Introduction to Woolton Mount

The three houses at the top of the Private Roadway, "Woolton Mount" - a semi-detached., pair to the south (of which only one, Ashtor, remains) and The Mount to the north have presented us with problems. We are unsure of their numbering (as, we think, were others before us) and because these houses remained in the possession of James Gore (1784-1872) the builder, and his heirs until the death of his grandson James Cross in 1921 (see Woolton Park Walk) there are no early deeds to help. We have attempted to put early residents into houses, and to show a convincing succession of residents for each, but we may very well be in error before the first Rates Book of 1867. If any of our readers know of diaries, letters or old drawings or photographs which would help we would be delighted to hear of them.

The Private Roadway ''Woolton Mount" with its now unique (in Liverpool) surface of large Woolton sandstone blocks must have been constructed between 1840 and 1846.

THE MOUNT - built between 1840 and 1846 Listed Grade II

First we list some alterations: the bay on the east was added between 1891 and 1904; on the south entrance front the addition on the left (forming garage) came just before the last war; swimming pool added in 1978 when there was work to the roof and all the original stucco and dripstones were removed to be replaced with cement rendering, when it was revealed that the brickwork of the house was built with a rough surface as a base for the stucco (note also that the west elevation to the yard is stone, not stucco) and between 1984 and 1986 the house was rewindowed with u.p.v.c. for double glazing.

Architectural description - this is a simple 2-storey house built at a time when the shell could have been given a Classic or a Gothic finish. The Mount has dripstones and with this slight Gothic accent it could be termed a Gothic Villa. On the east front the ground floor windows come right clown to floor level as we have seen before.

continued . . .