A Georgian street with "hidden tunnels" underneath offers a window into the past.
Tucked away off Church Street in Prescot you'll find Vicarage Place, a cobbled street full of history. Many of the houses date back to the 1700s and are Grade II listed.
Through its name and location, the street has a strong association with St Mary’s Parish Church and its vicarage. Barbara Houghton has lived in a flat at number 6 Vicarage Place for the last 18 years.
Barbara moved into the flat shortly after the building, which is owned by Livv Housing, underwent a renovation.
The ECHO spoke to Barbara as part of our Behind the Doors series, which takes a closer look inside some of the region's much loved buildings. If you have a story you'd like to tell about a quirky or historic building or walk past one on your daily commute, we'd love to hear from you. Please email: charlotte.hadfield@reachplc.com
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Barbara told the ECHO: "I've been brought up around here. I can't imagine living anywhere else.
"When I came to view the flat it was a lovely warm feeling. I knew the flat was for me.
"In the bottom flat downstairs, the girl who lived there had a trapdoor in the hallway. When one of the workmen went down they said there was a tunnel leading to the church."
Local historian Philip Battle, who runs the Born & Raised in Prescot Facebook page, has discovered some of the early occupants of Vicarage Place through his research. Philip said Thomas Dennett and his family were among those who once lived on the street back in 1890.
Thomas had a butcher's shop in Market Place and was also a founder of the Lancashire Watch Company. The Lyon family also lived in Vicarage Place since at least 1909. Other former residents include the Bennett and Neve families.
Photos of life on Georgian street that's like stepping back in time
With so much history it's hardly surprising that people have reported seeing ghosts on the street over the years. Barbara said a man who used to live in the building told her "he had a ghost in his flat."
She added: "A little girl used to sit at the bottom of his bed. I said to him 'were you not scared?' He said no, she just used to sit there and stare."
Barbara also once encountered a ghostly figure in the hallway of the building. "One night I was coming in, I had a friend with me, and we got up the first flight of stars and this figure ran past us with a hat on.
"I said 'have you just seen what I've just seen?' But I never felt scared."
Number 8 Vicarage Place is adorned with Prescot's coat of arms which was adopted from King's College, Cambridge. The town's historic links with King's College date back to 1444 when King Henry VI granted the college his land in Prescot, making it the Lord of the Manor of Prescot.
Number 4 and 6 Vicarage Place, which are both Grade II listed, were renovated by Knowsley Council in 1978, while the street itself was resurfaced the following year. The oldest house, 10 Vicarage Place, is set behind a small front garden and has distinctive curved window heads. It is believed these would have been shaped by hand, showing the wealth and status of whoever lived there.
Today the street is home to a number of flats and houses, as well as the Lee Cooper Foundation and Evolving Mindset CIC.
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