In Liverpool’s historic past, there were ancient rivers, which strangely do not seem to exist anymore. However, many of these rivers still flow down to the Mersey. There existance largely hidden from view, flowing through a network of underground brick built culverts.
A while ago, I posted a photograph showing one of Liverpool’s ancient river culverts having been rediscovered after many years in Garston. Whilst in the Aigburth area there are a few more ancient rivers, the “Upper Brook”, “Lower Brook” and the “River Jordan”.
The course of these rivers were changed in the 19th century to form a series of ornamental water features for the new parks being built in South Liverpool. The “Upper Brook”, sourced near Wavertree, flowed close by the Brook House pub on Smithdown Road, so named because of it’s proximity to the nearby Brook. It then flowed into Greenbank Park to form Greenbank Lake, then into Sefton Park at the Fairy Glen. Whilst the “Lower Brook” thought to be sourced in Wavertree Botanic Gardens, formed two ponds near Edge Lane, flowing into the Grotto caves, on the edge of Sefton Park.
Both the Upper and Lower Brook’s continue flowing through the Park, merging together to form Sefton Park lake. The River Jordan then flows out of the lake at Aigburth Vale, vanishing beneath Aigburth Road dual carriageway, briefly re-emerging above ground near the gates of Otterspool Park. From here, the river vanishes below ground once again into brick built culverts, until finally flowing out into the river Mersey.
It is within Otterspool Park that most of these photographs were taken, they show the river Jordan as it emerges into Otterspool park and the otherwise unseen brick culvert that can be seen if you look carefully amongst the trees and undergrowth. However the last photograph, shows the Upper Brook emerging into Greenbank Lake.
The River Jordan once formed The area of the river mouth “Otters Pool” or tidal creek, near to the the former Otterspool House, whereas today, the river flows below the ground in Otterspool park and Promenade through the culverts and finally, into the River Mersey through pipes.
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