The Making of Liverpool

Discover the fascinating history of this coastal English city from its Medieval origins to its status today as a world-renowned cultural destination.

In The Making of Liverpool, Mike Fletcher tells the story of this historic city and highlights the significant changes that have made it what it is today. It all begins with King John’s 1207 charter and the construction of Liverpool castle to protect this new town. Liverpool’s development throughout the medieval period was slow, and even through the reigns of the Tudors and Stuarts, the town was confined to the waterfront area.

Through the English Civil Wars, Liverpool endured three brutal sieges. But during the Georgian period, it embraced the transport revolution by investing in river navigations and building the first passenger railway. By the nineteenth century, Liverpool was a thriving port, yet life in the city was beset by poverty and disease.

Even as the twentieth century brought the devastation of two world wars and the Toxteth Riots, Liverpool found international fame during the swinging sixties. More recently, it has enjoyed a significant resurgence and was named European Capital of Culture in 2008.