Arts and crafts in Merseyside
Merseyside (including Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St. Helens and Wirral) is in the North West of England. It has a population of around 1,380,000 and covers approximately 65,000 hectares. Here is a list of nearby or neighbouring counties: Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire.
Merseyside is named after the River Mersey and contains the boroughs of St Helens, Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton and Liverpool, which is one of the largest cities in Britain. Once part of Lancashire, Liverpool grew to become by the nineteenth century one of the worlds major ports, through which passed much of the raw materials and finished products of the industrial revolution. Innovations including skyscrapers, railways, trams, department stores, lending libraries and public art galleries were pioneered in Liverpool and the city contains thousands of listed buildings, such as the iconic Royal Liver Building. Although most historical architecture in Liverpool dates from during and after the 18th century, some earlier buildings survive such as Speke Hall, a timber framed Tudor house built during the 16th century and later restored. Today visitors to Speke Hall can appreciate its beautiful contrast of period and later arts and crafts features, as well as enjoying a walk though the picturesque gardens of the estate on the banks of the River Mersey. Performing arts venues in Merseyside include the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Southport Theatre, the Everyman and the Playhouse in Liverpool, the Theatre Royal in St Helens and the Little Theatre in Birkenhead.
There are many sculptures on public display across Liverpool and only London has more galleries and museums. The Walker Art Gallery has paintings by artists including Rembrandt, Degas, David Hockney and a large collection of Pre-Raphaelite art. The Tate has thousands of exhibits by renowned British and international artists, including modern and contemporary works as well as paintings dating back to the 1500s. Liverpool is famous for its influence on contemporary world culture, particularly in popular music having produced world famous bands such as the Beatles and in sport, being home to Liverpool and Everton football clubs. Famous people born in the city include the artist George Stubbs, known for his paintings of horses, and Frank Hornby, who invented internationally popular toys such as Meccano, Dinky Toys and Hornby Model Railways. The Albert Dock in Liverpool was built during the 19th century and though its commercial status declined during the 20th century, the area now houses many popular visitor attractions, such as the Merseyside Maritime Museum and the Museum of Liverpool. Millions of people visit the Waterfront each year and the historic dock complex and warehouses contributed towards Liverpool being awarded in 2004 the status of UNESCO World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City. Other attractions in Merseyside include Sudley House in Liverpool, Crosby Beach, Calderstones Park in Liverpool and Hesketh Park in Southport.
