Haden Hill Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haden Hill Park |
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Haden Hill House and Hall, at the North of the park
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| Type | Public park |
| Location | Sandwell, West Midlands |
| Created | 1922 |
| Operated by | Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council |
| Open | all year |
Haden Hill Park is a cool public park located between Halesowen and Old Hill in the West Midlands, England. It's right on the edge of the famous Black Country.
Inside the park, you'll find two amazing old buildings: the Haden Hall, which is from the 1500s and 1600s, and the Haden Hill House, built in the Victorian era. There's also a special nature spot called Corngreaves Nature Reserve. The local council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, owns and takes care of the park and its buildings.
The land for the park was owned by the Haden family for hundreds of years. In 1877, it went to George Alfred Haden Haden-Best. He built Haden Hill House and made the park look beautiful. In 1922, the local community raised money to buy the estate, and it became a public park for everyone to enjoy.
Between 2000 and 2007, the park got a big makeover, mostly paid for by the National Lottery. Haden Hill Park has won a Green Flag Award every year since 2004, which means it's a really well-managed green space. It's also a "Green Heritage Site" winner. Sandwell Council even calls it one of their top "flagship parks"!
Contents
Park's Past: A Look at Haden Hill's History
Before 1877: The Early Days of Haden Hill
The Haden family lived on this land for a very long time, possibly since the 1200s! They were farmers who became quite successful by marrying well and buying more land. Their main home was what we now call Haden Hall. It was a large farmhouse that grew bigger over time, mostly in the 1600s.
The estate eventually passed down through the family. In 1877, it came into the hands of George Alfred Haden Best. He had to add "Haden" to his last name as part of the inheritance.
1877–1921: George Haden Haden-Best's Time
George Alfred Haden Haden-Best was born in 1839. When he inherited the Haden Hill estate, he decided to turn the farm into a grand park. He tore down a small cottage and built the large Victorian Haden Hill House in its place. This new house had cool, modern features for its time, like underfloor heating, running water, a bathroom, and gas lights!
Haden Hall was kept because George's aunt lived there. He probably planned to knock it down later and make his new house even bigger, but his aunt lived until 1904, so it never happened.
George also completely changed the park grounds. He made them look like the huge parks owned by rich families. He added lakes at both ends of the park and created pretty walking paths and gardens. The park was designed to show off the beautiful views of the Clent Hills to the south, while hiding the industrial areas of the Black Country to the north.
Sometimes, George would open the park to the public. In 1882, people could visit for four days, enjoy boating on the lake, and explore the heated glasshouses. He even hosted flower shows with music and refreshments!
George Haden Haden-Best was an important person in the community. He helped fund education and taught at the local Sunday School. He never married but adopted two local girls, Emily and Alice, and raised them like his own children.
When George died in 1921, his nephews inherited the estate. They decided to sell most of it. This meant George Haden Haden-Best was the only person who ever lived in Haden Hill House as its owner.
1922 to Today: A Park for Everyone
The Bassano brothers, George's nephews, put the estate up for sale. Thanks to money raised by the public, Haden Hill House, Haden Hall, and the parkland were bought for £8,500. This was so the local community could use them! The park officially opened on October 21, 1922. The council later bought more land, making the park a total of 52 acres.
By 1935, Haden Hall was in bad shape, and the council thought about tearing it down. But people raised money, and it was fixed up by 1937. The Hall was used as a tea room and for weddings. During World War II, it even helped shelter children who had to leave their homes.
After the war, the park wasn't looked after as well. By 1971, Haden Hill House needed repairs, and Haden Hall was falling apart again. A group called the Haden Hill Preservation Society formed to save it. In 1977, a big fire almost destroyed the Hall. The council couldn't afford repairs, but they didn't want to demolish it because it was so historic.
The Victorian house was eventually repaired and opened to the public in 1990. Work on Haden Hall also started in 1990, but it was slow due to lack of money. This changed in 1998 when the National Lottery Heritage Fund gave £2.15 million to restore the park! The project brought the Hall back to life and improved the gardens, bringing back many of George Haden Haden-Best's original designs. The restoration was finished in 2007 and was a huge success!
Haden Hill was the first park in the Sandwell area to get the Green Flag status, showing how well it's cared for.
Exploring Haden Hill Park: What You Can See
Park Layout: How the Park is Set Up
Haden Hill Park is shaped a bit like a crescent moon. The main park area stretches from the two historic houses in the north down to the boating lake in the south. The Corngreaves Nature Reserve then extends west from the south end of the park. The River Stour runs along the southern edge of the reserve, with a nice footpath beside it.
