Castle and colonial history to feature in heritage festival

Leasowe Castle was built in 1593 by one of the heirs to the English throne

The rich heritage of a Tudor castle and an “uncomfortable” episode of colonial history will be among the subjects highlighted in a free festival next month.

Venues across Wirral will showcase a series of events between 6-15 September as part of a range of annual heritage open days held across England.

Organisers at Wirral History & Heritage Association said the festival would offer opportunities to “enjoy 75 places or activities that are usually closed to the public or charge an entrance fee”.

Chairman Paul Smith said: “Living in Wirral means you are never very far away from some truly wonderful heritage – whether it be a medieval church or a beautiful historic landscape - however, many of us have no idea about what lies inside, or the role those places have played in history.”

The Lever brothers set up a factory and a village for workers at Port Sunlight

Venues in the festival include Leasowe Castle, built in 1593 by the 5th Earl of Derby, one of the heirs to the English throne.

It became a hotel in 1891 and also accommodated German prisoners during World War One.

The festival will also host an “uncomfortable histories” talk at Port Sunlight Museum about the influential Bolton-born businessman William Lever’s colonial ventures.

As co-founder of the Lever Brothers soap factory in the village - which later grew into the modern Unilever firm - he set up plantations reliant on forced labour in West Africa.

Presented with the National Trust, this year’s events take place during Wirral’s tenure as Borough of Culture 2024 for the Liverpool City Region and are also part of the 30th year of heritage open days held nationwide.