I’ll skip the historical introduction since there is a lot of information about this site online - see also urbexcactus’s recent post on here. But just to put things in context, the ‘Welsh Streets’ are a block of mostly Victorian terraces, built in the 1870s near Princes Park in Toxteth. Some of these are in pretty poor shape and the majority have been sealed or ‘tinned up’ for a decade or more (I think). There has been a lot of debate over the years about whether to demolish and rebuild or refurbish - in the end it was decided to renovate, and this process has been going on for some time starting near the top (north west) end around Veolas Street. Work is currently underway on Wynnstay, Rhiwlas and has reached the north side of Powis (this is the brown one, used as a set in Peaky Blinders complete with cgi’d factories in the background). A few of the houses in Madryn and Kinmel are also accessible and people still live in most of Gwydir and further south.
I visited on several occasions at the end of Oct and again last week to check on progress, and must have seen at least 50 of these little dwellings, upstairs and down (when there were actually stairs). The houses were pretty thoroughly stripped before being sealed, so there isn’t whole lot to see in any one place, but if you go round enough of them it gradually accumulates. An indication of how stripped these are is that the most interesting aspect, at least to me, turned out to be the variation in wallpaper. However no wallpaper shots below - maybe I’ll do a wallpaper thread later - just collections of shots grouped roughly by category.
First some exteriors. South side of Wynnstay - most of the north side and Kelvin Grove is still sealed (there are some 1950s houses here, possibly due to WW2 bomb damage).
North side of Rhiwlas in the process of renovation with houses in an interesting see-through state. The ‘outriggers’ or rear extensions of these two-up-two-down houses have been demolished - originally the outriggers contained the kitchen + bathroom on the ground floor and a bedroom above.
The 'back alley’ between Rhiwlas and Powis with outriggers being demolished.
Powis street, houses on the right accessible.
Some shots of frontages and bay windows. While the bays are notorious for leaking, and the sandstone lintels occasionally crack as well, these are undoubtedly the most attractive feature of this type of terrace.
A collection of rather undistinguished doorsteps.
Halls and doorways.
Ground floors, some in better condition than others. Many of these have been knocked through.
Loos, inside and outside (only found one outside loo).
Upstairs, the first showing the characteristic curved flues from both fireplaces below.
Fireplaces - no decent fire-surrounds left, although the blue number must once have been someone’s pride and joy.
Some gloomy windows.
Lights and a few roses.
Staircases. Not all remain - these houses have suffered from both rising damp and dry rot. The green stairs in the first shot were lit by the sun shining into a very green back room.
Random shots of things (I think the mummified puss was in Kinmel somewhere).
Renovated houses in Veolas, apparently proving very popular.
So there we have it - not a seried-ranks-of-gleaming-turbines type of explore by any means, more of a stress-free domestic wander (yes, there is security and interlopers are not welcome, but it’s a large site….). More houses will open up as work progresses so if you’re curious go and take a look.
I visited on several occasions at the end of Oct and again last week to check on progress, and must have seen at least 50 of these little dwellings, upstairs and down (when there were actually stairs). The houses were pretty thoroughly stripped before being sealed, so there isn’t whole lot to see in any one place, but if you go round enough of them it gradually accumulates. An indication of how stripped these are is that the most interesting aspect, at least to me, turned out to be the variation in wallpaper. However no wallpaper shots below - maybe I’ll do a wallpaper thread later - just collections of shots grouped roughly by category.
First some exteriors. South side of Wynnstay - most of the north side and Kelvin Grove is still sealed (there are some 1950s houses here, possibly due to WW2 bomb damage).
North side of Rhiwlas in the process of renovation with houses in an interesting see-through state. The ‘outriggers’ or rear extensions of these two-up-two-down houses have been demolished - originally the outriggers contained the kitchen + bathroom on the ground floor and a bedroom above.
The 'back alley’ between Rhiwlas and Powis with outriggers being demolished.
Powis street, houses on the right accessible.
Some shots of frontages and bay windows. While the bays are notorious for leaking, and the sandstone lintels occasionally crack as well, these are undoubtedly the most attractive feature of this type of terrace.
A collection of rather undistinguished doorsteps.
Halls and doorways.
Ground floors, some in better condition than others. Many of these have been knocked through.
Loos, inside and outside (only found one outside loo).
Upstairs, the first showing the characteristic curved flues from both fireplaces below.
Fireplaces - no decent fire-surrounds left, although the blue number must once have been someone’s pride and joy.
Some gloomy windows.
Lights and a few roses.
Staircases. Not all remain - these houses have suffered from both rising damp and dry rot. The green stairs in the first shot were lit by the sun shining into a very green back room.
Random shots of things (I think the mummified puss was in Kinmel somewhere).
Renovated houses in Veolas, apparently proving very popular.
So there we have it - not a seried-ranks-of-gleaming-turbines type of explore by any means, more of a stress-free domestic wander (yes, there is security and interlopers are not welcome, but it’s a large site….). More houses will open up as work progresses so if you’re curious go and take a look.
Last edited:
