My Adventures 3: International Beatle Week

Wednesday 26th August 26

On Wednesday the 26th August 2026 Mel and I drove up to Liverpool for the start of International Beatle Week.

Organised by Liverpool’s leading tour operator Cavern City Tours, the annual International Beatle Week Festival celebrates the music of the most famous pop group the world has ever known. And it all happens in the place where it all began – Liverpool.

There is so much to do and see that you don’t need to be a Beatle fan to enjoy the festival, though it probably helps! This is truly an international event with bands from over 20 countries and fans from over 40.

We decided to visit St Peters Church first and after just over four hours we arrived and parked up outside.

The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. It is one of the largest parish churches in Liverpool, and its bell tower was the highest point of the city. The church also has connections with The Beatles, being the location where founding members Paul McCartney and John Lennon first met.

The church wasn’t open to go and visit, so we walked around to see the Grave of Eleanor Rigby, I had to take a picture as there was a group filming a documentary around the grave.

On 6 July 1957, John Lennon first met Paul McCartney in the church hall of St Peter's when Lennon was playing with his group, The Quarrymen. McCartney eventually joined the group, which later became The Beatles. In the churchyard of St Peter's is the grave of Eleanor Rigby whose name, coincidentally, is the same as that of a Beatles' song. Also in the churchyard is the grave of Lennon's uncle, George Toogood Smith, with whom he lived as a child.

St. Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, features a gravestone bearing the name McKenzie near the famous Eleanor Rigby grave, which is widely linked to the character in The Beatles' 1966 song.

McCartney has stated that the name "Eleanor" came from actress Eleanor Bron and "Rigby" from a local store, maintaining that any connection to the real graves was purely coincidental/subliminal.

He also noted the character was originally named "Father McCartney" before being changed to McKenzie to avoid confusion with his own father.

We jumped back in the car and drove a short way for a revisit to Strawberry Field. Last time it was a quick visit to the gates on the magical mystery tour.

We step beyond the famous gates into the Strawberry Field exhibition to discover the history of The Salvation Army children's home and how it inspired John Lennon throughout his childhood.

We have a quick look in the gift shop then stop for a coffee and hot chocolate at the Imagine More Café.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on 13 February 1967 as a double A-side single with "Penny Lane". It represented a departure from the group's previous singles and a novel listening experience for the contemporary pop audience. While the song initially divided and confused music critics and the group's fans, it proved highly influential on the emerging psychedelic genre. Its accompanying promotional film is similarly recognised as a pioneering work in the medium of music video.

Lennon based the song on his childhood memories of playing in the garden of Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army children's home in Liverpool. Starting in November 1966, the band spent 45 hours in the studio, spread over five weeks, creating three versions of the track. The final recording combined two of those versions, which were entirely different in tempo, mood and musical key.

We take a walk around the gardens.

The song was the first track the Beatles recorded after completing Revolver and was intended for inclusion on their forthcoming (as yet untitled) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Instead, under pressure from their record company and management for new product, the group were forced to issue it as a single and they followed their usual practice of not including previously released singles on their albums. The double A-side peaked at number 2 on the Record Retailer chart, breaking the band's four-year run of chart-topping singles in the UK. In the United States, "Strawberry Fields Forever" peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later included on the US Magical Mystery Tour LP.

A line from 'Hey Jude'.

Lennon viewed "Strawberry Fields Forever" as his finest work with the Beatles. After Lennon's murder in New York City, a section of Central Park was named after the song.

We walked up to the bandstand in the gardens.

One of Lennon's childhood treats was the garden party held each summer in Calderstones Park, near the home, where a Salvation Army brass band played. Lennon's aunt Mimi Smith recalled: "There was something about the place that always fascinated John. He could see it from his window. He used to hear the Salvation Army band playing at the garden party, and he would pull me along, saying, 'Hurry up, Mimi – we're going to be late.'"

