Princes Park, Liverpool
| Prince's Park | |
|---|---|
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| Type | Public Park |
| Location | Liverpool, England, UK |
| Coordinates | 53°23′10″N 2°57′14″W / 53.386°N 2.954°WCoordinates: 53°23′10″N 2°57′14″W / 53.386°N 2.954°W |
| Area | 111.197 acres (450,000 m2) |
| Operated by | Liverpool City Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Prince's Park in Toxteth, Liverpool, England, is a 45 ha (110 acres) municipal park, 2 mi (3.2 km) south east of Liverpool city centre. In 2009, its status was upgraded to a Grade II* Historic Park by English Heritage.
The park was originally a private development (though open to the public) by Richard Vaughan Yates, the cost of which was expected to be met through the development of grand Georgian-style housing around the park.
Prince's Park was designed by Joseph Paxton and James Pennethorne, opened in 1842 and named for the newborn Edward, Prince of Wales. The plan was drawn by John Robertson and Edward Milner supervised the work. Construction was completed in 1843. The original gates can still be seen. With its serpentine lake and a circular carriage drive, the park set a style which was to be widely emulated in Victorian urban development, most notably by Paxton himself on a larger scale at Birkenhead Park. Prince's Park also influenced its near neighbour, Sefton Park.
Richard Yates gave the park to the city in 1849. In the August of the same year, the park was used for a fair, which was well-attended and raised money for local hospitals. The event included various marquees and a hot air balloon flight. A lithograph exists, which documents this event.
An obelisk and former drinking fountain in the park bears the inscription:
During his time in Liverpool, James Martineau had a house in the park. Around 1863, the housing in the vicinity of the park contained the home of the parents of Edward Gordon Duff. Immediately prior to World War I, the headquarters of the 6th Rifle Battalion were based at Prince's Park Barracks. In 1918 the park was acquired by Liverpool City Council, becoming a fully public park.
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