Queens Park, Crewe

53°05′49″N 2°28′12″W / 53.097°N 2.470°W / 53.097; -2.470

Queens Park looking towards the pavilion

Queens Park in Crewe, Cheshire, is a 44.5 acre (18ha) Grade II* listed public park opened in 1887, little changed from its original plan.[1]

History

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The park was laid out by railway engineer Francis Webb, Richard Moon, mayor of Crewe in 1888, and garden designer Edward Kemp.[2]

A story that the park is a product of 1880s railway politics when the London & North Western Railway bought the land and donated it to the town to prevent the Great Western Railway from building a railway line through it is almost certainly untrue.[3]

From 2014 the park underwent a major £6.5 million restoration that included a new children's playground, a new café and bowls pavilion, and significant reconstruction work to bridges and footpaths.[4]

The Friends of Queens Park help to raise money for events held in the park. The Friends are a community group who represent the park, they also raise money to put on events in the Park and to implement new ideas.

Features

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The park is popular with Crewe residents and features the largest lake in the area, which also has boats for hire. Other prominent features of the park include a Grade II listed Victorian clock tower,[5] two Grade II listed lodges at the entrance from Victoria Avenue,[6][7] a man-made waterfall, a large playground, and several statues and fountains. At the centre of the park is the Grade II listed Boer War Memorial.[8] Other memorials include one to the first Gulf War, and Verdun trees.[9]

Sport

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A parkrun takes place at the park each Saturday morning at 9am. It began on 17 February 2018.[10][11]

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See also

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References

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Notes

Citations

  1. ^ Historic England. "Queen's Park, Crewe (1001412)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Queens Park Crewe". Cheshire East Council. Retrieved 24 April 2008.
  3. ^ Drummond, D. K. Crewe – Railway Town, Company & People, 1840–1914.
  4. ^ "Queens Park Renovation Project". Cheshire East Council. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  5. ^ Historic England. "Clock Tower in Queen's Park (1136226)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  6. ^ Historic England. "West Lodge at Queen's Park (1136230)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  7. ^ Historic England. "East Lodge at Queen's Park (1138681)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  8. ^ Historic England. "War Memorial in Queen's Park (1138682)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  9. ^ Blurton, Paul (2018). "Queens Park Crewe and the Verdun oaks (and chestnut trees)". L&NWR Society Journal. 9: 50–51.
  10. ^ "Results | Crewe parkrun".
  11. ^ Morse, Peter (21 February 2018). "Running: Parkrun has come to Crewe - and it's annoyingly brilliant". Crewe Chronicle. Retrieved 23 May 2023.