Speke Hall

Over het museum

Speke Hall is a timber-framed manor house on the southern edge of Liverpool, beside the River Mersey. It was built in phases by the Norris family from the 1530s to the end of the 17th century. Sir William Norris began the lofty Great Hall in 1530, and his descendant Edward Norris completed the courtyard house with a gatehouse inscribed 1598. The Norris family were known for their Catholic sympathies, and two priest holes were built into the east wing of the hall.

The estate passed through several families in the 18th century. In the mid 19th century the hall was transformed into a Gothic Revival mansion by Richard Watt V, using wealth inherited from slavery and colonialism, a history the National Trust now acknowledges and interprets. His daughter Adelaide Watt, the last private owner, added the Home Farm complex in 1885 and secured the future of the property before it came into the care of the National Trust.

Today visitors can see the Tudor Great Hall with fossils in its stone floor, Richard Watt's collection of more than 200 pieces of carved oak furniture, and early William Morris wallpapers such as Trellis, Pomegranate and Daisy. The courtyard contains two yew trees thought to be about 500 years old. Beyond the house lie a garden with a kitchen garden and orchard, woodland and a large play area.

Hoogtepunten

• Tudor Great Hall dating from the 1530s
• Priest holes and carved oak furniture
• Original William Morris wallpapers
• Two yew trees about 500 years old in the courtyard
• Gardens, orchard, bluebell woodland and estate paths
• Woodland play areas, zip wire and maze

Vaste collectie

• The house at Speke Hall – Tudor manor rooms with Victorian Gothic Revival interiors, carved oak furniture, William Morris wallpapers, priest holes and the Great Hall.

Beheerder

National Trust

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Standard prices are shown without Gift Aid (about 10 per cent higher with it). The lowest price is for the grounds only; the house is an additional charge and is open on limited days. Free for National Trust members, Neighbourhood and Community Pass holders and under-5s.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: niet aanwezig
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The entrance to the house is level and the ground floor is wheelchair accessible, but the first floor can only be reached by stairs. Mobility scooters are not allowed in the house. The formal garden is mostly flat with some steep slopes. A limited number of manual wheelchairs and powered mobility vehicles can be borrowed; booking ahead by phone is advised. Accessible toilets are at Home Farm and in the Dairy Courtyard, and several designated parking spaces are near Visitor Reception. Sensory items can be borrowed from the reception building, and there is a wheelchair-accessible roundabout in the gated play area. An access guide is on the AccessAble website.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek

The estate has a gated play area, woodland play areas with a zip wire, a hedge maze and a trail, and a garden with space to run on the North Lawn. Family trails and activities run during school holidays and on selected dates, including a free app game for children aged 7 to 12. Baby changing is at Home Farm and in the Dairy Courtyard. Balance bikes and small bikes with stabilisers are allowed, but not large bikes. Under-5s are free.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The hall is next to Liverpool Airport, about 1 mile off Speke Boulevard (A561). From the M62 leave at junction 6, or from the M56 at junction 12, and follow the airport signs, then the brown signs for Speke Hall. Satnav postcode L24 1XD. The site is linked to the Mersey Way footpath and to cycle route NCN62 (1¾ miles).

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumwinkel

The Home Farm restaurant is open daily and serves hot food, snacks, cakes and drinks. The Stable Tea-Room opens on peak days. A second-hand bookshop, Speke's Volumes, is at Home Farm, and the shop and restaurant have level access.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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