20 Forthlin Road

20 Forthlin Road stands in Allerton, a Liverpool suburb of wide streets and brick terraces. The house was built in 1949 and given to the McCartney family in 1955. Paul McCartney lived there until the mid-1960s, writing early Beatles songs in the front room. His brother Mike was born there and later formed the Scaffold, a comedy and music trio. The National Trust now owns the property and calls it the birthplace of the Beatles. The house is important because it is where the Beatles composed and rehearsed their first songs. Unlike John Lennon’s home, it has no blue plaque, since Paul McCartney is still alive. In 2012 both this house and Mendips were given Grade II listed status by Historic England. Paul McCartney returned for a Carpool Karaoke visit in 2018 and spoke of the house’s lasting memories. Inside, visitors see the small front room where the Beatles practised. The kitchen and scullery remain as they were when the family lived there. The garden is modest, with a narrow path leading to the back gate. The quiet street outside still feels like an ordinary Liverpool neighbourhood.