The bandstand in the garden of the Strawberry Field visitor attraction encapsulates the brilliance of everything John Lennon and The Beatles were, and we are proud to present the Strawberry Field Bandstand as a continuation of John Lennon’s legacy and a celebration of music and a desire for peace.

Based upon the drum featured on the iconic album cover, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Strawberry Field bandstand features a beautiful display of artwork painted by renowned pop artist James Wilkinson.

Artist James Wilkinson took his inspiration for the mural which features on the back of the stage from the work that has been done by The Salvation Army and John Lennon. He explains, "The backdrop of the painting is of the original house where the story began. The overall message of the painting is the continuation of Strawberry Field and the Salvation Army

The painting merges images, incorporating the circle of the four seasons. Starting from winter where the scene depicts John Lennon as a schoolboy coming in from the coldness of his situation in life to find the sanctuary of Strawberry Field. He watches the Salvation Army band that brought him such joy and excitement as a child who are leading the way to the hopefulness of a new life in the springtime. Summer is depicted by a fully fruitful tree of life and a busy garden party full of people that have been inspired by the work at Strawberry Field and those who were equally inspired by Lennon's work, musically, immortalising the place in Strawberry Fields Forever, with the Beatles heading up the brass band to take centre stage. The painting then moves into autumn time, reminding us that although Strawberry Field will be around forever, helping young people in difficult stages of their early life, there may still be difficult times coming. The iconic red gate is, however, always open to those that need to enter."

Line from 'Strawberry Fields Forever'.

Line from John Lennon's - 'Imagine'

A look through a window to how the orphanage would have looked when Lennon played here as a child.

John Lennon used to go here with his binoculars and climb up a tree to spy on the girls when he knew they'd be wearing revealing clothes. One time his aunt, Mimi, spotted him while he was going about his routine and said that if he was caught doing it again he would be hung from that tree. This is where the line "and nothing to get hung about" comes from.

Strawberry Field are now safely displayed inside the visitor gardens, while exact replicas stand at the front entrance on Beaconsfield Road in Woolton, Liverpool.

Sir George and Lady Judy Martin Rose Garden opened in June 2026 at Strawberry Field in Liverpool to honour the legendary Beatles producer and his wife.

Size and Design: A 95-square-meter accessible space built for peace and reflection.

Central Wall: Features a Portland stone wall with a carved biography of Sir George Martin and 30 discs for his UK number-one hits.

The Roses: Includes a circular raised bed with David Austin roses originally gifted by Lady Judy Martin.

Other Elements: A calming water feature, seating areas, and decorative gates painted by artist James Wilkinson.

Penny Lane

We drove on a little way to Penny Lane for a walk about. We saw this earlier in the year on the Magical Mystery Tour, but wanted a more intimate stroll along this lane!

We parked up at Dovedale Towers.

Dovedale Towers on Penny Lane in Liverpool is an 18th/19th-century landmark with a rich history spanning a private residence, an orphanage, a church hall, and a famous local pub.

Grove House: Built in the 1800s, the grand Georgian-style villa was originally named Grove House and constructed by Andrew Kurtz, a local industrialist, talented pianist, and patron of the arts.

The Tower: It took its name from a now-demolished tower on the property that offered views of river traffic on the River Mersey.

Orphanage and Care Home: Following Kurtz's death in 1890, the building transitioned into a home for incurable children, also known as the Children's Rest.

St Barnabas' Church Hall: In 1914, the building became the parochial hall for the nearby St Barnabas' Church.

"Barneys": During World War Two, the hall served as a vital community hub and recreation spot for locals and visiting troops, affectionately nicknamed "Barneys" while hosting dances and balls.

Musical and Pop Culture Heritage

The Beatles: Paul McCartney famously sang at the hall as a choirboy and later performed there with early iterations of the Quarrymen and The Beatles.

Freddie Mercury: In 1969, a young Farrokh Bulsara (later known as Freddie Mercury) lived briefly in an upstairs flat above the building when he joined the Liverpool-based band Ibex.

