Stoke Park, Bristol
| Stoke Park, Bristol | |
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Stoke Park and The Dower House, viewed from the M32
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 Stoke Park
 Stoke Park shown within Bristol |
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| Location | Bristol |
| OS grid | ST 61590 77051 |
| Coordinates | 51°29′28″N 2°33′17″W / 51.49109°N 2.55462°WCoordinates: 51°29′28″N 2°33′17″W / 51.49109°N 2.55462°W |
| Area | 108 hectares (270 acres) |
Stoke Park is a public open space of 108 hectares (270 acres) in Bristol, England. It occupies a prominent position on the eastern flanks of Purdown, alongside the M32 motorway, together with the landmark Dower House and Purdown transmitter.
Bristol City Council plan to keep a herd of organic Dexter cattle in the park, both as a supply of beef and as an educational resource.
The Dower House is one of Bristol's more prominent landmarks, set on a hill above the M32 motorway on the main approach into the city, and painted bright yellow. The house was built in 1553 by Sir Richard Berkeley. It has also been used as part of Stoke Park Hospital. The house closed as a hospital in 1985, and has since been converted into flats.
Within Stoke Park are two small lakes, the largest of which is Duchess Pond. It is used for angling and also supports several species of breeding bird which are scarce elsewhere in Bristol, for example, reed warbler and reed bunting; in addition, an Egyptian goose was seen here in 2006 and a bittern in 2014.
Several aspects of the house and estate are listed. The house is Grade II* listed. The balustraded terrace, the Orangery, the remains of the Obelisk, and the Broomhill Gate are all Grade II listed. The woods contain the Beaufort Memorial, the cold bath, a stone tunnel, and a partially derelict stone tunnel with rusticated entrance arches, all also Grade II listed.
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Wikipedia