Port Sunlight is a model village created by William Hesketh Lever later 1st Viscount Leverhulme, in 1888 to house the workers of his soap factory.
"William Lever (1851–1925) was an English industrialist, art collector, politician, and benefactor. His major business was soap making for which he built a factory and a model village for his workers at Port Sunlight. By 1906 his company, Lever Brothers, was the largest soap manufacturer in Britain, and by 1922 it was one of the largest international companies in the world." (
visit link)
"Lever provided his workers with decent and affordable houses, amenities and welfare provisions that made their lives secure and comfortable and enabled them to flourish as people. It was also intended to inspire loyalty and commitment.
The village is home to more than 900 Grade II listed buildings set in 130 acres of parkland and gardens. More than 30 different architects created the buildings, monuments and memorials we still see today, and nearly every period of British architecture is represented through revival design. The village is a good example of the aesthetic movement, which emphasised visual and sensual qualities of art and design, and the Arts and Crafts Movement, with its emphasis on traditional craftsmanship." SOURCE: (
visit link)
Today Port Sunlight is home to a fascinating museum, beautiful architecture, a world-class art gallery, stunning parkland and a thriving community.
The village is run by Port Sunlight Village Trust and visitors can enjoy a variety of activities and events through out the year.
Guided walking tours can be arranged enabling visitors to enjoy all the highlights and landmarks, while getting a real insight into village life, past and present, and self-guided tour maps are also available at the Port Sunlight Museum.
The museum shop, offers souvenirs including Sunlight Soap and Vinolia, postcards depicting village scenes and artwork created by local artists.
Port Sunlight is also home to the stunning Lady Lever Art Gallery. The gallery was opened in 1922 by Princess Beatrice and shows the items collected by Lever and modern-day art work. The collection includes a range of furniture, paintings, sculptures and ceramics.
The village has many notable buildings that include Lever House and the soap factory, the Lyceum, the Gladstone Theatre, Hesketh Hall (which housed the local branch of the Royal British Legion until 2013, when it was converted into 13 flats) and the "Bridge Inn" public house.
There is a war memorial by Goscombe John in the centre of the village in memory of soldiers that died in World War I.
The Cottage Hospital, opened in 1907, was closed for many years but refurbished and reopened in 2008 as the Leverhulme Hotel.
Source: (
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)