I settled on 3 objectives which I realised could be linked by a bus trip and walk:

* Visit the site of a Welsh chapel to mark my Lerpwl Cymru heritage
* See what has happened to the early social housing at Eldon Grove, Vauxhall.
* Return via Old Hall Street which has changed a lot since the millennium.

Walking across St John's Gardens to the bus station I made my first discovery. A self-set urban Fig Tree growing a retaining wall!

#FreeRangeLiverpool

2/11

The Chapel I chose was in Everton. Multiple buses run from Queen Street bus station along Everton Road which was perfect, although several left at the same time.

Bus stop names in Liverpool have changed significantly since 2010. Consequently much of #OpenStreetMap data, which was imported back then, is out of date.

I was surprised by the absence of real-time indicators at most stops. Even when they did exist they showed too much extraneous stuff.

3/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool

First thing I found on Everton Road was Liverpool Provincial Grand Orange Lodge, a sign that it wasn't just Catholics who moved to Liverpool from Ireland in C19 and after.

It prompted a memory of a tale my Grandmother told. A bus conductor was concerned that the green dress she was wearing on 14th July might be seen as an insult by "Loyalists".

4/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool

Fitzclarence Way is a little further South along Everton Road. It is a short stub road giving access to the green space of Everton Park which descends from the ridge line.

Originally, Fitzclarence Street, it was a residential street with a Welsh Calvinist Methodist chapel on the S side. My grandparents met through this chapel, and, I believe, were married there.

It was destroyed in the Blitz (1940/1941).

5/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool

I didn't come across the Everton Park Heritage Trail interpretation boards until I backtracked to Village Street across the park.

I don't know the full extent of the trail as I only saw a few boards. I've chosen to highlight one which shows the residential street layout I'm the 1960s on what is now parkland. The history since then is too complex to summarise!

The boards and trail are not mapped in #OpenStreetMap

6/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool

The most significant building from prior to urbanisation lies a little further down the hill. This is the Everton Lock-up, anachronistically also called Prince Rupert's Tower. (Prince Rupert, son of the Winterkönigen, beseiged Liverpool during the English Civil War, directing operations from Everton.) This is a small gaol.

It us rather recognisable because it is a major element in Everton FC's crest.

7/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool

From Everton I went to Vauxhall, crossing the entry to the Kingsway tunnel. My goal was Eldon Grove, one of the earliest examples of social housing in Liverpool. I've been fascinated by these buildings since reading a blog post by @MunicipalDreams.bsky.social : https://municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/a-weekend-in-liverpool-i/

The buildings have been uncared for years, but I was shocked by their state. These are beautiful in their own right, but represent a key point in the areas social history.

8/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool

By now I was flagging a bit. Nearby was a church, unnamed on #OpenStreetMap. As it was on my route I thought I'd correct this ommission.

It turns out that the Roman Catholic church (St Sylvester) closed in 2011. It does have, however, a small and well-tended garden. To my delight this contained three benches, so I was able to have a comfortable rest.

On leaving I noticed a plaque set in the ground, drawing my attention to the original font, now part of the garden.

9/11 #FreeRangeLiverpool