The Old Stableyard, Liverpool

The Old Stableyard is a brownfield site located on Smithdown Lane in the Edge Hill area of Liverpool, England. It was once one of the main stableyards for Liverpool Corporation, but is now a development site and party redeveloped as the location of The Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre.

History

The stableyard came into the possession of Liverpool Corporation in 1858 and in 1867, with the appointment of a veterinary surgeon and shire horse enthusiast, Richard Reynolds became one of several 'stud' stables owned by the Corporation, Reynolds having persuaded the city fathers that keeping and breeding their own horses was cheaper and more efficient than relying on private contractors.

The Central Stables at one time accommodated upwards of 50 horses, ranging from ponies to the magnificent shires for which the City of Liverpool was justly famous in the early years of the 20th century. The duties of these horses covered everything from transporting mail and Corporation personnel around the city to moving the heaviest of loads.

In 1924 two horses belonging to Liverpool Corporation, 'Vesuvius' and 'Umber', appeared at the British Empire exhibition at Wembley and from a standing start pulled a load estimated at 50 tons. This record has never been equaled or beaten and the two geldings received a heroes' welcome when they returned to Liverpool.

The Central Stables was home to some of Liverpool's mightiest horses until 1960 when the last of the working horses were 'phased out'. From this time onwards the yard was home to the motorised bin wagons of the Corporation Cleansing department and just a few reminders of the past - the proud horses which were retained to haul the City of Liverpool State Coach on grand civic occasions. The Central Stables were finally closed in 1993 and put on the market as a prime development opportunity, but they had not seen their last horse - in late April 2000 they were used briefly to house overnighting horses from around Britain for the Millennium Liverpool May Horse Parade.

Further reading

Edward N. Clark, "The Cart Horse on the Quay." Countryside Publications. ISBN 0-86157-289-0