We had a few days in Liverpool before our next adventure so we made the best of it, especially as we had lovely weather and our lovely daughter with us too.
In Exchange Flags, behind the Town Hall is this monument to Nelson (Battle of Trafalgar fame). It was the first piece of public art ever erected in Liverpool, and that was on the 8th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar 21st October 1813. I was almost called Horatio as that is my birthday. (The day, not the year!!). Mathew Cotes Wyatt one the competition and it only took 2 months to raise the money by public subscription. On the base are four vanquished foes, depicting Nelson's four great victories. A naked Nelson is standing on a defeated corpse and there is the skeleton of death reaching out to touch him. Britania stands above with laurels and his decorations.
This is one of the most dramatic war memorials that I have seen and it was erected by members of the Exchange Newsroom to those men who worked there, or their sons, who lost their lives in WWI.
A classic case of missing things if you don't look up when walking around cities. This is the Royal Insurance Buildings on North John Street/Dale Street corner. the building was erected between 1896 and 1903 after a design competition was won by James Doyle. It is constructed of Portland Stone over a steel beam structure, one of the first buildings to use this technique. The frieze on the Dale Street elevation depicts all subjects of insurance. It was designed by C.J. Allen. The building became disused in the 1980's and fell it to very poor repair. It was purchased by Liverpool City Council and opened as an hotel in October 2014. A great way to save this Grade II* building.
I love these terracotta brick buildings and this one is heavily decorated. It is the Cain's Brewery on Stanhope Street, near the Anglican Cathedral. It was started in 1887 for Robert Cain and no expense was spared by him. He even had every window arch of his own mansion monogrammed in stone (according to Wikipedia). After his death the company was taken over by Walkers, Then Higson's, then Boddington, and then to Whitbread's who closed it down. It has had several attempts at re-opening and I have had a pint before at the brewery Tap, just below this photo, The Grapes. I hope the building is not lost.
At the Cathedral the Museum of the Moon exhibition was on. As if the massive cathedral is not stunning enough the 7 mt moon made from high definition pictures of the moon was stunning. We have seen it in a couple of different sites and it is surprising how different the experience is in each place.
Whilst in the Ropewalk area we called into a very different Weatherspoons. It is on two levels and really seems to cater for the younger end of the market. there is a 'disco' deck and music and dancing at the weekends until late. The site was in the heart of the manufacturing area and at various times the site has seen manufacturing chemists, brass foundry, lime juice maker, warehouse and a car park. The Name comes from the fact that the chemical industry started in this area using lime as a raw material. Lime Street's original name was Lime Kiln Lane.
I have had beers by Peerless before, and in Liverpool, but it is based in Birkenhead and started brewing in 2009. The first in the town since the closure of the Birkenhead Brewery in the 1960's. The name Peerless come from the advertising slogan for that brewery of 'Peerless Ales and Stouts.
I tried the Oatmeal Stout this time, 5%. It was gorgeous and slid right down. It was a nice thick mouthful. I think the technical phrase is 'mouthful'. There are the tastes of dark malts, toffee and coffee but there is a nice sweetness there too. Extremely well worth the £2-40 paid. I'll keep my eyes open for more Peerless beers.
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