Mersey Tunnel Monument

Queensway Tunnel, the first road tunnel under the River Mersey linking Liverpool with the Wirral, was built between 1925 and 1933. Two identical structures were designed by Herbert James Rowse to be placed near the entrances to the tunnel, one on each side of the River Mersey. They had two purposes, both to act as monuments, and to illuminate the area around the entrances to the tunnels. Their design was approved in June 1933, and this was exhibited at the Royal Academy Exhibition in 1934. The monuments were built by McAlpine and Sons, and the decorative metal work was carried out by H. J. Lloyd of H. H. Martyn & Co. The construction of the monuments was complete by the date of the official…

The monument stands on a white ashlar base. It consists of a shaft about 18.3 m high surmounted by a lighting bowl. The core of the shaft is reinforced concrete, which is overlaid with fluted and polished black granite. The lighting bowl is in gilded bronze and glass. The shaft tapers, and is also slightly curved "to correct the optical illusion of being less in diameter in the centre than at the top of the shaft". Also inscribed on the base of the shaft are names of members and officers of the Mersey Tunnel Joint Committee, and the engineers, contractors, architect, and valuer who were responsible for the tunnel.