Peasholm Park
| Peasholm Park | |
|---|---|
Peasholm Park
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| Type | Municipal |
| Location | Scarborough, North Yorkshire |
| OS grid | TA035894 |
| Coordinates | 54°17′28″N 0°24′36″W / 54.2912°N 0.4101°WCoordinates: 54°17′28″N 0°24′36″W / 54.2912°N 0.4101°W |
| Area | 14 hectares |
| Created | 1912 |
| Operated by | Scarborough Borough Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Peasholm Park is an oriental themed municipal park located in the seaside town of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1912 and became a favourite venue for galas, displays and exhibitions. The park was extended to include Peasholm Glen, a natural ravine, in 1924. Attractions include an artificial boating lake, where mock naval battles are staged, a putting green and a champion tree walk.The park suffered a decline in popularity from the 1970s as the number of holidaymakers visiting Scarborough decreased but it has recently been restored using Heritage Lottery Funding.
Peasholm Park is sited on the north side of the town of Scarborough in a mainly residential area. The site is about 14-hectares and takes in a narrow steep-sided valley running north-east towards North Bay. The valley gradually broadens until it opens out on to low-lying ground closer to the sea. The south-west tip of the site adjoins a cemetery which was opened in the late 19th century, the north-east boundary of the site is the A165 road, which is here called Columbus Ravine. The boundary on the south and south-east side is Peasholm Drive and the cemetery. On the north side the boundary is Northstead Manor Drive and the west boundary is at roads called Ryndleside and Glenside. There is iron fencing on the perimeter of the park in some places but most of the park boundary is defined just by pavements or grass verges alongside the roads.
The park is on the site of a medieval manor house of Northstead which was part of the Crown Estate from the 14th century. By the beginning of the 20th century the area was open land used for farming and as allotments. In 1911 Scarborough Corporation bought some land called Tuckers Field from the Duchy of Lancaster to create a public park. It was the borough engineer, Harry W Smith, who had the idea of setting out the gardens in Japanese style. Japanese style statues in the park were purchased from Killerby Hall and exotic shrubs and flowers were imported from the home of a local retired banker who was living in the French Riviera. In 1924 the park was extended south-westwards along Peasholm Glen following the purchase of more land from the Duchy of Lancaster 1921. Parts of the east side of the Glen were in private ownership and these were donated to the Corporation. The park was used for aquatic displays, musical performances and evening firework displays. It became immensely popular in the immediate pre- and post-Second World War era. After a period of decay a programme of restoration was initiated. Improvement works have been made possible by the granting of funding of over £300,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and additional funds from Scarborough Borough Council. Following the draining of the lake, work was undertaken to remove the large amount of silt in the lake bottom,with the aim of removing enough silt to free sufficient water capacity for the lake to operate successfully. The park remains open and in public ownership.
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