Rivington

[Lever Park entrance between two columns]

126k JPEG. Rivington Pike Tower can be seen on the horizon. February 1996.

Rivington, in Lancashire, lies to the north of Horwich and is reached from Lever Park Avenue. The River Douglas starts in Rivington, heading south through Wigan, marking the boundary between Horwich and Rivington. An early form if it's name "Ruhwinton" could be derived from a rough farm steading, or "Rowenton", the settlement of the mountain ash. Bronze age burial sites have been found on several hilltops, including Winter Hill. Above Rivington, are the Terraced Gardens, all that now remains of the former house and estate of Lord Leverhulme.

The entrance to Lever Park Avenue is at a place called Scholes Bank in Horwich.

The picture above shows the entrance to Lever Park Avenue, which leads into Rivington lane. The left hand pillar reads: LEVER PARK, THE GIFT OF WILLIAM HESKETH LEVER 1ST VISCOUNT LEVERHULME BORN AT 6 WOOD STREET, BOLTON SEPTEMBER 19TH 1861. DIED AT HAMPSTEAD, LONDON MAY 7TH 1925.

The right hand pillar reads: FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CITIZENS OF HIS NATIVE TOWN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT IN 1902 THE OWNERSHIP AND CARE OF THE PARY WERE VESTED IN THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL.

The actual act of parliament was passed on May 30th 1902 after a long battle which decided that Rivington Park could be a public park, but Liverpool Corporation, who's water it supplied, were to be responsible for it.

Several mills were built to make use of the running water, handloom weaving and a number of farms established. Liverpool Corporation Waterworks built filter beds on the site, and used the reservoir to supply drinking water from 1857.

Great House Barn

54k JPEG Shows the shape of the roof. February 1996.

During 1941-45, this barn was apparently used by units of the regular army and the TA. If you can help fill in the details of this, please email me. You may also like to contact Len, who can be emailed on annlen@annlen.freeserve.co.uk.

[Barn seen over the road]

77k JPEG from the other side February 1996.

Great House Barn just off Rivington Lane, the design is Scandinavian, and dates speculated are between 811 A.D. and 1300 A.D. with major renovation in 1702. The roof is spectacular with an internal oak framework. Today it contains a tourist information centre and a cafe.

[Interior roof of Great House Barn]

134k JPEG Showing internal roof structure.

Rivington Hall Barn

114k. Sunday motorbikers meeting at the barn, 1995.

[Interior roof of Rivington Hall Barn]

120k JPEG Showing internal roof structure.

The stone bases and crucks supporting the roof, and some of the purlins are part of the original construction, the rest of the barn dating from a rebuild in the early 1700's. They were used originally to shelter animals and feed, and later to store hay.

Internal construction uses a technique called Cruck, where two similar pieces of timber are connected in pairs with a tie beam. The crucks sit on stone bases which protect the wood from the damp of the ground. Purlins, the beams of wood running the length of the building support the stone flag roof, the walls also being stone. Wooden pegs pushed into mortice holes are used to secure the timers, iron was more useful in weapons or tools than nails.

Lever Park was bought in 1900 by Mr. William Hesketh Lever (1851 - 1925), first Viscount Leverhulme. Shortly after buying the Rivington estate with around 400 acres of land, he donated much of it to the people of Bolton.

Above the banks of the Rivington Reservoir is a replica of Liverpool Castle. Lever also constructed a small zoo and Terraced Gardens. The zoo is now no longer in existence, the gardens overgrown.