the staff under the supervision of Thomas Whatmore, who had been butler to Miss Watt. At the end of this period, in 1943, the house passed into the ownership of the National Trust. The house was administered by Liverpool City Corporation from 1946 until 1974 when it passed to Merseyside County Council who carried out a seven-year programme of major structural repairs and restoration which was completed in 1983. The National Trust took over full responsibility in 1986. The gardens date from the 1850s. In the courtyard of the main building are two ancient yew trees, male and female, called 'Adam' and 'Eve'. First recorded in correspondence dating to 1712, they are estimated to be at least 500 years old. 21st century The Home Farm building has been renovated and now houses the shop, restaurant and reception. The laundry has been converted into the education room and the dairy contains interpretation material. Furthermore, rooms such as a gun room have been changed over the years and then changed back by the National Trust in order to show more of the History of Speke Hall. Walks in the grounds give panoramic views over the Mersey estuary towards the Wirral Peninsula. Liverpool Airport is adjacent to Speke Hall. The house received 224,913 visitors in 2019. In Art and Literature An engraving of a painting of the great hall by Thomas Allom was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1835, with a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon. Images References External links Speke Hall information at the National Trust Country houses in Merseyside National Trust properties in Merseyside Grade I listed buildings in Liverpool Grade I listed houses Museums in Liverpool Historic house museums in Merseyside Timber framed buildings in England