Hampden Park, Eastbourne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hampden Park |
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.jpg) St Mary's Church |
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 Hampden Park
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| Population | 10,591 (2011.Ward) |
| OS grid reference | TQ605022 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | EASTBOURNE |
| Postcode district | BN22 |
| Dialling code | 01323 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | East Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Hampden Park is a lively area in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England. It is a suburb known for its large park and unique railway station. The station, now called Hampden Park railway station, was once known as 'Willingdon Halt'. It is famous because local trains on the East Coastway Line stop there twice. This area is also thought to have one of the busiest level crossings in Europe!
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Discover the Fun at Hampden Park
Hampden Park offers a wonderful outdoor space for everyone. It has a big, pleasant park with a good-sized lake. You can find many things to do here:
- A park cafe called Lakeside Cafe, perfect for a snack.
- A fun children's playground.
- Outdoor tennis courts for playing games.
- Large playing fields for sports.
- Lots of paths for jogging or walking.
The park is also home to the Eastbourne Rugby Club. Two bowls clubs are also located nearby.
Wildlife Around the Lake
The lake at Hampden Park is a great place to spot wildlife. You can often see many different birds and animals.
- The main animal you will see is the eastern gray squirrel.
- The lake is home to many bird species, including mallard ducks, Canada geese, mute swans, moorhen, herons, gulls, and rock pigeons.
In 2011, the Decoy Pond in the park got a big makeover. This project helped improve the pond for wildlife. It was funded by Eastbourne Borough Council and a large grant from The Friends of the Hampden Park group. They got the money from the Big Lottery Fund.
Hampden Park's Past: A Brief History
Before 1901, the land that is now Hampden Park was part of a large area called the Ratton Estate. This estate was owned by Lord Willingdon. The Ratton Estate is even mentioned in the Domesday survey from 1087. For a long time, the woodlands and lake were used to attract wild birds for food. By the late 1800s, the lake was probably not used for this purpose anymore.
Lord Willingdon agreed to sell about 78 acres (315,650 square meters) of land to Eastbourne Corporation. This was on one condition: a new main road, Kings Drive, had to be built. This road would connect Eastbourne to Willingdon.
Hampden Park was named after Lord Willingdon’s grandfather, Viscount Hampden. The park officially opened on August 12, 1902. It was opened by Lord Rosebery, a famous politician of the time. This park was the very first park in Eastbourne to be owned by the local council.
The Local Church
St Mary's Church is the main Anglican church in Hampden Park. The original church was built in 1908. Sadly, it was destroyed by a bomb in 1940 during World War II. A new church was built in its place between 1952 and 1954. It was designed by a famous architect named Edward Maufe. The church has a Gothic Revival style, similar to the Perpendicular Gothic style. Today, it is a Grade II listed building, which means it is an important historical building.
