Port Sunlight
Port Sunlight is unique and those who visit for the first time are usually astonished at what they discover.
The village is argued to be the finest surviving example of early urban planning in Britain. The late 19th Century village was built by William Hesketh Lever (later Viscount Leverhulme) to house his soap factory workers at Lever Brothers which eventually turned into the global giant Unilever.
Lever was a philanthropist with a passion for art and architecture and Port Sunlight is an enduring testament to the achievements of this remarkable man. The sheer scale of his philanthropy was unprecedented and the whole of Port Sunlight is now a Conservation Area and a major tourist attraction for Wirral.
The village is set in 130 acres of what can only be described as beautifully maintained parkland with a mature treescape.
Approximately 900 houses have been built along with some larger "principal" buildings. Nearly every building in the village is Grade II listed and two sections of the landscape are included in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.
Lever employed over 30 different architects in the building of the village and the result is an intoxicating mix of architectural styles enhanced by the parkland setting giving tranquil scenes of great beauty. Additionally there are some excellent public sculpture and one of the finest and largest war memorials in Britain.
Directions
Leave the M53 at junction 4, follow the B5137 and take the second left onto the B5136 towards Port Sunlight. Follow the brown and white road signs for Port Sunlight Village.
Nearby places of interest
The National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, is situated at the northern end of the Shropshire Union Canal where it enters the Manchester Ship Canal. It contains the largest collection of canal boats in the world. With its fascinating displays housed in a fine collection of Victorian buildings, the museum makes a great day out whatever the weather.
The Blue Planet Aquarium at Ellesmere Port is the largest aquarium in the UK, and boasts two floors of interactive displays and exhibits. The Blue Planet holds more sharks than anywhere else in Britain, holding more than ten different species from around the world including sand tiger sharks.