William Lever made his fortune in soap. Born in Bolton, the son of a grocer, he began making soap at Warrington in 1886. By the time he died, Lever Brothers (the forerunner of the multinational Unilever) was the largest firm of its kind in the world, and the new town of Port Sunlight was founded. His grand estate, including the mansion of Rivington Hall dating from the late 17th and early 18th centuries, was later rebuilt and extended, while still standing behind the hall is the Great Hall Barn — a much older structure which may date from as early as the 11th century and was once used as a tithe barn.
The gardens themselves incorporate slanting paths and terraces, sets of steps, and a range of grottoes, bridges, and artificial lakes. Built of dark local gritstone, these features can look sombre on a dull day but are nevertheless intriguing. The gardens have had an eventful history: Lever's Bungalow was burnt by suffragettes, and after he died the area was acquired by Liverpool Corporation, leading exotic plants and buildings to fall into decay and become overgrown. More recently, conservation work has opened up the network of paths again; although not completely restored to their former glory, their wild and abandoned character is nevertheless attractive and gives them a powerful atmosphere.
The tower at the northern end of the gardens is a dovecote folly in a Scottish baronial style, and immediately below it is one of the ornamental lakes. Another large ornamental lake, forming part of a Japanese garden, is situated near the southern end and can be visited on the descent. This place is especially lovely in late spring when rhododendrons are in flower and during autumn when the leaves of the large range of trees change colour.
Further along the route, a footpath leads to the summit of Rivington Pike, from where there are magnificent views across Lancashire to the coast with Lever Park and the reservoirs in the foreground. The Pike formed part of a chain of beacons warning of the approach of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and the tower that crowns it now is a mid-18th-century folly resting on older foundations.
Within Lever Park it is worth visiting the Great House Barn at the far end of the avenue leading from Rivington Hall — another cruck-framed tithe barn, smaller than the Great Hall Barn but just as interesting. Nearby and more whimsical is the replica of Liverpool Castle which Lord Leverhulme built during the 1920s.
Wildfowl overwinter on the reservoir in Lever Park, and there is a large range of woodland birds among the terraced gardens and various moorland birds higher up. With its avenue of trees, grassy areas, and reservoir views, the 400-acre park has many attractive picnic spots.
Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.
