Focus Point 12 on the Heritage Trail
The Cock Pit
The “Cock Pit” is another strange feature of the hill, found at the very northern end, near Bidston Hall. Consisting of a narrow circular trench, approximately 10 inches deep and twenty feet in diameter, cut into the bare sandstone and surrounded by tall gorse bushes. Some say that the site was home to the illegal and barbaric sport of cock fighting, and that on certain days the emblems of past champion cockerels can still be seen. Others say that it was originally a gorse mill, where gorse was crushed for animal feed. Or could both be right?
The curious concrete structure near to the “Cock Pit” is the top of a ventilation shaft rising from the air-raid tunnels built beneath Bidston Hill during the Second World War. The ventilation shaft is kept sealed because the shaft and tunnels are extremely dangerous. If you see any sign that someone has forced a way in, please report it immediately to the ranger’s office at Tam O’Shanter Urban Farm!
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I live in club house near to the cock pit. I have been clearing it up today as it is in a sorry condition. I hope to continue my work as it is a historical feature of the Hill. I am enjoying myself restoring it.
Well done Joyce, if you need a hand just call me
We went up to bidston hill today to try and find this as we could not find it could you give us pin point directions to were this is much a appreciated
It’s at the extreme north end of Bidston Hill park, as marked on the Heritage Trail map. The Club House is the nearest building. There’s a ventilation shaft for the Bidston Hill tunnels nearby, concreted over for safety reasons. I usually get there by taking the path through the woods from the Horse’s Head towards Bidston Hall, then breaking off to the right.
If you use “what3words” it’s at “stews.punch.weeks”
On the western side of the hill behind the cock put and also towards the horse carving are a series of brick structures with concrete bases. The bricks are stamped as of the ruabon and norwich brick works. Norwich had some brick works to this day, but ruabon brick works seems to date the structures as later than 1876. Does anybody have any idea what these structures were for? There is a degree of dressed stone thrown in too so I’m wondering if this was just recycled stone from the Stanley estate or something relating to works on the hill at the turn of the century?
This was the site of a very large house.
I do not know any details. Its not Bidston Court.
It appears on 25″ os map of 1912 as Sunbrilo, it the becomes Hill Crest 1925 and Bidston Crest 1936.
Its on the edge of 2 maps so is easy to miss.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/114581455
I find it strange something so large and occupying such a prominent site can seemingly disappear.
There is a photo of it here https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EPW013694
Checked in Ref Library in Birkenhead. In 1917 Hill Crest was sold at Auction by the Trustee of the late John Elliot J.P.
It had a 34 X 23 ft billiard room, 11 bedrooms and 2.5 acre garden. its grounds went all the way down to Eleanor Road
There is an other picture on Britain From Above that shows Hill Crest has gone by 1946.
The photo also shows the ventilation tower and exit for the Bidston Air Raid shelter.
https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/EAW001767
The cockpit has similarities to size and trench features as the existing windmill. Is it possible that previous to being a cock pit it had been a mill? It is is a lot of work just for a cockpit.