The Arboretum, Nottingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arboretum |
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Lake at the Arboretum
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| Type | Public park |
| Location | Nottingham, England |
| Created | 1852 |
| Operated by | Nottingham City Council |
| Status | Open year round |
The Arboretum is a wonderful city park located in Nottingham, England. It's a special place where you can explore nature and relax.
This park was the very first public park created in Nottingham. It was chosen using a law called the Inclosure Act of 1845. A talented plant expert and publisher named Samuel Curtis helped design the park. It officially opened its gates on May 11, 1852. In 1986, it was given a special Grade II* listing by Historic England, which means it's a very important historical site.
The Arboretum is a Green Flag Award-winning park, which means it's a well-managed and beautiful green space. It's home to over 800 trees, belonging to 65 different types!
Discover the Arboretum's History
The Arboretum was officially opened by Nottingham's mayor, Mr W Felkin, and the Sheriff, Mr. Ball. A huge crowd of 30,000 people came to celebrate its opening!
The park was designed to be a collection of plants, a peaceful spot to relax, and a major attraction in Victorian Nottingham. When it first opened in 1852, you could visit for free on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays. On other days, there was a small fee of about 2.5 pence, or you could buy a yearly pass for £1.
In 1852, the Refreshment Rooms opened. This building had a large hall for parties and other rooms like a ladies' room and a kitchen. It was built with bricks and stone, looking like an old castle.
Sadly, parts of the building were taken down in 1932. After 1957, the rest of the building became a pub with different names like The Arboretum Rooms. In 1965, a big fire badly damaged the building, and it had to be almost completely rebuilt. Another fire in 2006 led to the building being taken down for good.
The Circular Aviary, a place for birds, opened in 1889. It was made with cast-iron poles and a roof covered with metal mesh. A new aviary for tropical birds was built in 1934. The main brick aviary was built later, in 1955 and 1956.
The first bandstand in the park was moved here in 1881 from Nottingham Castle. A new one, designed by city architect Frank Beckett Lewis, replaced it in 1907.
English Heritage has given the Arboretum a special Grade II* listing on the Register of Historic Parks & Gardens. This means it's a very important historical park. Also, the park's Bell Tower, bandstand, and Circular Aviary are all listed as Grade II, protecting them for the future.
What to Do: Facilities and Events
The Arboretum is a great place to visit! It has an Aviary built in 1889, which is a Grade II listed building. You can also see a beautiful bandstand from 1907, also Grade II listed, where music might have been played.
Many fun events have taken place at The Arboretum over the years. This includes the yearly Nottingham Pride festival, which celebrates diversity and community.
Historic Buildings and Memorials in the Park
Besides the Bell Tower, the aviary, and the bandstand, the Arboretum has several other important listed buildings. All of these are listed at Grade II, meaning they are historically significant.
These include:
- The main entrance and gateway, along with two lodges (small buildings) at the south-west and east sides. These were designed by Henry Moses Wood and built around 1851–52.
- A statue of Feargus O'Connor from 1859, created by J. B. Robinson.
- A war memorial for the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot from 1862–63, designed by Marriott Ogle Tarbotton. This memorial once held a bell that British soldiers took from a temple in Canton during the Second Opium War. The bell was moved to a museum in 1956. Two of the cannons at the memorial were captured in 1854–55 during the Crimean War, and the other two are copies.
