The Old jetty at Rock Ferry

At the height of its popularity Rock Ferry was one of the most fashionable and sought after locations on the Wirral, centred as it was around the elegant Royal Rock Ferry Hotel, Rock Park the exclusive private residential park now designated a conservation area, and Royal Mersey Yacht Club, one of the oldest yacht clubs in the country.
With the benefit of regular ferry access from the pier, the area became so popular that Rock Park was developed as an exclusive estate, providing grand villas for the influential and wealthy merchants of Liverpool. Notable residents included Nathaniel Hawthorne, a famous American writer, and the American and Norwegian Consuls.
A century later, the glory days are over, and this once thriving and vibrant part of Wirral is in severe decline. The Royal Rock Hotel fell into disrepair and was demolished; the site is now a derelict and overgrown wasteland, the disused oil terminal on the Vestor oil site is a contaminated eyesore, the slipway is deteriorating, and the once busy pier is now derelict, and the crane has collapsed into the river
In Victorian times commercial activity was centred on the Royal Rock Hotel, a famous landmark which was popular not only with local residents but which also attracted wealthy merchants from Liverpool, and even Royal patronage. Adjoining the Royal Rock Hotel were the Olympian Gardens, a popular venue for music hall and looking at some of the Victorian photographs of the area, Rock Ferry was a thriving neighbourhood not only because of the hotel but also the prestigious Royal Mersey Yacht Club one of the oldest Yacht Clubs in the country, founded in 1844 with Queen Victoria as its Patron. The Queen visited the club in 1844 and presented a magnificent trophy, and the Clubs Royal connections continue even today with The Duke of Edinburgh and King Harald of Norway as Admirals of the Club.
In the days of sailing ships the waterfront at Rock Ferry was known as The Sloyne, a recognised mooring for ships sailing into the Mersey well before the Liverpool and Birkenhead docks were built. The moorings around Rock Ferry were so safe and secure that this was the permanent mooring for the famous HMS Conway a three masted fully rigged, 90 gun sailing ship of the line, the first merchant navy training ship of its kind in the United Kingdom.
Ferries have operated at Rock Ferry since 1709 and at their height of their popularity, at the turn of the 1900’s, they carried over one million passengers a year.
With the benefit of regular Ferry access from the pier the area became so popular that Rock Park was developed as an exclusive estate, providing grand villas for the influential and wealthy merchants of Liverpool. Notable residents included Nathaniel Hawthorne a famous American writer and the American Consul and the Norwegian Consul.
In Victorian times commercial activity was centred on the Royal Rock Hotel a famous landmark which was popular not only with local residents but also attracted the wealthy merchants from Liverpool, and even Royal patronage. Adjoining the Royal Rock Hotel was the Olympian gardens, a popular venue for music hall and vaudeville entertainment.
In 1929 Rock Ferry was the first place where flying boats landed on the Mersey before the airport was built at Speke
A great deal of additional history can be viewed on the various Wikipedia Rock Ferry web pages which contain a splendid history of the area including references to a ferry as early as 1357. It was reputed to have been used by William IV as Duke of Clarence, hence the use of the term "Royal" for establishments such as the Royal Rock Hotel (established in the early 19th century) and the Royal Rock Beagles, set up in 1845.

[@stum56]

Great Video. My great grandfather won the open race at the Royal Mersey yacht club in 1892 and although I've never been there, I understand it was very grand in its day.

[@veryhighguy]

yeah it was. some lovely houses along the water front, a bit like cressington

[@fp30e]

Hi Paul, Loving this video. I have only ever seen this part of the Mersey from the Liverpool side, or on the Ferry. Fascinating History, and a shame its gone the way it has. For no particular reason, I thought the Rock Ferry service may have stopped due to the river silting up, like what happened at New Brighton. Fantastic Drone photography too. An Excellent and very interesting Video. Thank You.

[@veryhighguy]

thank you, there is a campaign to save it but i think its to far gone. i did hear it would cost more to dismantle it than fixing it up but there is no real reason to fix it tbh

[@9032004]

Beakfast at the refreshment rooms are fantastic ....did you pop in?

[@veryhighguy]

I didn’t on this visit but I have in the past. Not done breakfast there yet though.

[@9032004]

@@veryhighguy i fully recommend mate 👍🏻

[@barriegannon3572]

I think it’s an eyesore

[@veryhighguy]

I like old derelict and decrepit lol

[@nickgreaves3355]

A bit like yourself then!