Everton Library
Everton Library
Listed on the Victorian Society’s top ten list of endangered buildings, Everton Library really is, from the outside anyway, one of a few remaining architectural beauties. Of course it’s dereliction and weathered shell may mean it’s life is limited, but that made it all the more important to document it.
Built in 1895 and designed by Liverpool architect Thomas Shelmerdine, it was listed as a Grade II building in 196 due to it’s design and the effect it had on the area. Suffering extensive vandalism damage in 2009, emergency work had to be carried out to prevent the structure from failing past the point of no return.
Tipped off by an exloring buddy, he didn’t tell me the full story of his visit until I’d been and was out of there….
One of the hardest access I’ve had to negotiate and nearly had a broken leg to contend with - one of the downfall’s of solo-exploring - and with the precariously stacked items you had to negotiate down now lying in a heap on the floor after collapsing, I was left grateful I didn’t break anything whilst wondering how I was going to get back out on my own. I was in anyway so time to have a mooch around the pigeon-ruled territory. Creepy place and as much as I hate basements, like they’re the only thing that scare me in an abandoned building, I had to have a look as it’s not like the place was round the corner from me. It was a quick in and out of the flooded vast space under the stairs and I didnt stick around to take any pics either.
After a good look around in what is a creepy-ass place I set about building a tower of random objects to get me the 15 foot back up to the hole in the roof and back out. Would rather not risk that again but with no risk comes no reward I suppose.
Back to the untold story of my mate’s explore there. I phoned him on my back to the car to thank him for the tip off and he was like
“Oh, you went in there then, alone?”
“Er yeh, why?”
“Did you witness anything….?”
“No, why?”
“Well you know I don’t believe in all that paranormal stuff right?”
”Yeh”
”Well a few of us went in and there was some weird activity. Shadows moving along the walls and in the basement, more shadows and a swirling mist that came towards us. We got out of there sharpish. Didn’t want to tell you as it might put you off going!”
Yeh, cheers mate. I think.”
