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Bluecoat Chambers from the Gardens of the former St Peters Church |
The Duke Street
area of Liverpool, including Berry Street, Bold Street and Hanover Street, lies to the south of the city centre and has
more recently become known as "RopeWalks'. The term Ropewalks is a relatively
modern description. It takes its name from the craft of rope-making for sailing
ships that dominated the area until the 19th century. It is characterised by
its long, straight streets running parallel to each other. It is said that the
streets were built in this way to allow rope manufacturers to lay the ropes out
lengthways during production. The area consists of the south west part of the
Duke Street Conservation Area plus two warehouses on College Lane and the
Bluecoat Chambers on School Lane.
Duke Street grew
in popularity following the opening in 1715 of the Old Dock, or Steers Dock,
which was located within the original pool and allowed secure moorings and
access from the River Mersey. The location of the dock meant that the merchants
of the town demanded premises near to the Dock and its Customs House.
Hanover Street
was the first part of the area to undergo development, followed by Duke Street
and Bold Street, and also the fields that surrounded the area were similarly
developed. Roperies occupied the site of what is now Bold Street supplying the sailing ships and as a result
the demand for residential property intensified so that the merchants could be
located close to their business interests.
The Charles Eyes
plan of 1785 illustrates that by this time, the area had been substantially
laid out and developed, so that connecting streets such as Seel and Fleet
Streets were present, and the plan of the area seen today was in place.
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Charles Eyes plan of 1785 |
The Broadest
streets such as Duke Street contained the Merchant houses whereas the narrower
streets led to the crowded residential streets that were the homes of the
workers as well as to the rope works and other business premises. The J. Gore
directory in 1766, indicates the population mix of the area of the time. In
Cleveland Square, the list contains nine sea captains, six traders/merchants as
well as artisans and professionals. As the trade increased it was no longer
feasible for merchants to use their houses to store goods and new warehouses
were built. Because of the demand for plots of land the warehouses were narrow
and deep and usually three or four stories high with a basement.
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Charles Roberts Duke Street |
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Duke Street and Slater Street on 20th July 1960 |
However, the
area has reinvented itself as the city’s “independent quarter” today it is the
natural home of indie shops and bars, while the narrower streets and renovated
warehouses, have created homes for cafes and music venues. making it one of Liverpool’s best districts
to explore. Within the Duke Street area, a number of key buildings remain that
help to define its history and character, in Bold Street the Cripps Building,
is a fine example of a mid-19th century shop with an elegant glass frontage.
Concert Square and its surrounding streets of Wood Street, Fleet Street, Seel
Street and Concert Street are populated with bars and nightclubs. The area is
also home to FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) it is the UK's leading media arts centre,
offering a unique programme of exhibitions, film and participant-led art
projects.
The area is
without a doubt one that remains stepped in history and is well worth a visit
either to shop, dine out or drink
Links
Sources
Liverpool Central Library
Liverpool Records Office
Robert F Edwards