Stockwood Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stockwood Park |
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| Type | public park |
| Location | Luton, Bedfordshire England |
| Area | about 100 hectares (one square kilometre) |
| Operated by | Luton Borough Council |
| Status | Open all year |
Stockwood Park is a big public park in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It's located in the Farley Hill area. This park is huge, covering about 100 hectares, which is like 100 football fields!
Stockwood Park has lots to offer. You can explore beautiful old gardens, visit a museum that shows how people used to live and work, and even find a rugby club. It's a great place to spend time outdoors and learn something new.
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Discover Stockwood Park's History
Stockwood Park used to be the private land around a large house called Stockwood House. This house was built way back in 1740 by John Crawley, a very important landowner in Bedfordshire. The gardens around the house were designed to be grand and beautiful, fitting for such a big estate.
The house had special enclosed gardens with walls. These walls helped protect fruits and vegetables that were grown for the people living in the house. Today, one of these walled gardens shows how gardening styles have changed over many years.
Stockwood House During World War II
When World War II started, Stockwood House was changed into a hospital. It cared for children who had hip problems. These children were moved from another hospital in Kent because that area was considered too dangerous due to the war.
At first, the hospital didn't have an X-ray machine. So, patients had to be driven by private car to a nearby hospital for X-rays. Later, an X-ray facility was added in the old stable building. The house was then called the Alexandra Hospital for Children with Hip Disease. Stockwood House was eventually taken down in 1964.
Explore the Stockwood Discovery Centre
The Stockwood Discovery Centre is a museum located in the old stables of Stockwood House. It's a fantastic place to learn about how people lived and worked in Bedfordshire a long time ago, before big factories and machines changed everything.
The museum has a special collection of old tools and items used for rural crafts and trades. This collection was put together by a person named T. W. Bagshawe. It's one of the best collections of its kind in the whole country! You can see how people made things by hand, like pottery or baskets, and learn about farming life before modern technology.
Gardens to Wander Through
Stockwood Park is famous for its amazing gardens that show different styles from history.
The Medieval Garden
Step back in time to the 12th to 15th centuries in the Medieval Garden. Here, you'll see plants and herbs that were used for medicine, cooking, and even dyeing clothes. It shows how important plants were for everyday life long ago.
The Elizabethan Knot Garden
The 16th-century garden is designed with "knots." These are patterns made by carefully clipped hedges, like a fancy woven design. The open spaces in these patterns were often filled with colorful materials like brick dust or crushed shells to make the green plants stand out.
The Dutch and Italian Gardens
You can also find a small, formal Dutch Garden with neatly clipped hedges and decorative urns. It looks similar to gardens designed by famous landscape architects from the past. The Italian Garden has a beautiful old well in the middle, which used to be in front of Stockwood House itself. These gardens show how different countries influenced garden styles in England.
The Victorian Garden
The Victorian era (1800s) was a time when people traveled the world to find rare and exciting plants. The Victorian Garden shows popular styles from this time, like rock gardens and bright flower beds. This was also when the first practical lawn mowers were invented, making it easier to have neat, green lawns, which became a key part of gardens.
The Improvement Garden
The "Improvement Garden" is a classical garden. It features sculptures and designs that remind us of ancient Greece and Rome. It's a peaceful place that connects to history and art.
Images for kids
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The entrance to Stockwood Park in Luton.
