Historic Liverpool Dwellings - Gorsey Cop

 

Gorsey Cop was built around 1870, a rural retreat on high ground with superb views across the farmland and heathland to Huyton and Prescot and named after the much older farm behind, and was one of three large houses built at the north end of Grange Lane. Grange Lane follows the line of an old packhorse trail, which led from the Mersey crossing at Hale to the township of West Derby in the days before Liverpool even existed. Originally called Gorsey Cop, the name originating from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning head or top, of a hill or rise covered in gorse. A farm of that name appeared on a 1768 map and was there until the 1960s when the land was used for housing. The original entrance was by the stone gate-pier that still survives on the corner of Gateacre Park Drive. The first known occupant was Betsey Cunningham, a Manchester cotton broker's widow, who had moved her family back to Liverpool in the 1850s. She lived at Oakfield in Cuckoo Lane before moving to Gorsey Cop where she died in 1872. Betsey's sons Walter and Harold, who took over their father's cotton broking business, also loved horses, which they grazed locally.

The next owners of Gorsey Cop were the McKechnies. In 1871 Duncan McKechnie, a copper smelter had moved from Scotland and opened a scrap metal smelting factory in St. Helens and in 1891 his sons Alexander and Daniel took over the factory's operations with a new factory opening in Widnes. Alexander McKechnie lived at Gorsey Cop for about 30 years. McKechnie Brothers went worldwide, making copper-related products and the family at Gorsey Cop won awards at Crufts for their terriers. After WW2 Gorsey Cop, with its grape vines and tennis courts, was bought by BICC and was used as a club for its managers. It also had a staff welfare function and if an employee at the Prescot factory had a problem, they were told to 'go to Gorsey Cop'.
The name Gorsey Cop was kept when it became a 'closed door casino' in the late 1950s before, in the 1970s. the (by then legitimate) casino was acquired by Philippe Overd, the Algerian head chef at Liverpool's Adelphi Hotel when it became his 'dream' French restaurant. His daughter Giselle stated in 2012 that Philippe Overd and his first wife Jean, had three daughters, Michelle, Giselle, and Danielle and were in fact the last family to live at Chez Philippe and she and her sisters spent their childhood and early adult life living and working there. After Philippe passed away his three daughters and his 1st wife remained there. It was a popular venue - but in business terms not a success. One night, fire broke out in the basement, and although the fire brigade managed to save the building, the insurance company refused to pay out, and Philippe was ruined.

In the 1980s the name changed again, this time to Grange Manor. New owner George Downey installed artworks and stained glass, and turned the stables into the American-themed Penrods bar. More changes followed with Elaine Wilson seeking planning permission for a hotel before going bankrupt, and 'two gentlemen from Blackpool' renamed it 'Harry's Bar' as successive owners struggled to run the premises at a profit. Eventually Enterprise Inns, a subsidiary of Bass Taverns, took it over and it became the Crying Tree. They were the last tenants before closing it down in 2014.
Lots of people believe that Gorsey Cop, Grade 11 listed in 1975, is home to ghosts. A lady in Edwardian dress walks on the ground floor and in the garden, a man in Victorian costume walks on the upper floors, and children say they've seen a 'woman who looks like a witch' in a corner of the former stables. The staff had 'felt something brushing past' at the top of the stairs, and 'seen a shadow walking across the bar'.

A non profit Paperback published for educational use.

A new phase in the life of the building is about to begin, because in September 2015 it was sold yet again with  the manor house looking to be transformed into new apartments. Proposals included the demolition of a modern extension to the building. The development would see the conversion and extension of the main building, service wing and stables into 10 self-contained apartments. The proposals also included the construction of three terrace properties in the former courtyard area and a further pair of semi-detached properties in the current car park. Construction of the scheme is expected to begin in 2018.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2023/01/historic-liverpool-dwellings-gateacre.html