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Warrington
Green profiles a selection of the nature
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Featured on this page |
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| Birchwood Forest Park | Lumb Brook Valley |
| Black Bear Park | Lymm Dam |
| Burtonwood Nature Park | Moore Nature Reserve |
| Culcheth Linear Park | Orford Park |
In Part 2 we look at Paddington Meadows, Peek Hall Park, Risley Moss, Rixton Claypits, Sankey Valley Park, Spud Wood, Trans Pennine Trail, The Twiggeries, Victoria Park, Walton Hall & Gardens, Woolston Eyes, Woolston Park and Other Green Areas.
Information correct at time of
publication (July 2007).
Please check with Network Warrington
on (01925) 634296 for bus times and with the Ranger
Service
on the telephone number at the end of each section for
details of special events.
Recommended
maps are the OS Explorer Maps Nos. 275 and 276, which show the rights of way in
Warrington. Leaflets in PDF format can be downloaded and printed out from the
Warrington Borough Council website or
telephone (01925) 444400
For information on other places to visit in Warrington, visit the Tourist Information Centre, either within Warrington Market or at Warrington Interchange, the town's bus station. Telephone (01925) 428585 Fax: (01925) 652692
Please follow the Countryside Code when visiting any of the places listed here. Visit the Countryside Access website for more.
Dog
Owners: 'It's
Your Business'
| P | arks are enjoyed by thousands of people each year. |
| I | t is antisocial to let your dog foul public areas. |
| C | lean up. Use the dog bins provided or take it home. |
| K | eep a poop scoop in your pocket. |
| I | nfection from faeces can damage your health. |
| T | rain your dog to go at home. |
| U | ncontrolled dogs can be frightening to others. |
| P | lease be a responsible dog owner. |
To find out
what's on in Warrington, please visit the Council’s detailed events
guide.
Birchwood Forest Park cover an area of 500 acres, and is located in east Warrington between the M6 in the west and the M62, junction 11, in the east.
History
It was created on the site of the Risley Royal Ordnance Factory, where thousands of bombs were made during the Second World War.
By the end of the 19th century, Risley, as the area was originally known, comprised 30 tenant farms, a gamekeeper's lodge and a peat cutting industry based at Risley Moss. Risley had become one of the most fertile agricultural villages in the country, growing cereal crops and vegetables, and was especially well known for its giant celery.
In
1939 much of the farmland was acquired by the government by compulsory purchase
for the construction of the ROF. Within 18 months a huge complex covering 927
acres of prime agricultural land was built, including 1,800 small buildings and
a network of road and rail links. Labouring day and night, up to 30,000 workers (mainly women)
produced a staggering one
million mines and 500,000 high explosive shells.
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factory was divided into rectangular sections each serving a different
function. Click the image to see my map of modern-day Birchwood showing
the locations of each area.
Some facts about the factory: |
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The
Walled Garden |
The
sluice mechanism |
After the War production of ammunition ceased as the ROF was built as an emergency factory only. It was then used by the Admiralty as a storage depot until 1961, except for the north west section which was taken over by UKAEA in 1956.
The huge disused site was put up for sale in 1963 but no buyer could be found.
In 1968 Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation acquired the ROF, which at the time formed one of the largest derelict land sites in Europe. The factory was demolished and over 500 acres of woodland, meadows and green corridors were created in and around the area now called Birchwood.
Birchwood Forest Park is managed by Warrington Borough Council and other organisations, including the Woodland Trust. Large open spaces and smaller pond areas contribute to the beauty of this part of Warrington, providing footpaths (suitable for buggies and wheelchairs), as well as cycling and walking.
Link to the Warrington Borough Council website to read more and see a photo of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Risley.
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Play areas and sport are well catered for, including cricket, football, skateboarding and a BMX track.
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Take
a stroll up to Pestfurlong Hill and Gorse Covert Mounds where in Springtime you
can see birds which nest on the site. Wild Flowers, including Marsh Orchids and
butterflies can be seen in the summer. The hill was created from the rubble of
the Royal Ordnance Factory.
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Pond life |
Pestfurlong Hill |
The
large playing field is |
You can read more about the area in Warrington Green 2, Risley Moss.
