Calderstones House

Calderstones Mansion House
Calderstones Mansion House
General information
Town or city	Liverpool
Country	England
Construction started	1828
Client	Joseph Need Walker

Coordinates: 53°22′53″N 2°53′38″W / 53.3815°N 2.894°W / 53.3815; -2.894

Calderstones Mansion House, Calderstones Park, Liverpool was built in 1828 for Joseph Need Walker, a lead shot manufacturer. It is a 'restrained neo-classical' ashlar mansion of three floors with a separate and extensive stableyard and coach-house which was originally set in 93 acres of parkland. In 1875 the house and estate were acquired by Charles McIver, co-founder of Cunard Line, for £52,000.

In 1902 the McIver family sold the estate of Liverpool Corporation who transformed it into a public park, they soon acquired the adjoining estate of Harthill and established the current 126 acre park.

The Grade II listed building became the offices of the Liverpool Corporation Parks and Gardens department and in the 1940s part of the house was transformed into a self-contained flat for the Assistant Head Gardener. The 1940s also saw a neo art-deco open-air theatre was constructed at the back of the house, designed by Sir Lancelot Keay.

For most of the 20th Century the mansion housed a tea-room and cafe and was regularly used for wedding receptions, parties and other functions. In the 1970s the house became council offices and remained that way until 2012.

In January 2012 the council placed the house on the market.

The Reader Organisation was awarded Preferred Bidder Status in January 2013. They have a licence agreement to use the buildings for meetings, events and activities, and are currently in final negotiations before signing a 125-year lease.

The Reader Organisation will transform Calderstones Mansion House into an international flagship project for shared reading, a model reading community.