We walk out onto Penny Lane.

Childhood memories: Paul McCartney wrote the track based on the Penny Lane bus roundabout and nearby locations he frequented as a youth.

Real characters: The lyrics feature real-life figures Paul recalled, including a barber showing photographs, a banker, a fireman, and a nurse selling poppies.

Literary influence: McCartney also noted that Dylan Thomas's radio play Under Milk Wood, which portrayed a Welsh town through its quirky residents, inspired the observational style.

John Lennon's connection: Most users on Quora agree that while John Lennon originally drafted early lines about Penny Lane for the song "In My Life," Paul ultimately developed the concept into the iconic single.

We reach the top of Penny Lane and stop outside St Barnabas Church.

St Barnabas' Church is in Smithdown Place, Mossley Hill, Liverpool. It stands at the junction of Allerton Road, Smithdown Road, and Penny Lane. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Liverpool South Childwall, the archdeaconry of Liverpool, and the diocese of Liverpool. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

St Barnabas' was built between 1900 and 1914, and designed by the Liverpool architect James Francis Doyle.

Paul McCartney said on The Late Late Show with James Corden that he sang in the choir of St Barnabas' Church when he was young. A brass plate on the Choir stalls of the Church was installed to commemorate this.

Under blue suburban skies a bronze tribute in honour of one of Liverpool's favourite sons has been unveiled in an equally world famous place is a statue of John Lennon. outside St Barnabas.

It is minutes from the famous roundabout where he would meet Paul and George on their way to school.

The sculpture, by Laura Lian who is based in Wiltshire, had been on tour for 15 months before arriving at its latest home outside the Penny Lane Development Trust's Lennon Studios ahead of John's 80th birthday anniversary on October 9 2020.

Across the road is the roundabout mentioned in the song Penny Lane, immortalized by Paul McCartney's line in 1967: "Behind the shelter in the middle of a roundabout.". Once a bus terminal now the Sgt Peppers Bistro.

Purchased and converted into a Beatles-themed restaurant by Ray Maatook in 1989, but it ultimately closed down in 2003.Current State: The building has remained vacant and decaying for over two decades, though local volunteers (the Penny Lane Wombles) and artists have cleaned up and decorated its windows with artwork to reduce the eyesore.

We walk back up Penny Lane to the car.

We enter Dovedale Towers for a drink, what a Fabolous building!

We leave Penny Lane and drive to the Dolby Hotel where we will stay for two nights.

View from our Hotel window.

After a short rest, we left the hotel to walk into the city centre an onto the famous Mathew Street.

The Cavern Pub

We entered the Cavern Pub on Mathew Street and the band The Bottles, who are from Peru were playing.

'I'm Down' - The Beatles

'I saw her standing there; - The Beatles

Next up were the The Vincent Brothers an acoustic and country-inspired duo from Liverpool, England, consisting of brothers Paul and John.

'Wake up Little Suzie' by the Everly Brothers.

'Till there was you' - The Beatles

'In my life' - the Beatles

A tribute to the late Dolly Parton that recently passed away 'Jolene'.

Next up was Logan Paul Murphy.

Logan Paul Murphy is a 20-year-old self-taught singer-songwriter, pianist, and multi-instrumentalist from Workington, Cumbria, who has quickly risen to prominence as a musical prodigy. Heavily inspired by The Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John, and Billy Joel, he is celebrated for his powerhouse covers and compelling original compositions.

'Rock n Roll Music' - Chuck Berry

Discovered busking in Liverpool at age 13 by the venue's management. He remains the youngest person to ever perform a full set on its historic stage in the Cavern Club.

'Girl' - The Beatles

'Strawberry Fields Forever' - The Beatles

We leave the Cavern Pub and have dinner at The Real Greek on Paradise Street nr the Liverpool ONE shopping centre.

