Greenhill Gardens, Weymouth

Greenhill Gardens is a public garden, located in Weymouth, Dorset, England. It is positioned at a location on edge of the town centre, sloping up from the beach and promenade, and overlooking Weymouth's seafront and across the bay. It is located within Weymouth's northeast suburb Greenhill.

The Gardens were originally part of the Wilton Estate and were handed over as a gift to the local council in 1902 for "the benefit of the inhabitants of Weymouth." The garden has been recognised as one of the best green spaces in the country by being awarded Green Flag status based on how safe, clean, accessible, well managed and welcoming they are. The Green Flag Award scheme is the national standard for parks and green spaces across England and Wales, and is held by the best parks and gardens in the UK. As of 2013, it is the 5th consecutive year that Greenhill Gardens has been recognised for the award.

Within the gardens, Bennett's Shelter, a benevolent donation made by Mayor V H Bennett, was constructed in 1919. The original shelter had lower wooden sections that have since been replaced by Portland stone walling, whilst the upper timber structure and tiled roof are essentially in its original form. The shelter continues to provide shelter to today's visitors. The Schneider Trophy weathervane is a memorial to the former Weymouth College student, Lieutenant George Stainforth, who set a world record air speed in a Schneider Subermarine S6B seaplane in 1931. The weather vane was originally presented to Weymouth College in 1932 (at that point known as Weymouth Grammar School, later renamed Weymouth Secondary School) as a memorial to Stainforth. Made of hardwood and covered in a copper sheath, the vane was erected above Weymouth College chapel in 1932, but moved for safety at the start of World War II. It was later presented to the borough council and placed in the gardens in May 1952. In 1996, the vane had to be taken down after the effects of years of sea spray and coastal winds had taken their toll, however it was restored in 1999 by a local marine engineer.

In 1936, a floral clock with a cuckoo type chime, was built by Ritchie & Sons of Edinburgh. It features an adjacent clock house, holding the original mechanism that keeps the clock ticking. Since its creation, it has become one of the most popular features of the gardens. In the late 1980s, a wishing well, donated by Melcombe Regis Rotary Club, was introduced into the lower gardens, and any monies thrown into the well are collected and presented to a local charity. In 2006, the council were considering plans to erect a large Restaurant on the tennis courts in the Gardens. This plan was received with almost universal dismay and was subsequently shelved.

...
Wikipedia