ACREFIELD (Rosenfels c.1865) - Listed Grade II.

Architectural description

Built between 1835 and 1840 and extended at the northern end probably in the 1860s. The entrance front has been much mutilated to the left, and a huge 1st floor picture window has been inserted in the garden front to Acrefield Road.

Stylistically this is very much a Classical house; but a certain heaviness can, by this date (1840) be seen in the console brackets of the upper windows on the entrance front. When we turn the corner to the garden front we see that heaviness full blown. Note, too, the circular motif below the first floor triple window in the bowed extension, which we suggest dates from c.1865. This extension may have been an entertainment suite and, at the far end, is an engagingly arranged garden entrance with niche above the door. In this example we see the growing richness and coarseness of detail of the period, but the Victorians' feeling for enjoyment of building in a non-purist kind of way is well exhibited. (There are now no signs in the window sashes of the removal of the glazing bars we must expect to find in 1840. We conclude that the house was re-windowed by Hausburg in c.1865 in plate glass, by that time the fashionable material).

Owners and Occupiers

c.1840-1842
John Shepherd born c.1791, of independent means, was owner and occupier of the house and just over half an acre of land from c.1840 - he had previously been living at 13 Prescot St. In 1841 we see that he had a wife Alice born c.1786 and a son John born c.1820, also independent, and they had 2 servants. In 1842 he went to Great Crosby.

1851-52
The Rev. John Stubbs Bushby (c.1824-1852) a Curate of Childwall was living here in 1851 with his wife Mary Sophia, born at Abbots Langley, Herts, with their daughter Ada Lucy 6mths. born in M.W., 4 servants - cook, housemaid and 2 nurses. Mr Bushby died 25th Sept. 1852 and was buried at Holy Trinity, Wavertree.

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