TO BEGIN at the beginning, let us quench our thirsts. The Scotch Piper in Lydiate, which dates from 1320, is the oldest inn in Lancashire, and is situated next to the former Lydiate Abbey.
 Thus fortified we can move forwards 10 miles and three centuries to more greatly appreciate the spiritual. The Ancient Chapel of Toxteth, Dingle, built in 1618, is Liverpool's oldest non-conformist church. Cromwell's troops allegedly camped here during the Civil War. The church is the parent of the city's United Reform and Unitarian churches. Gateacre Unitarian Chapel, of 1700, in the centre of Gateacre village, is one of Liverpool's oldest church buildings. From here developed the powerhouse of Unitarian families who took the city to its greatest heights. The iron mania of the early 1800s extended to prefabricating churches. This idea was devised by Thomas Rickman and John Cragg, the fruit of which can be seen in St Michael in the Hamlet, Aigburth, and St George's, Heyworth Street, Everton, both built around 1814. St Paul's, Stoneycroft, Derby Lane, inspired by the Romanesque architecture of southern France was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and built in 1916 while he was revising his plans for Liverpool Cathedral. Now under threat of demolition, it is worth viewing while still with us. The Childe of Hale, who lived in the time of King James I, is buried in Hale. His height is quoted as being nine feet and three inches, although gentlemen at that time were measured with their hats on. His bones show that he was nearly eight feet tall. The World of Glass in St Helens allows glassblowing at close hand in the hot glass studio where the resident glass-blowers can transform a ball of molten glass into glass objects within a matter of minutes. Stone Street in Prescot is the narrowest street in old Lancashire. The town was the centre of the watch trade in the 18-19th Centuries, so visit too the Museum of Clock and Watchmaking in the High Street. At Bootle, Lord Derby's Shooting Lodge was used as a base for duck hunting expeditions. Bootle's Derby Park has a sculpture dubbed the Wedding or Marriage statue, paid for by public subscription. Potter's Barn, Crosby Road, Waterloo, is a recreation of the farmhouse on the battlefield of Waterloo. Other unusual survivors to do with unplanned aggressive behaviour are the stocks at West Derby and Thornton, Crosby. At Everton and Wavertree the lock-ups survive for drunk or violent people to calm them down. The world's most highly renowned painter of horseflesh was an often forgotten son of Liverpool, George Stubbs, whose father was a tanner in Leather Lane. Enjoy some of his works in the Walker Art Gallery. There is also a link across the water with this great 18th century artist. In the Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight there are examples of rare Wedgwood ceramic work by George Stubbs who was invited to transfer his paintings onto china. However, this was abandoned after a short time as it took too long to execute. The gallery has original, supreme examples of Josiah Wedgwood's Jasperware, finer than any displayed in the Potteries. Leverhulme was a passionate collector of Jasperware. Lady Lever Art Gallery contains not just one death mask of Napoleon, but two. Why did Lord Leverhulme acquire two? Presumably, as an admirer of the Emperor, he wanted two and could afford it. Leverhulme's fortune reached its zenith just after WWI and this coincided with the sale and break-up of many stately homes. He was, there-fore, able to buy objects for the Lady Lever Gallery like the State Bed from Stowe House, in Buckinghamshire, and panelled rooms from various houses. Lady Lever is also home to Salem, the iconic painting of Welsh culture, showing one of the last views of a traditional Welsh cottage still in use with elderly ladies in traditional garb waiting to leave for chapel in their Sunday best. It is hidden behind a curtain to protect the colours from fading. There are numerous hidden gems among the collections on show in the Museum of Liverpool Life. Where else would you find a hand-painted ceramic chip fryer? Made in the early 20th century, it formerly graced Walton's fish and chip shop in Rice Lane. | 
