Highfields Park, Nottingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Highfields Park |
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The cascade in Highfields Park, November 2015
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| Location | Nottingham |
| Area | 121 acres (49 ha) |
| Created | 1920 |
| Operated by | Nottingham City Council |
| Open | 1926 (fully) |
| Designation | Grade II Listed |
Highfields Park is a beautiful public park in Nottingham, England. It covers about 121 acres (49 hectares) and is looked after by Nottingham City Council. The park is right next to the University of Nottingham's University Park campus. Many people think the park is part of the university because they are so close.
The park has a fun boating lake where you can hire boats in summer. You can also see a lovely waterfall, called a cascade, and stepping stones at one end. These are so special they are "Grade II listed," meaning they are important historical features. On the south side of the lake, a small stream called the Tottle Brook flows. At the eastern end, there are play areas for kids and a building with a cafe.
Discovering Highfields Park's Past
Highfields Park was once part of a large private estate. In the late 1700s, a man named Joseph Lowe and his son Alfred owned the land. They did a lot of work to shape the landscape you see today. Joseph Lowe built 'Highfields House' in 1789, which was his home. He also created a fish pond from the Tottle Brook.
How Sir Jesse Boot Created the Park
The Lowe family owned the land until 1920. Then, Sir Jesse Boot, who started the famous Boots the Chemist company, bought it. He wanted to build good quality homes for his workers, like other famous factory owners did. However, an American company bought his business, and they weren't interested in building houses.
Sir Jesse Boot then had a lot of land and money. He decided to give away 121 acres for good causes. He used 35 acres to start the core of what became the University of Nottingham. He also built a new road connecting Nottingham to Beeston. The land south of the university's Trent Building was given to Nottingham City Council to become a park.
Building the Park and Lake
The park was built between 1922 and 1926. The fish pond Joseph Lowe made was turned into the bigger boating lake we see today. The dirt dug out for the lake was used to raise the ground for the new road. In the past, the River Trent often flooded this area before flood controls were put in place in the 1950s.
Sir Jesse Boot gave the park's ownership to Nottingham City Council in 1925. He managed it until he passed away in 1931. The council officially took over in 1932. The park was designed by Percy Richard Morley Horder. He included areas for plants like azaleas, places for dancing (which later became croquet), and bowling greens. There was also a paddling pool for children and boats to rent on the lake.
The University Connection
The northern part of the land Sir Jesse Boot gave away became the first university in the East Midlands. Highfields House became part of the new university campus. The impressive Trent Building with its tall tower became a key landmark for both the university and the park. Its formal lawns line up perfectly with the park's lakeside terraces. Two large stone lions were later gifted by the city of Ningbo, China, and stand proudly here.
Bringing the Park Back to Life
In the early 2000s, the park wasn't getting enough care. Many of its features started to fall apart. To help save it, Nottingham City Council asked for money from the National Lottery. They wanted to clean out the lake, fix the Maid Marion boat, and repair the old buildings, bridges, and lights. They also planned a new water park and adventure golf course. In 2015, they received £3.2 million for the project. Work on restoring the park began in 2016.
Exploring Highfields Park's Features
Highfields Park is built in a valley with a natural sandstone outcrop nearby. The Tottle Brook feeds the beautiful boating lake. A new path was dug for the brook south of the lake. The lake has an island you can reach by bridges. At the western end, there's a lovely cascade (waterfall). You can cross the lake here using a long line of stepping stones. A small wall, called a weir, separates this part of the park from the main boating area. The lake is home to many ornamental carp fish.
To the east, you'll find a terrace by the lake and the D.H. Lawrence pavilion. There are also play areas for children nearby. The sandstone outcrop has some caves. When the park was redesigned in 1921, grand gates were built south of the lake. These gates line up with the Trent Building on the university campus. The gates are impressive, with eagle sculptures on their pillars. An ornamental bridge crosses the brook, and steps lead from the lake terrace to the water. Here you'll see the two Chinese stone lion sculptures, a gift from the city of Ningbo. South of the lake, there were many plants, including a collection of azaleas, and lots of trees perfect for climbing. These areas are being restored thanks to the funding.
The park also used to have a round paddling pool, croquet lawns, and bowling greens. The paddling pool is no longer there. However, the bowling greens are now used as three croquet lawns, adding to the five original ones. The azalea walk is also being brought back to life with the Lottery grant. The Maid Marion motor launch boat was fixed in 2000. It will be back on the lake once more silt is removed.
Wildlife in Highfields Park
The lake is home to many birds. You can spot moorhens and coots, along with different types of ducks like tufted ducks and mallards. There are also Canada geese and a pair of Egyptian geese. In 2016, the Egyptian geese even hatched four goslings! The lake was once used to raise fish, so fishing was not allowed.
The D.H. Lawrence Pavilion
The original building by the lake burned down in 1999. It was replaced by the D.H. Lawrence pavilion in 2001. This building has a theatre, an art gallery, and a cafe. The university now manages it.
Maid Marion Boat
The Maid Marion is a wooden motorboat. It used to take visitors on rides around the lake. It will return to the lake once the lake has been cleaned out.
Highfields Lido (Former Swimming Pool)
Highfields Park once had a very large outdoor swimming pool called the Highfields Lido. It opened in 1922 and was the biggest lido in England at the time. The pool was 330 feet (100 meters) long and 75 feet (23 meters) wide. It held a huge amount of water! Water came from the boating lake and flowed into the Tottle Brook. The pool was cleaned and refilled every week.
Nottingham City Council took over the lido in 1932. They added a system to filter and circulate the water. Attempts to heat the water in the 1930s and 1940s were not successful. The lido closed in 1981 and was later taken down. The university now uses the site for a concert hall and offices.
The lido was designed by Percy Richard Morley Horder. He used a Roman style with red brick walls and arched entrances to the changing rooms. Although the pool was huge, there wasn't much space around it for people to relax. A sun-deck was added in the late 1930s, but it caused problems with the water filtration and was removed in the 1950s. In 1963, more land was bought to make the terrace bigger and add a paddling pool at the southern end.
