John Lennon hoped it would stay open forever. But yesterday the Salvation Army announced the closure of Strawberry Field, the Liverpool children’s home made famous by the Beatles.

As a child, Lennon, who lived around the corner on Menlove Avenue, used to play in the grounds with some of the orphans who lived there.

Those childhood memories became so ingrained that he recalled them in his song, “Strawberry Fields Forever,” released as a double A-side with “Penny Lane” in February 1967.

Lennon even left money to the home in his will, and in 1984 his widow, Yoko Ono, gave about $95,000 toward its upkeep.

But a sea change in the way orphans are cared for has made the home an anachronism. Yesterday, only three children remained at Strawberry Field, and the staff looking after them were told they were being downsized.

The home so beloved of Lennon opened in 1936 and helped generations of children toward adulthood. The future Beatle used to squeeze through the home’s tall, wrought-iron gates as he grew up in the 1950s.

He is believed to have felt a kinship with the orphans after he was abandoned by his father and sent by his mother, Julia, to live with his Aunt Mimi.

Beatles tours of the city regularly stop outside the home to allow fans from all over the world to pay homage at the iconic location. Strawberry Field almost closed 21 years ago but on that occasion was given a reprieve. This time not even Ms. Ono could save it.

Major Marion Drew, the divisional leader of the Salvation Army, said the closure reflected a larger change in approach in looking after children in the care of local authorities.

“It is now preferable for children to be cared for within a foster family or in a small group home, rather than within large residential institutions.

“The Strawberry Field children’s home has been open since 1936,but the specific nature of residential care it provides is no longer in demand. The staff have looked after many young people with both compassion and professionalism, and we thank them tremendously for that.”

The Salvation Army has given a two-year notice period of closure, although no definitive date has been given for that to take effect. Staff members are currently trying to find placements for the children who remain.

“The three children currently staying there will be found foster homes,” said Major Drew. “That was always the plan for them, so they will not be affected by the closure. We have around 30 staff at the home, who we will try to relocate, although we cannot give any guarantees.”

Sarah Miller, of the Salvation Army, said she was trying to contact Ms. Ono to inform her of the decision. She said she believed Lennon would have understood why closure had become necessary.

“He had the best interests of the children at heart, and so have we,” she said. “But times move on, and I have to say that this announcement will be no great surprise to anyone who works in the children’s sector.”

The home’s assistant manager, Peter Burns, said staff were informed of the closure on Tuesday.

“Obviously, everyone here is very downhearted about it all. It’s been particularly upsetting for the staff, and they’ve already been saying, ‘So much for Strawberry Fields Forever.'”

The original Strawberry Field was replaced by a modern building in the 1970s. No decision has yet been taken about either its future or the future of the gates.

They were the subject of a scare in May 2000 when thieves took them down and loaded them into a Ford Transit. They were later recovered from a scrap yard.

“We recognize that they are very special to Beatles fans,” said Miss Miller. “We will make sure they are kept in a safe place.”

The “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” double A-side single reached number two in the charts but was kept off the top slot by Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Release Me.”