Railings, Plinth Walls, Gates, Piers and Steps at Church of St Luke

Railings, plinth walls, gates, piers, and steps form an enclosure around the Church of St Luke, located on Leece Street, Bold Place, and Roscoe Street, and returning to flanking steps fronting onto Berry Street. Constructed from ashlar sandstone and cast iron between 1829 and 1833, the designs are attributed to John Foster junior.

The enclosure occupies a sloping site, and it is created by cast iron railings set upon ramped plinth walls. Corner piers, intermediate piers, and gateposts are incorporated, along with gateways and flights of ashlar stone steps featuring cast-iron handrails and balusters. Two entrances are present on the north and south sides, one centrally and one at the eastern ends, where steps provide access to a lower area. Original cast iron railings are characterised by decorative heads and twin mid-rails, with cusped detailing below the top rail; these extend primarily to the east and along the eastern end of the enclosure. Replacement railings of the 20th century with spear heads are present to the west of the central doorways, returning to the gateways on either side of the church. The octagonal piers have panelled facets and crocketed spire heads.

Originally, the church was surrounded by a solid masonry wall with pointed arched doorways. This was replaced with the present enclosure by John Foster junior, as part of an adaptation of his father’s original designs.

St Luke’s Church and its enclosure were designed together as the church of the Corporation of Liverpool. Following significant damage during World War II, the church and its railed enclosure remain a notable example of early 19th-century ecclesiastical Perpendicular Gothic architecture, forming a significant architectural, historical, and townscape ensemble at the heart of Liverpool.