Leave
junction 11 of the M62 and follow the A574 (Birchwood Way). Turn left at the
first mini roundabout and right at the next into the car park. The car park
close to the Ranger Centre has designated parking bays for orange badge holders.
From
Warrington Bus Station the No. 24 and 25 stop at Ordnance Ave and Moss Gate.
The
Park is easily reached from Birchwood Station. The buses stop outside.
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 824239
Ranger
Centre, Birchwood Forest Park, off Moss Gate, Birchwood, Warrington
WA3 6QX
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Black
Bear Park is a linear park that provides links across the Latchford,
Stockton Heath and Westy areas of the town. The Trans Pennine Trail
joins the park near to Stockton Heath swing bridge, while the Mersey
Way meets the park at Kingsway Bridge.
Originally the park was part of the eight-mile Old Quay Canal built in 1804 to link Latchford and Runcorn. |
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In 1894 the
canal was severed by the building of the Manchester Ship Canal and became
disused and derelict. A small section was left intact and this became the Black
Bear Canal
It joined the Ship Canal at Twenty Steps Lock (directly beneath the Northwich Road swing bridge) and the River Mersey at Manor Lock, formerly called Latchford Lock. It remained in use until the 1960s, mainly transporting Argentinean hides to the tanneries at Howley. Once closed the canal became derelict and was filled in during the 1980s to become the park we see today.
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| Twenty
Steps Lock is close to Northwich Road Swing Bridge. |
The
canal bed was filled in to form the park's route. |
Manor
Lock is shown in these images where it ran into the River Mersey at Howley near Kingsway Bridge. |
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Ancient
Ford
Just south of
the Black Bear Bridge on Knutsford Road is the location of Warrington’s
ancient ford, the only crossing point of the River Mersey until the 13th
century when the first bridge was built at Bridge Foot in 1285. It is believed the ford
was in existence 10,000 years ago and had probably been used by Mesolithic
nomads (c8,000 BC) as they journeyed through the area. It should also be noted,
however, that the Romans bridged the Mersey in the early 70s AD during the reign
of the Emperor Vespasian. It is not known how long this bridge lasted, but it is
known that by 175 AD the ford was again considered the main crossing point. The River Mersey has been re-directed since
those days and the site of the ford is now just a boggy area.
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canal walls are preserved as part of the site's heritage |
The
Warrington to Stockport Railway ran over the canal |
Directions
and distances on decorative signposts |
Plants and
animals have been gradually encouraged onto the park by a programme of tree and
wild flower planting and the creation of habitats such as the excavation of the
pond. Access is possible by foot and bicycle from many points along the park.
Paths are level and well surfaced and suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
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| Wild flowers are in abundance, especially in the summer. | Feeding station. | |
Alongside Black Bear Park is Victoria Park, featured in Warrington Green 2.
Directions
Take
junction 10 off the M56 and follow the A49 through
Stockton Heath, go over the swing bridge past Morrisons supermarket and turn
right at the lights on Loushers Lane. From Warrington town centre, turn left off
the A49 Wilderspool Causeway onto Loushers Lane. As you come over a bridge about 200m
along the lane you will see two shops on your left hand side. To the left of the
shops is the entrance to the park. Parking space available opposite at Loushers
Lane Recreation Ground.
Bus
No.12a at 30 minutes past the hour from Warrington Interchange to Loushers Lane.
A
wheelchair access point can be found at the Loushers Lane entrance to the park
next to the Ranger Cabin and there are kissing gates along the length of the
park.
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 232184
Email
the Rangers
Ranger
Cabin, Black Bear Park, Loushers Lane, Latchford, Warrington
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The
Nature Park was officially opened in September 1991 after years of hard
work by many dedicated local people, school children and organisations,
including Cheshire Landscape Trust, Burtonwood Parish Council,
Burtonwood Environment Group and Tree Wardens, BTCV and Groundwork
Mersey Valley.
The
land was purchased by Warrington Borough Council in 1987 and began its
transformation from farm field to wildlife haven with extensive tree
planting, meadow development and pond creation. |
Today the Nature Park is an ideal place for a quiet walk, a picnic, wildlife watching or school visits. There are also opportunities for becoming involved in practical management works.
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The colourful meadows offer diverse flora and a wealth of butterflies in the summer. Early morning visitors have the chance of spotting foxes and hares. The developing mixed woodland areas provide feeding and nesting for many species of birds, supplementing the surrounding countryside.
