Calderstones Park

Calderstones Park is a public park in the Allerton area of Liverpool, about 6 km (4 miles) south-east of the city centre. Covering 126 acres (around 51 hectares), it is mainly a family park, yet it also holds a botanical garden, a historic mansion and some of the oldest monuments in the city.

What is there to see in Calderstones Park?

The park packs a lot into one visit. There is a playground, a botanical garden, places of historical interest and a lake that is home to geese and ducks. It works well for a quiet walk, a picnic or a few hours out with children.

The focal point is Calderstones Mansion House, which has a café and a children's play area. After a stroll along the paths, it is a handy place to sit down with a coffee.

What are the Calderstones?

The park takes its name from the Calderstones, six decorated sandstone megaliths. They are the remains of a tomb from the Neolithic or early Bronze Age, several thousand years old. The stones originally stood on the edge of the Harthill estate. The earliest known written mention of them dates from 1568, in a boundary dispute.

Over the centuries the stones were moved and displayed in different ways, including in a glasshouse within the park. After a multi-million pound refurbishment funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Liverpool City Council, completed in 2020, they found a new home right beside the Mansion House. They are a highlight for anyone interested in archaeology and ancient history.

How did the park come about?

The mansion was built in 1828 for Joseph Need Walker, a lead shot manufacturer. In 1902 the MacIver family bequeathed the estate to Liverpool Corporation, which turned it into a public park. The city soon acquired the neighbouring Harthill estate too, enlarging the green space.

Who is it for?

• Families with children – a playground, a play area at the mansion, and ducks and geese on the lake.
• History lovers – megaliths thousands of years old and a 19th-century house.
• Plant fans – the botanical garden within the grounds.
• Anyone after some calm – wide green spaces outside the busy centre.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Calderstones Park? In Allerton, roughly 6 km south-east of Liverpool city centre.

How big is the park? It covers 126 acres, or about 51 hectares.

Is there a café? Yes, in Calderstones Mansion House, which also has a children's play area.

What are the Calderstones? Six decorated sandstone megaliths from a prehistoric tomb. Since the refurbishment completed in 2020 they stand next to the Mansion House.

Is the park good for children? Yes. It is mainly a family park, with a playground and a lake full of waterfowl.

When did it become a public park? In 1902, when the MacIver family left the estate to the city.

In short

Calderstones Park blends greenery, family fun and a history reaching back to the Stone Age. If you are visiting Liverpool and want a break from the city bustle, it suits half a day or longer. Plan a walk around the lake, a look at the megaliths and a coffee by the mansion.