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everysinglestreet

#everysinglestreet [02/06/21] Breakfast with John at Strawberry Field and Mendips

Graham Holland        

Strawberry Field, on Beaconsfield Road, used to be a Salvation Army children’s home. From 1947 to 1964 John Lennon lived in a house called Mendips just around the corner and a short distance along Menlove Avenue. As a child he used to hang out with the kids in the home, and used the name as inspiration for the 1967 song Strawberry Fields Forever. Both the original children’s home and its replacement have gone, and in its place stands a new centre with a cafe, museum, prayer room, and training centre.

The famous red gates are now a tourist attraction, and many visitors sign their names on the gate posts and gates. A number of years ago the gates were stolen, leading to an outcry and city-wide gate-hunt. They were eventually found and returned. In 2011 the original gates were moved into the gardens, and replaced by a replica. You can buy your own replica should you have the money and somewhere to put it!

On the other side of Menlove Avenue from Beaconsfield Road is Yewtree Road, which runs along one side of Calderstones Park. When I was a kid this was *my* park! It’s where we would come to as a family to feed the ducks on the pond, play games, exercise the dog, eat ice creams, and catch tadpoles. Even when we weren’t visiting we’d still pass it on the way to and from Grandma’s house in Aigburth. 

There’s a new information board that’s been added by The Reader Organisation (based in the manor house), which links to this site via a QR code. As you can see, it’s not quite ready yet. trails.thereader.org.uk The old Calderstones Park sign is still there although I don’t know when it was last used. 

Beaconsfield Road and Yewtree Road have a number of private, gated communities with big, posh houses. On the other side of Yewtree Road, bordering Dowsefield Lane, there’s a large field. I don’t know what it’s called but it’s been fields since at least 1841. 

UPDATE Thanks to my Dad who told me that there used to be a college at the end of Dowsefield Lane. Originally FL Calder College it became part of Liverpool Polytechnic then Liverpool John Moores University. My dad seems to remember that the large field used to be used for team sports. I’m not sure when the college was closed and knocked down. Here’s some information from the early years. Notice the spelling of Dowsefield Lane as Dowsfield.

There’s a stretch of Menlove Avenue with Allerton Manor Golf Course on one side, and a wooded path on the other side. Inside the wood, visible through the trees from the road, is an artwork. This was the first time I’d taken a look up close after passing it so many times in the car. 

The piece is called Outhouse, and was created by Vong Phaophanit and Clair Oboussier in 2005. It’s an etched glass structure supported by a steel frame. It was inspired by the layout of a terraced house. Inside are sandstone blocks of different shapes and sizes, arranged to represent the internal doors. You can read more about it here. gerryco23.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/outhouse

I briefly entered Woolton Village before running out of it the other direction. Lots of old brick and sandstone houses alongside more modern ones. The terraced houses on Cam Street have their rain gutters running down the inside of the front wall and exiting via a domed exit at street level. 

I took a photo of Cheddar Close, and grinned. Say ‘cheese’!

I finished Menlove Avenue! And found Menlove Allotments, hidden away from view. 

By the way, I had a bit of a GPS disaster on this run. I forgot to charge my Garmin after Monday’s run so could only record the first 3km. I saved this then switched to Strava on my iPhone. Unfortunately this stopped working, probably due to me switching apps (camera, podcasts, music). I only realised when I’d reached the end. So when I got the chance I re-created the route manually on Strava, downloaded the .gpx file, added a time stamp, and uploaded it as a new activity. 

Stats

  • Wednesday 2nd June 2021
  • 29 streets
    Menlove Avenue, Calder Grange, Dowsefield Lane, Kiverley Close, Middlefield Road, Smalley Avenue, Stratton Close, Tamerton Close, Whitstone Close, Yewtree Road, Deerbourne Close, Berrington Avenue, Cam Street, Cheddar Close, Cobden Place, Evesham Close, Greenough Street, Hillview Gardens, Kenilworth Close, Kenilworth Way, Merrion Close, Rockmount Close, Rockmount Park, Rodick Street, Rose Street, The Hollies, The Vineries, Vale Road, Smalley Avenue, Yewtree Road
  • Total: 3,981 (70.27%)
  • Remaining: 1,697

Photos on Facebook

All of the photos from this run are in a publically viewable Facebook album.

To view them click here.

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Great North Run

I’m running the Great North Run for the first time on Sunday 12th September, raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK. My mum has Alzheimers so this charity is close to my heart. If you can spare a couple of quid to help me reach my target I would be extremely grateful.

justgiving.com/fundraising/grahamsgreatnorthrun2021

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