Editing Strawberry Field

{{Short description|English orphanage built in 1870}}
{{Other uses|Strawberry Fields (disambiguation){{!}}Strawberry Fields}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
[[File:Straberry field sign.jpg|thumb|A 2002 image of the gatepost, with graffiti from Beatles fans]]

'''Strawberry Field''' is a visitor attraction and training centre in the [[Liverpool]] suburb of [[Woolton]] that is owned and operated by the [[Salvation Army]]. It operated as a [[children's home]] between 1936 and 2005. The house and grounds had originally been built as a private residence in the [[Victorian era]], before being acquired by the Salvation Army in the 1930s. The house was demolished in 1973 due to structural problems and replaced with purpose-built units. After being closed as a children's home, the site has continued to be used by the Salvation Army for other purposes.

The location gained worldwide fame following the release of [[the Beatles]]' 1967 single "[[Strawberry Fields Forever]]". The song's writer, [[John Lennon]], had grown up nearby and played in the grounds of the home as a child. In time, the old red-painted entrance gates on Beaconsfield Road became a place of pilgrimage for Beatles fans. In 2019, Strawberry Field was opened to the public for the first time, with an exhibition on its history, cafe, and shop, alongside a training centre for young people with [[special education|special educational needs]].

The gates were stolen on 11 May 2000, allegedly by two men in a [[transit van]]. The gates were sold to an unsuspecting antiques dealer who never realised they were the actual gates from Strawberry Field. He returned them to the police upon request, and they now stand in the grounds of Strawberry Field.

==History==
The earliest reference to the [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]] mansion Strawberry Field dates from 1870, when it was owned by wealthy shipping magnate George Warren. On an 1891 [[Ordnance Survey]] map, the building and its grounds appear as the plural Strawberry Fields, although this had changed by the 1905 survey. In 1912, it was transferred to another wealthy merchant whose widow sold the estate to the [[Salvation Army]] in 1934. It was opened as a children's home on 7 July 1936 by Lady Bates in the presence of General [[Evangeline Booth]], daughter of Salvation Army founders [[William Booth]] and [[Catherine Booth]]. It initially housed up to 40 girls; boys under the age of five were introduced in the 1950s. Later, older boys also became resident.

==The Beatles==
[[File:Strawberryfieldgate.jpg|thumb|left|The gates of Strawberry Field]]
{{Main|Strawberry Fields Forever}}
The name of the home became famous in 1967 with the release of [[the Beatles]]' single "[[Strawberry Fields Forever]]", written by [[John Lennon]], who had grown up at nearby [[251 Menlove Avenue]]. Beaconsfield Road, where Strawberry Field is located, is a side street from Menlove Avenue. One of Lennon's childhood treats was the garden party that took place each summer, on the grounds of Strawberry Field. Lennon's [[Mimi Smith|Aunt Mimi]] recalled, "As soon as we could hear the [[Salvation Army Band]] starting, John would jump up and down shouting, 'Mimi, come on. We're going to be late.'"<ref>The Beatles, [[Hunter Davies]], London, 1968, p. 9</ref>

==Legacy==
[[File:Strawberry Fields 1891.jpg|thumb|Strawberry Fields as it was shown on the 25-inch Ordnance Survey of 1891]]
Strawberry Field was recognised by [[Nikolaus Pevsner]] in his 1969 survey of the buildings of [[South Lancashire]].<ref>Pevsner, Nikolaus (1969) ''South Lancashire'', 1st Edition, Penguin</ref> However, by then, the building was increasingly unfit for purpose. By 1973, structural problems such as [[dry rot]] meant that it was more cost-effective to demolish the building and replace it with a purpose-built children's home. This new home provided three family units, each accommodating 12 children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bedand-breakfastliverpool.co.uk/strawberry-fields-liverpool.htm|title=Strawberry Fields in Liverpool - Home of the Beatles childhood.|website=www.bedand-breakfastliverpool.co.uk}}</ref> The driveway entrance to the building was moved further west along Beaconsfield Road so the gateposts bearing the name of Strawberry Field were no longer used. Throughout the 1970s and beyond, the disused entrance and its gates became a mecca for Beatles fans from around the world. As a result, the gates continued to be painted bright red; the painted nameplates were also maintained.

The children's home closed in January 2005, and the building was used by the Salvation Army as a church and prayer centre. The famous gates marking its entrance were removed and replaced with replicas in May 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beatles' Strawberry Fields gates removed |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-13344102 |access-date=2018-08-15 |publisher=BBC News |date=2011-05-10}}</ref> The Salvation Army opened Strawberry Field to the public for the first time in September 2019, allowing visitors to explore the grounds. Incorporated in the grounds is a training centre for young people with special educational needs and a new exhibition space dedicated to the story of the place, together with a cafe and shop.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com/|title=Strawberry Field Forever – Restoration – Liverpool|website=www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Strawberry Fields (memorial)|Strawberry Fields]] in New York City's Central Park, a memorial to John Lennon

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Strawberry Field}}
*{{Official website|http://www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com/}}

{{The Beatles main}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|53|22|49|N|2|53|2|W|display=title}}

[[Category:1936 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Former buildings and structures in Liverpool]]
[[Category:Orphanages in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Salvation Army buildings]]
[[Category:Salvationism in England]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Liverpool]]
[[Category:History of the Beatles]]