A green oasis on the edge of Liverpool with a rare Tudor house at its heart
From family-friendly sports activities to outdoor theatre performances, find out what you can do at Speke Hall this summer.
Speke Hall is a rare Tudor timber-framed manor house in an unusual setting on the banks of the River Mersey. Restored in the 19th century, it is a unique mixture of Tudor simplicity and Victorian Arts and Crafts' aesthetics.
Built by the devout Catholic Norris family, eager to impress visitors with the grandeur of their home, Speke Hall embodies more than 400 years of turbulent history. Its secret priest hole reflects Catholic persecution in the Tudor period, whilst much of the Hall’s upkeep was financed first by the Norris family’s, and later by the Watt family’s, longstanding involvement in transatlantic slavery. From building the world’s largest slave trading port to slave-ownership, investment in slave-trading voyages and shipping of slave-produced goods, these aspects of the owners’ histories are embedded in the Hall’s walls. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Speke Hall experienced years of neglect and decay, including a spell when it was used as a cow shed. Finally pulled into the Victorian era of improvement and technology, the Hall was resuscitated with a Gothic revival style.
In the 21st century, Speke Hall and its surrounding estate provide a place to reflect on past and present, and about how the legacies of history remain relevant today. The Hall is surrounded by restored gardens and protected by a collar of woodland.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £10.80 | £9.80 |
| Child | £5.40 | £4.90 |
| Family | £26.95 | £24.50 |
| Family One Adult | £16.20 | £14.70 |
|
Group Adult
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £7.75 |
|
Group Child
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £3.85 |
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £15.40 | £14.00 |
| Child | £7.70 | £7.00 |
| Family | £38.50 | £35.00 |
| Family 1 Adult | £23.10 | £21.00 |
|
Group Adult
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £11.00 |
|
Group Child
Minimum group size 15
|
N/A | £5.50 |
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
Entry is free for National Trust members and under 5s.
You don't need to pre-book your visit to Speke Hall. The garden, estate, restaurant and play areas are open every day. The house will reopen from 9 March, Wednesday-Sunday only.
The house is open 12.30–5pm, Wednesday–Sunday, closed Mondays and Tuesdays except for bank holidays.
