Lever Park was officially opened to the public on the 10th October, 1911, but construction of Lever Castle at Coblowe on the eastern side of the Lower Rivington Reservoir overlooking Cross’ Creek wasn’t begun until 1912. Only a small number of stonemasons and labourers worked on the site, and the build, slow in progress, was abandoned in 1925 after Lord Leverhulme’s death. Lever Castle appears to have been conceived as a ruin of the imagination, a soft-focus Gothic set-piece on the edge of the estate that heavily romanticised it’s version of Liverpool Castle which had lain since 1599 in utter ruin and “grate defacement” by the banks of the River Mersey until it’s final demolition in 1726.
It’s apparent from walking around Lever Castle that Leverhulme’s vision is a scaled-down replica with its tight, virtually impregnable corridors on the north side, though architecturally it is reasonably accurate to the researched plans drawn up by the 19th century local historian Edward Cox.
The main staircase of Lever Castle was a usuable spiral staircase until its collapse in the early 1980’s.
Three hidden defensive (where this to be a real castle) passages can be found built into the tower walls of Lever Castle. These would provide access to strategically placed ‘arrow slits’ or ‘bow loops’ around the circumference of the towers. The arrow slits are narrow vertical windows through which archers could shoot arrows.
Lever Castle has two hidden passages built into the walls leading off from the Main Staircase. The upper passage inaccessible since the collapse of the staircase is shown in the photograph.
The upper passage is only a small section, but the remains of the passage floor can be seen on the upper part of the wall. This passage would lead to an arrow slit facing away from the reservoir.
A second passage, easily accessible at ground level will be found to lead off from the foot of the staircase that curves round the opposite side of the tower and commands an excellent view along the side of the castle and down to the reservoir.
The lower passage often features in children’s games of hide and seek and is often known as the secret passage.
If the prison tower lower passage is a secret passage, the great tower passage is an even greater secret.
The passages of Lever Castle seem to be scaled down as the rest of the structure and are as a result quite narrow. It would be extremely difficult to handle a bow in such a confined space.
The Great Tower passage is now unreachable since the collapse of the stairs to the upper portion of the great tower. The passage is stable and very well preserved, with dressed stone walls and stone flagged floor and roof.
The passage can be seen to follow the curve of the tower with an arrow slit looking towards the Prison Tower.
Danger Unsafe Building
Do Not Climb the Walls
Lever Castle is in a ruinous state and has been declared unsafe by the authorities. The masonry of the walls could be unstable. People have lost their lives attempting to climb onto the castle walls. Most of the castle can be seen in relative safety, on ground level.
You have been warned!
Rivington Castle image by munki-boy
Lever Castle - Rivington image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Chapel image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Kitchen image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Spiral Staircase image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Barbican image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Barbican Flanking Tower Fireplace image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Main Staircase Wall Passages image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Great Tower Wall Passage image by munki-boy
Lever Castle Great Tower image by munki-boy
The County Parish of Rivington is quite large and contains the village, most of the “three lakes”, the pike and parts of Winter Hill as far as the River Douglas near Horwich.
All about Rivington Pike, a prominent hill above the town of Horwich in Lancashire, topped by an easily recognizable tower on site of an ancient beacon fire.
All about the Rivington Reservoirs, the Three Lakes, Yarrow Reservoir and Anglezarke with maps and information.
The ruins of Lord Leverhulme’s terraced gardens at Rivington, known to locals as the Chinese Gardens.
A small area with a wooded stream, waterfalls and interesting geological features
A wooded stream valley with geological faults, waterfalls, the site of an old cotton bleaching works and a secret pub.
The site of the old Horwich plague pits with some degree of accuracy for the first time. Illustrated with a bunch of maps from 1620 to present (almost).
