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Moor Park, Preston

Moor Park
Moorpark.png
Shown within City of Preston
Population 5,211 (2011)
District
Ceremonial county
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
EU Parliament North West
UK Parliament
Councillors
  • David Borrows – Labour
  • John Collins – Labour
List of places
UK
England

Moor Park is a large park (with a perimeter of approx 2 miles (3.2 km)) to the north of the city centre of Preston, Lancashire, England. Moor Park is also the name of the electoral ward covering the park and the surrounding area. The ward borders the traditional boundary of Fulwood. The population of the ward as at the 2011 census was 5,211.

Moor Park lies to the north of Preston city centre on the A6 (Garstang Road), which forms the western boundary of the park. Blackpool Road between the A6 and Deepdale Road is the northern boundary. The latter forms the eastern side. Opposite the park on Deepdale Road is the Preston North End F.C.'s Deepdale stadium.

Moor Park is Preston's largest and oldest park. The park was originally a farm and was run by George Dartford from a famous house called the Barn. In her book People's Parks Conway claims that Moor Park was the first municipal park to be created in the newly emerging industrial towns of Britain.

Preston Moor was an area of land to the north on Preston. It was originally common land derived from the Royal Forest of Fulwood by the Charter of Henry III in 1235.

In the 1830s it was felt by the town's council that Preston Moor was in a 'neglected and unprofitable condition'. In 1833 The Preston Chronicle published an article on 'The Intended Inclosure and Improvement of Preston Moor'. It showed a map of the intended enclosure. The plan was drawn up by the Town Steward, the appropriately named Philip Park.

In the mid-1860s the park was landscaped to a design by the landscape architect Edward Milner and was part of a scheme to provide work for those unemployed because of the Lancashire cotton famine. Edward Milner was a former student and assistant of Joseph Paxton, the noted Victorian architect and park designer. The work was supervised by George Rowbotham, who allegedly became the town's first Parks' Superintendent.


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Wikipedia

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