Summary

Two gate piers associated with the former Bolton Lodge in Rivington Gardens.

Description

Two gate piers formerly associated with Bolton Lodge built in about 1902 to a design by Thomas Mawson for Lord Leverhulme.

They are situated either side of the Upper Drive close to the point where it branches off from Belmont Road. They are constructed of gritstone in a rustic style, are circular in plan , and stand approximately 2m tall. They are topped by a dome which sits on an overhanging course.

History

Rivington Gardens was one of a series of three major private gardens produced by Thomas Hayton Mawson (1861-1933) in collaboration with the industrialist and philanthropist William Hesketh Lever, Lord Leverhulme (1851-1925). The Rivington site was purchased by Lever in 1899 as a parcel of land which included the area now occupied by Lever Park to the west. Lever had already formulated ideas on how the grounds might be developed and in 1901 a single-storey wooden bungalow called 'Roynton Cottage' and intended for weekend visits and shooting parties was designed by Lever's school friend Jonathan Simpson. In 1905 Lever met Mawson who collaborated with him in the design of the gardens over the period 1906-22. However, others were also involved in the design including Thomas's son, Edward Prentice Mawson (1885-1954), who undertook the overall design and in the latter years was as much responsible for the project as his father, Robert Atkinson (1883-1952) who drew illustrations in the journal 'Civic Art' in 1911, and the landscape and architectural firm of James Pulham & Son who, in 1921, were responsible for a Japanese style garden and a steep and rugged ravine with waterfalls. Lever himself also influenced the gardens' layout, designing a seven-arched bridge across Roynton Lane.

In 1913 the bungalow was destroyed by fire then rebuilt on a grander scale. Following Lever's death in 1925 the house and gardens were purchased by John Magee. After Magee's death in 1939 the site was acquired by Liverpool Corporation and in 1948 the bungalow and three entrance lodges were demolished and the gardens became open to the public. In 1974 the site passed to the North West Water Authority following local government reorganisation.

The gate piers associated with the former Bolton Lodge were built in about 1902 to a design by Thomas Mawson. The gate piers have remained in situ after demolition of Bolton Lodge.

Reasons for Listing

The gate piers associated with the former Bolton Lodge are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architect: these features are good examples of the landscape design work of Thomas Mawson
* Group value: they not only complement the other surrounding listed structures, but are integral components of the designated garden.

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26676178

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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