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Secret Liverpool
Discover for yourself the haunts of slave traders, privateers and press-gangs, the hideaway of a suspected assassin and the desecrated grave of a self-professed Jack the Ripper, track down the birthplace of rail travel and Britain's earliest mosque, marvel at a life-size replica of the world's first submarine and the original home of the Epsom Derby, be gobsmacked by burial stones older than Stonehenge and one of the earliest human settlements to be found anywhere in the UK grimace at a set of heroic dentures all the way from the battlefields of Waterloo and snigger at the sight of Queen Victoria's dildo, meet toads that sing, World War II's best-kept secret and the world's first (and smallest) skyscraper, toast the UK's greatest female athlete in a brew named in her honour or go for a spin on the only purpose-built F1 race track in the country … For tourists and locals who have outgrown Hop on–Hop off bus excursions, river cruises and Beatles tours, Secret Liverpool is an indispensable guide to the curiosities of “England's finest Victorian city”, designed for people who prefer to customise their own itinerary or simply wander where the mood takes them.
256 pages, Paperback
Published February 5, 2020
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 7, 2025
A fascinating guide to the curiosities of Liverpool, from burial stones older than Stonehenge Victoria's dildo. A guide for locals and tourists who wish to wander and look about them at history's forgotten secrets.
August 11, 2022
Some superb secret spots which I look forward to visiting in a few weeks :)
August 27, 2022
Got this from the library I need to buy a copy now. It’s a brilliant little book to have for school holidays, days out, dates! Totally recommend it.
March 13, 2020
Good mix of recommendations, from actual visitor attractions such as museums, to things to keep an eye out for, like unusual street furniture. Written in a pleasant voice. I'll see how useful it actually is in a few months when I visit Liverpool.
February 16, 2020
Secret Liverpool by Michael Keating is a book that deserves to be read. It’s a delightful guide to well over one hundred often overlooked fascinating sights of interest in and around Liverpool that provides a wealth of information for any new visitor to Merseyside, for locals wanting to learn something new about their city or a lovely escape for any armchair tourist anywhere in the world.
The author unveils all manner of curiosities including architectural wonders (like the historic Oriel Chambers), artworks of all types, parks, beaches (“the beach of bricks” in Crosby where much of the rubble from the Liverpool Blitz ended up) and cemeteries as well as moving historical peculiarities like the “leper’s squint” at All Saints Church.
Every new page is like opening a surprise gift, from reading about the “lock ups”
(small stone buildings where nuisance drunks would be put for the night to dry out) to the former homes of famous locals such as Wilfred Owen and Malcolm Lowry.
The book is arranged in a highly readable format of two pages per topic. Beautiful color photographs (mostly taken by the author) compliment the text which is written in an honest, intelligent and often humorous style. Keating’s knowledge and enthusiasm for all things Liverpool and Merseyside shine through and he’s not shy about sharing his opinions or giving some laughs to the reader.
Incredibly helpful is practical information such as opening times and directions. I should also mention that just about every sight is free to the public and accessible to visitors without cars via MerseyRail and/or foot.
I have visited Merseyside many times and it holds great fascination for me as I was born there, yet every single page had something new for me. After reading Secret Liverpool I’m desperate to return and see some of these, for me, newly discovered “secrets “for myself.
Whether you’re a born and bred Scouser or visiting Liverpool for the first time, get this book! You’ll not be disappointed.
The author unveils all manner of curiosities including architectural wonders (like the historic Oriel Chambers), artworks of all types, parks, beaches (“the beach of bricks” in Crosby where much of the rubble from the Liverpool Blitz ended up) and cemeteries as well as moving historical peculiarities like the “leper’s squint” at All Saints Church.
Every new page is like opening a surprise gift, from reading about the “lock ups”
(small stone buildings where nuisance drunks would be put for the night to dry out) to the former homes of famous locals such as Wilfred Owen and Malcolm Lowry.
The book is arranged in a highly readable format of two pages per topic. Beautiful color photographs (mostly taken by the author) compliment the text which is written in an honest, intelligent and often humorous style. Keating’s knowledge and enthusiasm for all things Liverpool and Merseyside shine through and he’s not shy about sharing his opinions or giving some laughs to the reader.
Incredibly helpful is practical information such as opening times and directions. I should also mention that just about every sight is free to the public and accessible to visitors without cars via MerseyRail and/or foot.
I have visited Merseyside many times and it holds great fascination for me as I was born there, yet every single page had something new for me. After reading Secret Liverpool I’m desperate to return and see some of these, for me, newly discovered “secrets “for myself.
Whether you’re a born and bred Scouser or visiting Liverpool for the first time, get this book! You’ll not be disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews