Terraced Gardens
Bungalow Fire
As part of a 1913 Royal Tour of Lancashire the Earl of Derby hosted George V and Queen Mary at Knowsley. On July 7th the King and Queen visited Widnes in the day and in the evening a royal command performance had been arrange at Knowsley Hall in the presence of the King, Queen Mary, Edward Prince of Wales and the Earl of Derby and many other dignitaries and industrialists, amongst who was Leverhulme. The event had been organized to celebrate the 19th birthday of the Earls son. Among the seven acts to appear was George Formby, at the peak of his career, in his first performance in the presence of members of the royal family. The month before this Emily Davison, Suffragette died after walking in front of the Kings horse at the Derby. Leverhulme received the terrible news whilst at Knowlsely Hall, Edith Rigby had set his country home ablaze at Roynton cottage, the fire was spotted from Anderton Hall and went out of control. The first bungalow was totally destroyed. His wife, Elizabeth Hulme died 24 July 1913, age 62. The new bungalow was built in its place from 1914.
The Bungalow was a second home of Lord Leverhulme and is outside of Lever Park, on the slopes of the Pike, the area is owned by a trust. Although much of the original grounds have gone the Pigeon Tower and other structures remain as landmarks.
A map, c.1918 of the bungalow grounds can be downloaded here, the map predates the Japanese Gardens (locally known as the Chinese Gardens) and path network in the Ravine but does cover the area surrounding the Bungalow, there is a public footpath no. 82 that may be crossed to get to Rivington Pike and Pigeon Tower. The path starts at The Little Tea Room, Higher Derbyshire's, Rivington, BL6 7SA.
Lever Park was the site of a number of buildings built for Leverhulme including Roynton Cottage, usually called The Bungalow, Japanese garden, Roman bridges and Pigeon Tower. The first bungalow named Roynton Cottage, was one of the grandest prefab bungalows of its time, a wooden structure supplied by the Portable Building Company, Manchester made from pitch pine with twin gables and a red corrugated iron roof. 24) A garden party was held there 14th June 191325).
There was an unusual press report here in 1902 when the horses driving Leverhulmes coach refused to move, leaving the couple to walk, their Coachmen and servants were convinced and of a haunting and refused to go via that route thereafter.26).
The first bungalow was destroyed in an arson attack by suffragette, Edith Rigby, on 6th July 1913, she confessed after being arrested for a Bomb offence in Liverpool.27) The second bungalow to be rebuilt of stone was announced in the Horwich Chronicle 27th Sep. 1913, work commenced 30th May 1914, 28) just prior to the Great War. Its completion date stone was inscribed 1923.
The fire that destroyed the first bungalow on 6th July 1913 29) is reputed to have destroyed the Rivington Deed Book. The book contained the original deeds that were used as a primary source in 'History of the Pilkington Family - 1066 to 1600' by John Pilkington and 'A Short History of Rivington' by Irvine. The two books named were used as secondary source in later publications.
The Bungalow was rebuilt in 1914 and had changed a great deal by 1923, with a second story added and a ball room. The ballroom was constructed from an internal enclosed garden in 1923, the same year the Japanese Gardens were added. Between 1919 and 1924 the Rivington Garden Fete was held in the grounds to raise money for charity. The grounds heyday was in the 1920s, prior to the death of Lord Leverhulme in 1925, it was at the time constantly changing as he added more floors to the Bungalow, remodeled rooms and increased the size of the grounds. The Bungalow itself hosted balls and the grounds garden parties and charity fund raising for public open days, this was continued by its second owner John Magee of Magee Marshall Ltd.
End of an era
By 1947 the Corporation announced plans to demolish and work went ahead in 1948 to demolish the Bungalow. The Pigeon Tower being one of the summer houses in the grounds was left standing, but without any maintenance and over time its slate roof and wooden floors fell in, its windows were wrecked and for many years prior to the recent restoration its spiral staircase led to a great drop where there was once a floor.
The wording of the Lever Park Bill would later prevent any commercial enterprise stepping in to save The Bungalow from demolition in 1948.30) Leverhulme made a good profit from the Rivington deal, he also ensured the ordinary people of Bolton benefited, his Rivington legacy survives as Lever Park.
The Bungalow foundations are still present to this day. A demolition order by Bolton Council was served on the Leverhulmes bungalow shortly after the end of World War II and as the country was recovering from war the bungalow was at that time not considered a high priority and it was pulled down in 1948 31).
