Hillbark was built in 1891 by the Hudson family of Hudson Soap manufactures which eventually became Lever Brothers. It is said that Hillbark is based on Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire and is made entirely of wood, and has been claimed that it is one of the finest examples of half timbered Victorian design anywhere in the country. It is also stated that Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany came to stay in these parts at the turn of the century. He liked the house, he was inspired to build a replica in the German town Potsdam.
Sir Ernest Royden of The Cunard Line purchased the property in the 1920’s; Hillbark was moved between 1929-31 to its present position in Frankby onto land that had been left to Mrs Royden, as the house was taken to pieces someone had to painstakingly write on the back of each section in the neatest of handwriting, the exact location of each part of the house. Moving the building today would cost in the region of �40million. Contained within the house are stained glass windows by William Morris, a rare Adam fireplace and a fireplace which once belonged to Sir Walter Raleigh dating back to 1627.
Sir Ernest Royden was a ship builder and gave most of the house over to orphans of seamen who were evacuated from Liverpool during the Second World War and set up camp, literally on the fields outside Hillbark until 1949.