We walk down to the Riverfront passing the famous Liver building and the two liver birds perched high above the city.

The Royal Liver Building is a world-famous, Grade I listed landmark located at the Pier Head in Liverpool, England. Opened on 19 July 1911, it stood as Europe’s first major skyscraper and one of the earliest multi-storey buildings constructed out of reinforced concrete.

Alongside the neighbouring Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Building, it forms the iconic "Three Graces" that line the city's historic waterfront.

After watching this busker for a while, we walk over to take in the River Mersey views.

The River Mersey is a major 70-mile (110 km) river in North West England that flows from Stockport to Liverpool Bay.

Source: Formed by the meeting of the River Tame and the River Goyt in Stockport.

Mouth: Empties into the Irish Sea at Liverpool Bay.

We walk along the banks of the Mersey passing the Wheel of Liverpool.

Back at the hotel for the night.

Thursday 27th August 26

We left the hotel and walked on pass Royal Albert Dock.

The Royal Albert Dock is a historic complex of dock buildings and warehouses located on the waterfront of Liverpool, England. Officially opened by Prince Albert in 1846, it represents the greatest concentration of Grade I Listed architecture anywhere in the United Kingdom. Today, it serves as the city's most-visited free tourist destination, drawing millions of visitors annually with its blend of culture, food, and heritage.

We stop by the Liverpool Sign near the ONE shopping centre. The iconic Liverpool sign is now displaying the Pride flag in celebration of love, inclusion and the city's vibrant LGBTQ+ community.

After a walk around the shops we headed back down to the riverside to visit the Museum of Liverpool.

This waterfront museum explores the unique social and cultural history of the city. It features exhibits on The Beatles, local sporting achievements, and the city's growth as a major port.

The Liverpool Overhead Railway gallery tells the remarkable story of the first electric elevated railway in the world.

The Overhead Railway was built in 1893 to ease congestion along seven miles of Liverpool's docks. It was also marketed as a tourist attraction as it provided amazing views of the docks, shipping and transatlantic liners on the River Mersey. It was fondly known as the 'dockers' umbrella' as it also provided shelter from the rain.

In the gallery you can meet some of the people who worked and travelled on the Overhead Railway. You can climb aboard a carriage, which is fixed at the exact height of the original railway at 4.8m (16 feet) above the ground. Find out more about the carriage in our land transport collection.

The displays also explore why the railway was eventually pulled down in the late 1950s and the legacy it has left behind.

The National Museums Liverpool permanent collection features original 1963 stage suits made for The Beatles by London tailor Douglas A. Millings. These matching, made-to-measure outfits were commissioned by manager Brian Epstein to establish a unified and professional public image for the group.

The Liver Bird is part of Liverpool’s modern, rather than ancient, folklore. William Enfield, Liverpool's first historian, writing in 1774, speaks of the Liver Bird as existing only in 'fabulous tradition'. People think of the Liver Bird as they think of the Griffin or the Phoenix. When, in 1911 the Royal Liver Friendly Society crowned its waterfront offices with two huge effigies which bear no resemblance to any real bird, it helped to fix in the popular mind the myth that the Liver was a fabulous bird that once haunted the Pool inlet. For the record the above mentioned Society takes its name simply from the inn where it first met.

The Royal Liver Building Statues

Bella and Bertie: Built in 1911, the famous 18-foot copper-bronze birds atop the Royal Liver Building are named Bella and Bertie.

The Poses: Bella looks out over the River Mersey to welcome sailors home, while Bertie looks inward to protect the city.

Popular Legends

Flying Away: Legend says that if the two birds ever decide to fly away together, or if they turn to face each other, the River Mersey will flood and Liverpool will cease to exist.

The Pub Myth: A humorous local myth claims that the male bird looks toward the city simply to check if the pubs are open.

The Virgin and Honest Man: Another tale states that if an honest man and a virgin pass in front of the building, the statues will come to life and fly away.