Remains of the bungalow and gardens are still visible on the slopes of Rivington Pike. For many years the grounds mystery was enhanced by the overgrown shrubs and bushes from the old Gardens, the Rhododendron had prospered cloaking the grounds paths and structures, whilst ivy wrapped itself around the old stone. The grounds were cleared from 1980s onwards, opening up old paths. In 2006 the park received heritage lottery funding for restoration and the Rhododendrons were destroyed to prevent sudden Oak death. 32) There were proposals in the 1990s to rebuild The Bungalow but these were blocked.
Demolition.
The Bungalow during demolition
Pigeon Tower
The Pigeon Tower was restored in 1990s, the floors and windows were replaced. However the tower remained sealed by a large metal door, no-one was allowed in, entry to this tower has not been possible for decades. On the top floor there is an ornate fireplace and above this are carved stones, part of the unrecorded history involves something being placed inside the wall there when the tower was built.
The tower was constructed by Lord Leverhulme for his wife, Elizabeth it was used for sewing and to house some of Elizabeths collection. In 1913 Leverhulme lost his first Bungalow by an arson attack, in the same year he also lost his wife, Elizabeth Lever, born at Bolton as Elizabeth Hulme, she was wife of Lord Leverhulme for 40 years until her death on 24th July 1913 with her husband at her side.
The sealed tower is of four floors, only three floors have windows, the groud floor has a large arched doorway where there was once an oak door. The Tower was built in 1910, there is a semi-circular stone stair case that leads to the upper floors via the round stair turret and lead to the former sewing room of Lady Leverhulme on the top floor. On the upper floor is a Fire Place within Lady Leverhulmes Sewing Room, above it is the motto “Mutare Vel Timere Sperno” which means “I spurn to change or to fear”. The words are also the motto adopted by various school founded by Leverhulme, including Bolton.
The pigeon holes with perching ledges are built into the outer wall. After the death of Leverhulme in 1925 the Bungalow including the tower were sold to John McGee, he died just before the outbreak of World War II.
After the death of John McGee his son Thomas was executor, despite his sons efforts to save the Bungalow and grounds no agreement could be reached with Liverpool Corporation to allow change of use. The building and grounds were bought by 1939 Liverpool Corporation for £3000 in 1939, the Bungalow was used for troops during the war.
Gate Houses
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Stone Lodge (NB)
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West lodge
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South Lodge
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Bolton Lodge
Stone Lodge appears in the book by T.H Mawson, THE ART & CRAFT OF GARDEN MAKING Published by Batsford, London 1912.
The initial stages of the design were completed by Thomas Mawson.
The upper section of the Bungalow grounds was built on open meadow land that contained a sandstone quarry and a location known as Sheep Fold. The lower section of the Bungalow grounds, including the Japanese Gardens was built on a woodland area formerly known as Hall Close on the first O/S maps, the area includes a natural spring.
Historic Preservation
Various groups including Conservation Volunteers have for many years been involved in works to preserve the former Gardens where once stood 'The Bungalow', once a gardens designed by Thomas Hayton Mawson, well known for its prominence of shrubs from its time as a garden with large Rhododendron and Azaleas dominating the area. The property changed hands after the death of Lord Leverhulme in 1925 and was occupied by the McGee family until 1938. The Dove Cote or Pigeon Tower was visible on the skyline near Rivington Pike tower was built in 1912 and is known as the Pigeon Tower, its upper floor was the sewing room of the wife of Lord Leverhulme and although currently closed to the public it has undergone a significant restoration.
The grounds had been neglected after the death of John Magee, the last private owner who died in 1938, by 1939 the lease on the property was sold to Liverpool Corporation, today known as United Utilities. In the intervening war years 1939 to 1945 the gardens were used by the military. By 1947 due to restrictions imposed by terms in the Liverpool Corporation Act on the land, preventing anything other than private residential use the Bungalow was demolished in 1947 as no other buyer could be found at that time. Magee had purchased for £15,000 and sold to Liverpool Corporation for £3000 just prior to the outbreak of World War 2, from then until recent decades the gardens and its structures were left to return to nature by it's land owner United Utilities, at one point being saved from complete demolition of all structures by the intervention of Chorley Council.
Rivington Terraced Gardens is part of the freehold estates of United Utilities under title LAN62097 who in turn lease to a group created by UU and known as Rivington Heritage Trust, Haweswater House, Lingley Mere Business Park, Lingley, Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, WAS 3LP, Registered No: 3349084, Charity No: 1064700 for 50 years from 2016, lease land registry entry number LAN179021. The structure of ownership enabled the UU to obtain funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund to maintain the former Bungalow Grounds by obtaining a £4 million grant, the work is carried out by GroundWork and it's contractors with paid staff and volunteers. The grounds host private ticketed events.
References
Copyright Paul lacey 2010.