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24/04/2005

The Streams of Toxteth
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introduction
Toxteth Park contains four main streams. The names of these do not seem certain but I have taken what I can from published works.
I cannot  be dogmatic on names, by the time that clearly marked and labelled maps were printed, many of the streams had already been culverted, turned into land drains or simply drained, leaving perhaps a trace of a ditch or valley as a sole reminder of their existence.

below you will find further links to details of each stream system.
The stream on each map is shown in blue, other waterways in turquoise

Mathers: The western-most stream drained into, and through, Mather's Dam and I have called it Mather's stream for want of a name. This was the only stream system within the park which flowed westwards as well as southerly and it is the only stream situated on the western side of the rising geography which sees the summit of a dome on Park Road and High Park Street.  Much of Mather's stream seems to have been artificial in its final nature.

 
Mathers

There were three easterly draining streams.
 

Dingle stream which rose on High Park Street and flowed down Park Road, past the Ancient Chapel and through the Dingle estates to the Mersey. The smallest of the streams but ironically perhaps the best known.

Dingle

Dickenson's Dingle, a separate system sometimes confused with the former.  It rose in the vicinity of Ullet Road, flowed past King John's Hunting lodge and on through quite a deep and wide valley.  It traversed Aigburth Road and on to the River Mersey. The stream was harnessed and dammed to become the lake in Princes Park and parts of the dry valley can still be seen - the deep depression in the park is the old valley. It seems likely that small boats would be able to navigate the stream from the Mersey to The Lodge.

 
Dickensons

Brook system: The fourth stream was the largest and parts still survive above ground in and close to Greenbank and Sefton Parks.  It comprised of two tributaries the Upper Brook and Lower Brook.  

The Upper Brook rose in Wavertree and flowed south to cross Smithdown Road near to both the Old Brook House and the present Brook House pub, it flowed on through what has become Greenbank Park lake and reached the present Sefton Park at the head of the Fairy Glen.

The Lower Brook rose in Edge Hill and flowed across Smithdown Road at the site of the present Cemetery gates.  The branches eventually merged in what is now the main boating lake in Sefton Park before traversing Aigburth Road and flowing on to the Mersey.  After merging, the combined waters of the two streams become the Osklesbrok the only sizeable stream in the Park.  This waterway was, at one time, wider and deeper, and at its widest point, close to the Mersey, it consisted of pools where otters lived. Otterspool, as a name survives to this day.

Upper Brook

 
Lower Brook