Peasholm Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peasholm Park |
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Peasholm Park
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| Type | Municipal |
| Location | Scarborough, North Yorkshire |
| OS grid | TA035894 |
| Area | 14 hectares |
| Created | 1912 |
| Operated by | Scarborough Borough Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Peasholm Park is a special park in the seaside town of Scarborough, England. It has an amazing oriental (Asian) theme, making you feel like you've stepped into a different world! The park first opened its gates in 1912.
Over the years, Peasholm Park became a popular spot for fun events, shows, and displays. In 1924, the park grew even bigger to include Peasholm Glen, which is a natural valley. Today, you can enjoy a boating lake where exciting mock naval battles take place. There's also a putting green for mini-golf and a special walk to see champion trees. The park has been carefully restored with help from the Heritage Lottery Fund, so it's a fantastic place to visit!
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Where is Peasholm Park Located?
Peasholm Park is found on the north side of Scarborough town. It's in an area where many people live. The park covers about 14 hectares, which is like 35 football fields!
The park includes a narrow valley with steep sides that runs towards the North Bay. This valley gets wider as it gets closer to the sea. The park's edges are next to roads like Peasholm Drive and Northstead Manor Drive. Sometimes, you'll see iron fences around the park, but often, the edges are just marked by pavements or grassy areas next to the roads.
How Peasholm Park Began
Peasholm Park is built on land that was once home to a medieval manor house called Northstead. This land belonged to the Crown Estate (the King or Queen's property) from the 1300s. By the early 1900s, the area was open farmland.
In 1911, the local council in Scarborough bought some land to create a public park. Harry W Smith, the town's engineer, had a brilliant idea: he wanted to design the gardens in a Japanese style! Special Japanese statues were bought for the park. Unique shrubs and flowers were brought in from the home of a retired banker who lived in France.
In 1924, the park expanded further along Peasholm Glen. Some parts of the Glen were even given to the council by private owners. The park quickly became famous for water shows, music, and evening fireworks. It was super popular before and after World War II.
After a period where the park wasn't as well-kept, a big plan to restore it began. Over £300,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and extra money from Scarborough Council helped make these improvements possible. For example, the lake was drained to remove a lot of mud from the bottom. This helped the lake work much better. The park is still open today for everyone to enjoy!
In 1999, Peasholm Park was given a special "Grade II listed" status by English Heritage. This means it's an important historical site. The park was closed for a short time in 1999 after a fire at the pagoda. But thanks to the Heritage Lottery funding, the pagoda, Half-Moon Bridge, and gardens have all been beautifully restored.
What to See and Do
Peasholm Park has many interesting things to explore:
- Peasholm Glen Tree Trail: This trail features rare and unusual trees. A project, funded by the lottery, helps protect these trees. You can get a free leaflet or download it online to learn about the most important trees. Signs around the park also help you identify them. During the restoration, a type of elm tree called the Dicksonian Elm, which people thought was extinct, was found alive and well in Peasholm Glen!
- Japanese Gardens and Lake: The park's main attraction is its Japanese-themed gardens and a large lake. There's a beautiful pagoda in the lake, which is said to be inspired by the famous Willow Pattern pottery design.
- Central Island: In the middle of the lake is an island. You can reach it by crossing a Japanese-style bridge. The gate to the island is usually open during school holidays and tourist seasons in the daytime.
- Waterfalls and Wildlife: In the quieter, wooded parts of the park, you can find lovely waterfalls and observe local wildlife.
Exciting Events at the Park
One of the most famous events at Peasholm Park is the Naval Warfare event, also known as the Battle of Peasholm. This exciting show has been happening for over 80 years! It takes place for half an hour, three times a week, during the summer.
The event uses model boats, and many of them are steered by people! This has earned the fleet the funny title of "The smallest manned navy in the world." In the early days, all the boats were powered by people. Then, in 1929, electricity was added, and now only the larger boats need council employees to steer them.
- Early Battles: When the show first started, the models were battleships from World War I and U-boats (submarines).
- Later Battles: After World War II, new boats were made, and the battle recreated was the famous Battle of the River Plate.
Besides the naval battles, Peasholm Park also hosts other fun events. These include concerts by silver and brass bands, "Party in the Park" events, "Proms in the Park" music nights, and beautiful lantern displays.
Images for kids
A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund helped the Scarborough Borough Council rebuild the Pagoda. They used special fire-resistant wood to make it look just like the original. The Half-moon Bridge, which connects the island to the mainland, has also been replaced. The waterfalls have been improved, and the gardens have been restored and upgraded.
