Water Street, Liverpool

Water Street

“From a drawing by G. and C. Pyne”

1828

Liverpool

Source: Muir's Bygone Liverpool, Plate 19.

See below for Muir's commentary

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Several streets have been mentioned as among the old streets of Liverpool, and perhaps it is as well to state here that Water Street is among the most ancient of them all. It was originally called " Bonke Street," and under that name is frequently mentioned in deeds of the thirteenth century and later. Water Street leads from the river front nearly due east, and conveyed most of the traffic from Cheshire and Wales into the centre of the town, which was well watched and guarded by the Castle, whilst the Tower guarded the approach to the Pool or Harbour, and also the landing of goods from the ships, which took place during the seventeenth century at the bottom of Water Street, almost beneath the Tower walls. The Prior of Birkenhead had a storehouse at the bottom of this street, in which he kept the corn grown on his Cheshire lands, intended for sale in the Liverpool market. This interesting drawing was made in 1828, before the street was widened for the second time, and the point of view is from the bottom of Water Street due east to the Town Hall, which is shown on the crest of the hill. [20]

Reference

Muir, Ramsey. Bygone Liverpool illustrated by ninety-seven plates reproduced from original paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and prints with historical descriptions by Henry S. and Harold E. Young. Liverpool: Henry Young and Sons, 1913. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of Toronto Library

Last modified 13 January 2013