Fort Perch Rock

Fort Perch Rock stands at the mouth of Liverpool Bay in New Brighton, Merseyside. Built in the 1820s as a defence installation for the Port of Liverpool, it was constructed on Black Rock, an area once cut off at high tide. The fort covers about 4,000 square yards and was built with red sandstone from Runcorn quarries. Its walls rise between 24 and 32 feet, with towers reaching 40 feet tall. Originally armed with 18 guns, including sixteen 32-pounders, it earned the nickname the ‘Little Gibraltar of the Mersey’. The fort’s foundation stone was laid in 1826 by the Mayor of Liverpool, Peter Bourne, under the direction of Captain John Sikes Kitson of the Royal Engineers. The project stayed within budget, costing £26,965 instead of the projected £27,065. The fort later hosted musical events, including concerts by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark in the late 1970s. A World War Two escape room, ‘Escape the Fort’, opened in 2022, and the fort’s café, The Mess, serves visitors daily. Inside, the fort houses a museum with displays on military aviation and maritime history. The surrounding area offers views across Liverpool Bay, with New Brighton’s promenade nearby. The fort has also appeared in film, including the 2024 drama *The Black Rock*. Its historic walls and towers remain a striking feature along the Merseyside coast.