A historic Liverpool park, which has retained its original design, has had its listing upgrade by English Heritage.
Wavertree Botanic Garden and Park, which was listed as Grade11, has now been rated as Grade11*.
This follows a national review of registered municipal parks which has “identified it as an early botanic garden and park, with its original design relatively little altered”.
It is also described as “an important component of Liverpool’s ambitious mid 19th century sequence of public parks.”
The Botanic Garden and Park developed from a private botanic garden opened in 1802 by a number of botanists, including William Roscoe, near to Mount Pleasant,. It was decided to move this to a bigger location and the new 4.5 hectare site in Wavertree was opened in 1836. It was designed by its curator John Shepherd.
Liverpool Corporation took over the Botanic Garden in 1848 and in 1856 opened Wavertree Park adjoining the Botanic Garden.
It is now owned by the city council and is open to the public.
Councillor Peter Mitchell, Mayoral lead on Parks and open Spaces, said; “Wavertree Park and Botanic Garden is one of the most attractive parks in the city and the upgrading of its listing recognises the fact that it has retained its historic design.
“We are very pleased that English Heritage have recognised the importance of this public open space.”