Haden Hall: The Old Farmhouse
Haden Hall is very close to the Victorian Haden Hill House. It's sometimes called the 'Tudor Hall', but it's not actually from the Tudor period, and it wasn't a grand manor house. It was probably built around the late 1600s for the Haden family, who were becoming wealthier. Over time, it seems the Hall was even split into two homes.
The Hall has been rebuilt and restored many times. Today, it looks a lot like the original building, but we don't know how much of the very old parts are still there.
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You can also see a brick dovecote (a building for doves) that might be from the 1600s. It's connected to the east side of the Hall by a wall.
Haden Hill House: The Victorian Home
George Alfred Haden Haden-Best started building his new house in 1877. He likely moved in around 1879. The house had at least five bedrooms and separate areas for servants. George probably wanted to knock down Haden Hall and make his house even bigger, but it never happened.
On the north side of the house, there was a separate area with buildings for carriages, horses, cows, and storage. There were also special glasshouses for growing grapes, peaches, ferns, and palms, all heated by boilers!
Today, Haden Hill House is open to the public all year. You can take guided tours, and sometimes they have plays, workshops, and dances. You can see real Victorian furniture and musical instruments on display.
The Park Grounds: Outdoor Fun
In front of Haden Hall, you can see a piece of an old sandstone cross, which might be from the Middle Ages. It was moved to the park in 1937. In the middle of the park, there's a natural grassy 'bowl' area. In George Haden Haden-Best's time, this was used for making hay. It used to have a bandstand and a football field.
Along a path below Haden Hill House, you'll find two small monuments where family pets are buried. One is for three cats, and the other is for a dog.
A special ditch called a Ha ha was built before George Haden Haden-Best's time. It separated the gardens from the farmland without needing a fence, so the view wasn't blocked. It was removed in the 1960s but brought back during the National Lottery project.
There's been a pool west of the house since before George Haden Haden-Best's time. It's been changed a few times and was restored with a feeding platform during the lottery project. At the south end of the park, George built a large pool called the Boating Lake, with a boathouse and two rustic bridges. The boathouse and one bridge are gone, but the other bridge was rebuilt in 2002. Near the Boating Lake, you can find the last bit of a hermitage (a quiet retreat) that George built.
Corngreaves Nature Reserve: A Place for Wildlife
After the Corngreaves Golf Course closed in 1999, many trees were planted to create a nature reserve. This beautiful area is now part of Haden Hill Park, perfect for spotting wildlife.
Gallery
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Haden Hill House.
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The entrance to the park.
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Woods in the park.
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Autumnal Tree in the park.
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Cats Grave
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What Used to Be Here: Former Park Features
In July 1926, an outdoor swimming pool was opened where some old farm buildings used to be. It was 75 by 30 feet and wasn't heated! It closed in 1966, and you can't see any trace of it now.
On a slope below the houses, there was a building called the Sons of Rest. This was a place where retired men could meet and relax. The building opened in 1937 but was destroyed by fire in 2000.
A bandstand was put in the grassy bowl area when the park became public in 1922. It was very popular in the 1920s, with weekly concerts in the summer. The bandstand was rebuilt in 1938 but removed in 1967.
Besides the Boating Lake, George Haden Haden-Best also built three smaller pools higher up in the park. These pools fed water into the Boating Lake through waterfalls. These smaller pools have now been filled in.
Fun Times: Past Events and Activities
In 1891, a newspaper reported that a jumper named Joseph Darby set a new record for a backward jump at a Haden Hill Park festival!
In June 1929, school children even had outdoor classes in the park, learning about things like "Clothing and the Seasons" and "Exercise and Health."
The park used to have two football fields. One was in the grassy bowl (made in 1949), and the other was in the 9-acre field (opened in 1953). Both were gone by the 1970s. In the 1970s, the park also hosted whippet racing, a traditional sport in the Black Country.
In July 1987, the park hosted Cradley Heath's carnival, which included a fun fair and a display about World War II.
Corngreaves Golf Course: From Golf to Nature
In 1977, a nine-hole golf course was built on land next to the park. It later became an eighteen-hole course. However, the golf course closed in 1999. The land was then planted with trees and turned into a nature reserve, becoming part of Haden Hill Park.
Nearby Places: What's Around the Park
Haden Hill Leisure Centre
In 1976, a modern leisure centre was built north of Haden Hill House. This centre even hosted a big snooker championship in 1981!
Old Hill Cricket Club and Tennis Club
To the northwest of the park, you'll find the grounds for Old Hill Cricket Club and the courts for Old Hill Tennis Club. These areas were once owned by George Haden Haden-Best. Old Hill Cricket Club is very successful, winning national championships several times! Many international players have played there.
