Arrowe Country Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arrowe Country Park
Arrowe Country Park
Type	Country park
Location	Woodchurch
Area	250 acres (1.0 km2)
Created	1926
Operated by	Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
Open	All year

Arrowe Country Park is a large park in Woodchurch, England. It's a great place for outdoor fun and nature! The land for the park was first owned by John Shaw. He was a rich merchant and even the Mayor of Liverpool.

After John Shaw passed away, his great-nephew, John "Ralph" Shaw, took over. Ralph built a big house called Arrowe Hall. He also designed the park's gardens and grounds. Today, the park has many cool features. You can find nature trails, open fields, a lake, and even a golf course. It's also a special place for nature, known as a Site of Biological Interest.

Park History

The story of Arrowe Country Park began with John Shaw. He was a successful merchant who owned ships. He made a lot of money from his shipping business. John Shaw was also the Mayor of Liverpool twice. He was known for helping people who were poor.

John Shaw moved to the Wirral Peninsula and bought Arrowe House Farm. He kept buying more land in the Arrowe area. When he died in 1829, his great-nephew, John "Ralph" Shaw, inherited the estate. Ralph Shaw later bought even more land. This meant he owned almost all of the Arrowe area.

Building Arrowe Hall

Ralph Shaw built the main house on the estate, Arrowe Hall, in 1835. He also worked on the park's landscape. He even changed the path of Arrowe Brook and built a dam. This dam created Arrowe Lake and a waterfall. Ralph Shaw was very strict about people coming onto his land without permission. He used special devices to stop trespassers.

New Owners and Public Park

In the early 1900s, Major McCalmont bought the Arrowe Estate. He rented it to John Williamson, a famous shipping businessman. Later, in 1917, Lord Leverhulme bought the estate.

Then, in 1926, the Birkenhead Corporation bought the land. They decided to open it up for everyone to enjoy! This was a big change.

World Scout Jamboree

A very exciting event happened at Arrowe Park in 1929. The 3rd World Scout Jamboree was held there! Thousands of Scouts from all over the world gathered for two weeks.

In the 1930s, more fun things were added to the park. A golf course, tennis courts, and bowling greens were built. Brass bands would play music on the hall lawn. Part of Arrowe Hall was even used as a cafe.

World War II Use

During World War II, Arrowe Hall became an army headquarters. After the Battle of Dunkirk, many French soldiers stayed in huts in the park. The park was also used for training with tanks.

Arrowe Hall

Arrowe Hall was built by John Ralph Shaw between 1835 and 1844. It was designed in an old English style called Elizabethan. The hall was made even bigger later with a billiards room and a conservatory.

The hall had many rooms for living and working. There were rooms for servants, a study, a library, and a dining room. It also had a kitchen, laundry area, and even a school room for children. Outside, the grounds had beautiful lawns and gardens. There was also an orchard, stables, and a coach house for visitors' carriages.

Arrowe Hall is now a special building. It was listed as a Grade II building by Historic England in 1974. This means it's an important historical building. Today, Arrowe Hall is used as a care home for adults with disabilities.

Park Facilities

Arrowe Country Park has lots of things to do!

• An 18-hole golf course
• A 9-hole pitch and putt golf course
• Footgolf (a mix of golf and football!)
• A children's play area
• An outdoor gym
• Tennis courts
• Open parkland for running and playing
• Ponds and deciduous forest (trees that lose their leaves)
• A crown green bowling area
• A lake for fishing
• Orienteering (finding your way with a map)
• Woodland walks and paths for dog walking
• Cycling routes
• A cafe, toilets, and picnic areas

Arrowe Brook flows along one side of the park. It also feeds into Arrowe Park Lake. The park is about 250 acres (1.0 km²) big and is open all year round.

Nature in the Park

Arrowe Country Park is a special place for nature. It's called a Site of Biological Importance. This means it's home to many important plants and animals. This area includes places like Nicholson’s Plantation, Gorse Covert, the golf course, and the hay meadow. Even the trees near Arrowe Hall are important because bats live there!

You can find many different birds in the park. Look for nuthatches, treecreepers, and woodpeckers. The wildflower meadows are great for butterflies. You might see small heath, skipper, and speckled wood butterflies. The ponds in the park are home to frogs, damselflies, and dragonflies.

See Also

• List of parks and open spaces in Merseyside