Roundhay Park
| Roundhay Park | |
|---|---|
Map sign, Roundhay Park
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| Type | Parkland, woodland, gardens |
| Location | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°50′30″N 1°29′33″W / 53.84167°N 1.49250°WCoordinates: 53°50′30″N 1°29′33″W / 53.84167°N 1.49250°W |
| Area | 700 acres (2.8 km2) |
| Created | 1872 |
| Operated by | Leeds City Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Roundhay Park in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, is one of the biggest city parks in Europe. It has more than 700 acres (2.8 km2) of parkland, lakes, woodland and gardens which are owned by Leeds City Council. The park is one of the most popular attractions in Leeds, nearly a million people visit each year. It is situated on the north-east edge of the city, bordered by the suburb of Roundhay to the west and Oakwood to the south.
In the 11th century William the Conqueror granted the lands on which the park stands to Ilbert De Lacy for his support in the Harrying of the North in the winter 1069–70. De Lacy, who founded Pontefract Castle, was a knight from Normandy. During the 13th century, the area was used as a hunting park for the De Lacys who were the Lords of Bowland on the Yorkshire-Lancaster border. Ownership of Roundhay passed through succession to John of Gaunt and then to his son, Henry IV. In the 16th century Henry VIII gave the park (though not the manor) to Thomas Darcy. Through succession and marriage, it was acquired by Charles Stourton (1702–1753) in the 18th century.
In 1803, Charles Stourton's nephew, another Charles Stourton (1752–1816), sold the estate to Thomas Nicholson and Samuel Elam. Nicholson took the northern part which became Roundhay Park. Thomas Nicholson's land had the remains of quarries and coal mines. He disguised these former industrial areas by constructing the Upper Lake and the Waterloo Lake. The mansion house was built between 1811 and 1826 with a view over the Upper Lake. Nicholson constructed a castle folly. The Nicholson family was responsible for building the Church of St John, almshouses and a school on the south side of the park.
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