30th April, 1829.
Superintended by Captain Kitson, Royal Engineers."
The battery mounts 18 guns in all, namely, 16 thirty-two
pounders and two eighteens. The two last are in the inside
or middle
of the tower, in which are port-holes; and there
are two of the thirty-twos on their tops. The carriages are
of the traversing platform kind, of the best description. The
puns were cast at Rotheram, in Yorkshire. The carriages
are by Messrs. Barclay, of the same county. There is an
infantry platform, raised over the houses built against the
south side, for the soldiers, and from each room there are
horizontal loop-holes for musketry, in case of an attack from
the landward. This platform is covered with asphaltum,
and a tine view is obtained from it.
I remember, Mr. Editor, seeing the foundation stone
of this battery laid with great ceremony •, and the subsequent
fate of Captain Kitson, the able and gallant superintendent,
forties a painful reminiscence. He went out in the employ-
ment of the government to Honduras, in South America,
where he died soon after of a malignant fever. Lamentable
to relate, his lady and family embarked for this country after
their bereavement, but the vessel was lost, and all on board
perished!

Round the battery, to a considerable extent, the ground is
composed of free stone, which is for the most part washed
clean by the sea. On the north there is a landing-place,
near the light-house, for small boats, and parties of pleasure,
here frequently debark, and, seated on the shelving rock,
partake of the viands and other refreshments they have