Salthouse Dock
Salthouse Dock is the oldest surviving dock in Liverpool, opened in 1753 and now part of the restored waterfront next to the Royal Albert Dock. Its Grade II-listed walls frame a calm basin of boats and pontoons, and the quaysides make an easy, level walk between the city centre and the museums.
Photos
- “NextGen_Baba”
History
Work began in 1734 to a design by Thomas Steers, who died before it was finished; Henry Berry completed it. First called South Dock, it took its name from John Blackburne's nearby saltworks. The dock closed in 1972, silted up and was derelict by 1980, before the Merseyside Development Corporation dredged it between 1981 and 1985 as part of reviving the South Docks. The calm basin you see now is the result of that 1980s rescue, which turned a silted ruin back into working water.
The dock today
Pontoon moorings hold small boats, and since 2009 the dock has formed part of the Liverpool Canal Link, so narrowboats arriving from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal can tie up here. Splash Tours reintroduced amphibious tours in 2024, so you may see a bus-boat splash in. The fixed bridges at the Albert Dock and Wapping Basin entrances date from the 1980s restoration, when the old Canning Dock entrance was also filled in.
Using it on a visit
Albert Dock lies immediately to the west, with The Beatles Story about 200 metres away, and Liverpool ONE is just inland. Walk the quaysides early or around sunset for reflections of the warehouses and the city skyline. Several hotels, including the Hilton and the Maldron, are within a few hundred metres, so it is easy to fit in a walk before breakfast.
Highlights
- Opened in 1753
- Liverpool's oldest surviving dock
- Grade II-listed dock walls
- Part of the Liverpool Canal Link
- Next to the Royal Albert Dock
Good to know
- Free to walk around at any time.
- Quaysides are level, but keep children close to the unfenced edges.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: en.wikipedia.org