Platt Fields Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Platt Fields Park |
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| Type | Municipal park |
| Location | Fallowfield, Manchester, England |
| Area | 70 hectares (170 acres) |
| Created | 1908 |
| Operated by | Manchester City Council |
Platt Fields Park is a big public park in Fallowfield, Manchester, England. It's a great place to visit and is home to a historic building called Platt Hall. The park is located south of Manchester city centre, with Wilmslow Road running along its eastern side. It's also near the famous Curry Mile.
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What You Can Do at Platt Fields Park
The main part of the park is a large pond where you can go boating and fishing. In the middle of the pond, there's a special island that acts as a safe place for wildlife. You'll also find a visitors' centre and a boathouse near the pond. A small stream called Gore Brook and part of an old ditch called the Nico (Mickle) Ditch also run through the park.
Platt Fields Park has many different kinds of gardens to explore. There are community gardens with ferns, roses, and heather. You can also find an educational garden and an environmental area. Near the boating pond, there are the Elizabeth II Jubilee gardens and an Eco Arts garden.
In the south-east part of the park, there's a special Shakespearean garden. All the plants in this garden are mentioned in William Shakespeare's plays! This area, called Ashfield, also has an old archway from Manchester Cathedral. Ashfield was added to the park later, given to the city by Edward Donner.
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Near Platt Hall, in the north-east part of the park, you'll see the Queen Elizabeth Coronation fountain. This fountain was moved to Platt Fields in 2002. It was originally in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester City Centre. It was put there in 1953 to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. You can even see this fountain in a famous painting from 1954 by L. S. Lowry called Piccadilly Gardens.
The park has a labyrinth (a maze-like path) and areas for picnics. There's also a special pavilion for veterans and two children's playgrounds. One playground is for younger kids (up to age 5), and the other is for older kids (up to age 9). Both are close to the Lakeside Centre.
For sports, the park offers a lot! There are two bowling greens, courts for basketball, five-a-side football, roller hockey, and tennis. You can also find a mini soccer pitch, special paths for cycling, and a skate park. A new BMX track was finished in 2008 at the south end of the park.
The old boathouse is now home to Platt Fields Bike Hub. This is a community group that helps with bicycle repairs, rents out bikes, and organizes other cycling activities.
The park has three special fields that can host big events. Past events include the Manchester Mela, Eid Festival, and annual fireworks displays. The park also has a car park with disabled spaces and public toilets.
A Look Back: History of Platt Fields Park
The land where Platt Fields Park now stands was first mentioned around 1150. At that time, it was given to the Knights of St John. The Platt family owned the land for about 400 years, starting in 1225.
In 1625, the Worsley family took over the estate. It was then a large country park with a grand house, known as the Platt Hall Estate. A famous landscape designer, William Emes, helped design the park in 1768. The Worsley family owned the estate until 1907.
By the early 1900s, houses started to be built all around the estate. The owner, Elizabeth Tindal-Carill-Worsley, decided to sell the land in 1907. People worried that the park would be sold to builders and turned into more houses. A man named William Royle helped gather support for the city to buy the park.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester held a special meeting, and everyone agreed to buy the estate to save it as a public park. The city bought it in 1908 for nearly £60,000.
During a time when many people didn't have jobs (winter of 1908-1909), over 700 men helped rebuild the park. They planted trees and shrubs, changed the path of Gore Brook, and created the large lake and island. The park, now called Platt Fields Park, officially opened on May 7, 1910. The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Sir Charles Behrens, opened it.
The main lake had a big boathouse with many rowing boats. There was even a motor launch called the Archie Littlemore that gave rides. Later, a paddling pool and two smaller lakes for model boats were built. One of these was home to the Platt Fields Model Yacht Club. There was also a raised track for large model trains, where people could ride.
The park also had an outdoor swimming pool called the Platt Fields Lido. It was 25 yards long. Later, the Lido was closed and turned into a "Pets Corner" with small animals and birds. The park was used for many sports, including tennis, football, bowling, and cricket. More work was done between 1919 and 1925 to level the playing fields and build bowling greens and tennis courts.
A large circular amphitheatre with a stage was built into the ground, but no trace of it remains today. There was also once a Speakers' Corner near the Holy Trinity Platt Church.
The park used to have a tennis pavilion built in 1926, but it was taken down in 2006. The Pets Corner, a café, and beautiful rose gardens were also once part of the park.
In 1980, two brothers, Stuart and Paul Yearsley, helped bring model boating back to the park. They started the Platt Fields (silent) Model Boat Club. This club, now called South Manchester Model Boat Club, still meets at the lake on Sunday mornings and is a popular attraction.
Friends of Platt Fields Park
The Friends of Platt Fields Park is a group of volunteers and a charity. They work hard to take care of the park and help people enjoy it.
Platt Hall
Platt Hall was the home of the Worsley family for 300 years. The building you see today is a beautiful Georgian house, built in 1746. It cost a lot of money to build back then! It replaced an older wooden house that belonged to Charles Worsley, who was an important leader during the time of Oliver Cromwell.
Former Gallery of Costume
From 1947 to 2021, Platt Hall was home to the Gallery of Costume. This museum displayed clothes from the 1600s all the way to modern times. The collection belongs to the Manchester Art Gallery. In 2021, the clothes were moved from Platt Hall and are now being stored. They will eventually be displayed in a new space at the main Manchester Art Gallery. The future plans for Platt Hall itself are still being decided.
Platt Chapel
Platt Chapel is located on Wilmslow Road, near the park. The building you see now was rebuilt in 1790 and changed again in 1874–75. It was originally a private chapel for the Worsley family of Platt Hall, built in 1699. It was built for a minister named Henry Finch. The church group started as Independents (a type of Protestant church) and later became Unitarian in the early 1800s.
The chapel stopped being used for regular church services in 1970. Since 1977, various local groups have used the building. The graveyard, which used to be bigger, is surrounded by Platt Fields Park.
See also
In Spanish: Platt Fields Park para niños
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Manchester-M14
- Appleby Lodge, a building across from Platt Fields on Wilmslow Road
