Speke Travel Guide

 sandysmith Says:  The closeness of the airport and possible damage to the foundations from vibrations meant that at one time the removal of Speke Hall to a new location had been considered at one time ...who knows this may happpen in the future with further expansion of the airport. A... 

 sandysmith Says:  Its a lovely approach to Speke Hall down the long drive from the Lodge, especially in ths spring time with the colourful daffodils bordering the woodland scenery.Its worth noting too that if you use public transport to get here and thus not parking the car then the gardens... 

 sandysmith Says:  Speke Hall used to have a moat around its perimeter but the water has long since been removed. The guide pointed out a gardenerobe on this side of the house - this was a water closet toilet which emptied straight down into the moat below :-S 

 sandysmith Says:  photography is not really allowed inside, so just a couple of sneaky shots...The Hall dates from 1490 and the interior spans many periods from Tudor times to Victoriana. There are fine Jacobean plasterwork and carved furniture, a magnicient Grand Hall, A Victorian Kitchen... 

 sandysmith Says:  There are some beautiful stained glass motifs in the Hall - many are of the shields of the family but some are biblical scenes like this one of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. 

 sandysmith Says:  Adelaide Watt's restrictive clause for Speke Hall was limited in that it did not extend to all of the estate and sure enough part of this was sold off after her death and used for an aerodrome during the war - the beginnings of Speke Airport.On the estate walk the old Speke... 

 sandysmith Says:  On the fron of the Hall there are some more intricate details on the gables - just look at those gothic heads and fancy fretwork. 

 sandysmith Says:  Our Tudor guide pointed out this gable and its intricate decoration on the back of the house on the left hand side. This is original woodwork and probably the oldest remaining part of its architecture. 

 sandysmith Says:  Part of the garden has this almost hidden stream garden - there are several nooks and crannies to explore in the gardens here. It was a bit murky looking to be honest and this pic probably makes it look better than it really is! 

 sandysmith Says:  Its getting easier and easier to reach Liverpool from Europe. Being Capital of Culture for 2008 and hosting the Golf Open in 2006 acrosss the estuary on the Wirral has meant many more flights operating in and out of the John Lennon airport. Ryanair and Easyjet are the main... 

 sandysmith Says:  The nearest train station to Speke is a good 2 miles away so if not arriving by car then the bus is your best option. Catch the the number 82a from Liverpool city centre outside Boots) to Speke - or even the 80a (but this will go all around the houses first!)The bus will... 

 sandysmith Says:  One of the funniest things I noticed was as we crossed the little bridge across the former moat to the entrance of the Hall. They had these litttle areas where people once stood to let the carriages pass, lanterns would have been on top of the heads seen here and I swear... 

 sandysmith Says:  The gardens of Speke Hall were a pleasant place to stroll in the lovely warm spring sunshine admiring the foliage and colours of the flowers. 

 sandysmith Says:  On the approach to the airport its logo will greet youThe logo utilises the famous self portrait drawing by John Lennon and the strapline “above us only sky”, taken from the lyrics of Lennon’s “Imagine”, one of the most popular songs of all time. 

 sandysmith Says:  John Lennon Airport became the first in the UK to be named after an individual. Its new look and construction was an ideal time for a it to be re-branded and to have a new name and in July 2001 Yoko Ono visited the Airport to announce its new name as Liverpool John Lennon...