GATEACRE BROW (continued)

Nos. 10 & 12. Square mid C19 cottages; indicated (?) on 1848 map; scored stucco, hipped roof; ground floor has simple (Listed) Victorian shop front; 2 12-paned sashes above: No.12 is on the left round the corner, with panelled door, 1 16-paned sash window &. 1 blocked one on each floor. The front of this site with the front part of the Bear and Staff car park seem to be Margaret Webster's allotment No.65 in 1805, and in 1840 John Webster owned the whole site to the present back wall of the car park (it was then described as '6 cottages, stables, fold and garden'. ) In 1874 No.10 was William B. Lott, grocer and provision dealer (Philip Lott was the grocer at 30 Allerton Road Woolton at the same time) and No.12 was Thomas Burrows, gardener and there were 5 other street numbers before the Bear and Staff at No.24; these buildings are still shown on the 1891 map.

Bear and Staff pub (No.24). This may be indicated on the 1768 map by Yates and Perry; a building is shown here on the enclosure map of 1813 and a sketch of Gateacre Brow with the Bear and Staff sign clearly shown (dating from c.1815) is in the Binns Collection. Stables c.1840. Pub refronted in the Edwardian period (?) and much rebuilt. Bowling green however is shown as such on the 1840 map and survives in very similar form. (Occupants: 1825 - Richard Webster, 1840 - Mrs Fleetwood, 1874 - Joshua Ledger.)

Unitarian Chapel. Licensed 1700 (for an English Presbyterian congregation already formed here); enlarged upwards 1719, with mid Victorian re-ordering. This is a plain rectangular red sandstone building (Listed). The plan is typical of a Dissenting Chapel designed for preaching, an austere auditorium of good materials with plain fittings. To the North are 2 segmental headed windows to the South 3 (2 of these have had their heads raised); 1 segmental headed window to the East over the added Vestry; and a later Venetian window at the west over the gallery. Entrance by the original round arched doorway with keystone, off centre, at the West end; traces of a similar arch at the East. Ashlar buttresses at the West end and the date '1700' on a carved stone all added in mid Victorian times. Interior now has E. to W. orientation with a Communion Table, small organ, and C18 Pulpit (resited), some C18 panelling, C19 West gallery on cast iron columns. Bust of Rev. William Shepherd (1768-1847) for 56 years minister here, in niche in centre of N. wall - traditionally the position from which he preached.

continued . . .