Mendips & 20 Forthlin Road Tours

I did the Mendips & 20 Forthlin Road Tour when I was in Liverpool, England on 5÷13÷2015. Liverpool is always associated with the Beatles and this tour gives you an insight as to why. On this combined escorted National Trust tour I was able to view the childhood homes of Paul McCartney and John Lennon. My tour (in connection with the cruise ship Royal Princess) started at 20 Fortlin Road where Paul McCartney lived and then concluded with a visit to Mendips, the home of John Lennon. I enjoyed both and believe that even after all these years they give you an insight into their beginnings. Plus, I took photos.

Beatles fans! You must make Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road stops on your Beatlemania tour of Liverpool. Mendips is the childhood home of John Lennon — more accurately it was his Aunt Mimi’s home — where he spent most of his life, not to mention many Beatles songs were written here and the bond between the boys thickened. Sam goes for 20 Forthlin Road except it was Paul McCartney’s childhood home.
Paul’s home is quaint from the outside but both homes are easily distinguishable with plaques clearly stating what they are. It’s easy to find parking if you’d just like to snap some shots yourself from the outside.
When I was at Mendips, cars honked at me while I posed for a thousand and two pics (John is my pseudo boyfriend)! I waved back to the honkers and my friend yelled at me to stop waving back to them. :P ‘But but but,’ I told him, ‘They’re just fellow Beatles fans showing some appreciation for my appreciation of the goodness that is John Lennon so I must some my gratitude right back to them.’ Beatles fans unite!
Both homes are part of the National Trust and you can book to go through them. I love how cherished the Beatles are and that these childhood homes have been kept so true to form.(See Sarah-Jane’s review for full details & pix). Tours last approximately 2 hrs 30 mins including transfer time with them picking up & dropping you off. The price is £21 now if you aren’t a national trust member.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed I’m going back to England before the year is up… And if I do, back to these homes I’m going for the scheduled tour!

Thought I’d already covered all the Beatles tourist attractions? Meh, I can always fit in more! This little attraction takes in a combined escorted tour of 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood home of Paul McCartney, and Mendips, where little Johnny Lennon came of age.
You can completely relive the young lives of the two foremost Beatles right here. Stand right where Lennon and McCartney composed some of their earliest hits; wander through the kitchen where Lennon’s Aunt Mimi cooked his dinner for him; hang out where the Beatles met, wrote and rehearsed lots of their earlier songs.
There are some things to be aware of. While this is an amazing trip down memory lane and a must-​see for any diehard Beatles fan, the downsides include the fact that there’s no WC at Mendips, you have to get there by minibus only and they’re very strict — any recording equipment, cameras and even handbags have to be left at the entrance to both houses. Admission is also only by guided tour.
Still, if you can deal with those harsh rules it’s an amazing experience, rather akin to walking around Howarth’s home of the Brontes. If you’re going to do something amazing and Beatley just once, do this!

I think I can say that most people have come across Mendip and 20 Forthlin Road. The National Trust have a combined escorted tour of Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. From March to end of October, morning tours depart from Liverpool city centre, afternoon tours depart from Speke Hall. A joint ticket for 20 Forthlin Road and Mendips costs £16.80 for adults, and £3.15 for a child. If you are a member then an adult tickets costs £7.90.
With my NT membership I took the tour and really enjoyed going back in time and trying to experience what it would have all been like. I liked the original early Beatles memorabilia and the audio tour which included Michael and Paul reminiscing.

If you’ve always wanted to walk in the footsteps of Lennon and McCartney, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a tour that allows you to wander around the childhood homes of the songwriting duo.
Faithfully restored by the National Trust, Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road look like average, unassuming houses from the outside. Inside however, they are pure fifties with the same simple furniture that graced Lennon’s Aunt Mimi’s house and Macca’s family home whilst they were growing up. We’re talking wooden beds and side cabinets, free-​standing cookers and minimal décor.
Naturally, you aren’t allowed to kick off your shoes and lie down on the beds. As you wander round however, you’re encouraged to imagine Lennon and McCartney eating in the kitchen, listening to the radio in the lounge and rehearsing and writing early songs like ‘I Saw Her Standing There’. There are odd photos and personal possessions dotted around but really, the appeal of this tour is visiting a historic place where the seeds for something magical were sewn.
Whilst the Magical Mystery Tour caters for large groups, the National Trust tours are for only 14 people. Tickets are a pricey £16.80 for adults and £3.15 for children with radical reductions for National Trust members. Transport is provided with morning pick-​ups from Jury’s Inn Hotel in Liverpool and afternoon pick-​ups from Speke Hall. Tourists should note however, that no filming or photography is allowed in either house.
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