Newsham Park
Coordinates: 53°25′08″N 2°56′24″W / 53.419°N 2.940°W
| Newsham Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Public Park |
| Location | Liverpool, England, UK |
| Area | 121 acres (490,000 m2) |
| Created | 1868 |
| Operated by | Liverpool City Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Newsham Park in Liverpool, England is a 121 acres (49 ha) Victorian park that was opened in 1868. To the east of it is the Canada Dock branch railway line, and to the north is West Derby Road.
Facilities and attractions
- The Grade 2 listed Newsham House, where Queen Victoria once stayed. Now used as Judges' lodgings.
- The Grade 2 listed Seamen’s Orphan Institution.
- Fishing lakes with roach, carp and tench (registration permit required).
- Children's play area
- Lakeview Kiosk (open 9am-5pm)
History
The park is part of a set of Victorian public parks within Liverpool, including Stanley Park, Walton Hall Park, Princes Park and the largest of the group, Sefton Park.
It is built on land purchased by the Liverpool Corporation from the Molyneux Estate. The development of the park was funded by the sale of plots for the construction of housing. Consequently the park is fringed by Victorian housing, some of which is currently empty and derelict.[1] The area has been awarded Conservation Area status, a legal protection against development to protect and preserve the Victorian architecture.
Newsham Park is the first individual work of the landscape architect Edward Kemp, an understudy of Joseph Paxton who was responsible for the grounds at Chatsworth House and the design of Birkenhead Park, a city park that became a working model for the creation of Manhattan's Central Park. As a result of this historic connection, as well as the park's intrinsic natural beauty, it has been awarded Grade II* listed status.
The park contains two large lakes, with one dedicated to the sailing of model boats, and the other larger lake historically having played host to rowing boats for hire to the general public. As has been the trend in Liverpool, the rowing boats are no longer present.
Buildings
The park also plays host to several impressive buildings, including the Grade II listed Seaman's Orphanage — a building later converted to Newsham Park Hospital and subsequently earmarked for development as luxury apartments. Another magnificent building within the park is Newsham House, which is the residence for judges attending Liverpool Crown court and has in the past been visited by Queen Victoria.
In 2004 work commenced on the Academy of St. Francis of Assisi, a secondary school (11–16) under the UK Government's City Academy programme. The school is a modern four-storey building at the western end of the park, and its contemporary style caused some friction with local residents who felt that it was at odds with the park's Conservation Area status.
The now-closed Stanley railway station was located in the south east corner and the similarly closed Tue Brook railway station to the north west.
Present day
The park has been placed by English Heritage on its Heritage at Risk list because of its "poor" condition and because the trend is towards deterioration.[2]
On the 30 July 2012 Newsham Park's lakes were temporarily closed due to potentially toxic blue-green algae.[3] They were later reopened.
In 2012 a Kiosk was built, which opens from 9am to 5pm.[4]
References
- ↑ http://www.hilaryburrage.com/2005/10/liverpools_newsham_park_needs.php
- ↑ Newsham Park, Liverpool, English Heritage, retrieved 24 March 2015
- ↑ Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/newsham-park-lake-closed-after-7298172
- ↑ Project Newsham Park http://www.projectnewshampark.org/joomla/
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Newsham Park. |