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During
the summer many migrant birds such as willow warblers and chiffchaffs can be
heard whilst swallows and martins swoop overhead.
Directions
Parking
is available at Burtonwood Community Centre off Green Jones Brow, Chapel Lane.
From the M62 Junction 8 follow the signs for Burtonwood village. After 1/4 mile
turn right into Tanhouse Lane following the road to the end. At the junction,
turn left. The Community Centre is approx 1/4 mile on the left.
The
Nos. 329 and 29 bus services from Warrington Interchange both stop in Burtonwood
village.
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 571836
Email
the Rangers
The
Ranger Office, Bewsey Old Hall, Bewsey Farm Close, Old Hall, Warrington WA5 9PB.
Culcheth Linear Park lies on a section of the former Wigan to Glazebrook Railway Line. The line was constructed by a consortium of rail companies including the LNER and Great Central. It first opened to goods in 1878. After a short extension linking the line to Wigan Central Station was built, the first passenger train ran in 1884, calling at Glazebrook, Lowton St Mary and Culcheth.
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The platform of the railway line has been turned into a mosaic, with the closing year of the railway remembered. |
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In 1939 Newchurch Halt was built to service the naval camp sited in Culcheth. A railway line extension ran into the Royal Ordnance Factory at Risley, which closed after the War.
After the war years there was a national decline in railway use leading to the infamous Lord Beeching Report of 1964, which indicated the unprofitability of many branch lines. The Culcheth line was no exception and finally closed on 22 April 1968.
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Beautifully carved benches are located throughout the park, while I take a rest to plan my next move. |
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The railway lay derelict until 1974 when Warrington Borough Council acquired a section of the line and undertook initial landscaping works. In 1983 the Ranger Service took over management of the site and continues the development of the park. The Ranger Cabin is located on the site of the old station.
Wildlife at Culcheth Linear Park
Culcheth Linear Park is an area of natural countryside, a place to relax or take a closer look at nature. Look out for the Jay (bird), Speckled Wood butterfly, Knapweed (a plant), Water Vole, Fly Agaric (a poisonous mushroom) and the Common Dog Violet.
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Directions
From
Culcheth village centre turn left by the Cherry Tree pub into Wigshaw Lane.
After 500m turn right by the park entrance signs and follow a short road to the
car park and Ranger cabin.
The
No. 19 bus between Warrington and Leigh stops at the entrance to Wigshaw Lane.
The
Ranger Cabin at Culcheth is equipped with a ramp and has extra wide doors for
ease of access to view displays and obtain leaflets. Although control gates
preventing motorbikes have been installed, these are fitted with RADAR locks
enabling wheelchair and electric/mobility cars to use the site.
The
main track and other paths are constructed of rolled stone or shale.
Keys
to the RADAR locks on this park are available for registered disabled visitors
from: Community Services, Service Reception Team, 21 Rylands Street, Warrington.
Telephone 01925 444239
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 765064
Email
the Rangers
Ranger
Cabin, Culcheth Linear Park, Wigshaw Lane, Culcheth, Warrington,
WA3 4AB
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One of the first descriptions of this area was written for Appleton as a whole and is found in the Doomsday Book. “Epletune”, it says, “was and is waste” and has, “ …. a wood there half a league long and forty perches broad”. In modern terms that would be approximately one and a half miles long by two hundred yards wide and could be the Dingle, although with such a scant description this cannot be certain. |
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One of the
first known references to the ownership of the Lumb Brook Valley itself comes in
an Ancient Charter (c.1190). At this time the land owned by Richard de Aston was
handed to Adam de Dutton in reward for his homage and service at a rent of 12d
(5p) per year.
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From this
period until the mid 18th Century the lands in Appleton, including the Lumb
Brook Valley, were in the possession of the descendants of de Dutton, who,
sometime between 1307 and 1322, adopted the name Warburton.
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| The Dingle. | Lumb Brook Millennium Green near Cobbs Estate. | ||
By the
1840’s the Lumb Brook Valley and its environs were in the ownership of three
landowners Rowland Eyles Egerton-Warburton, Thomas Lyon and Thomas Parr.
Wildlife and the Environment
Appleton
Dingle is one of our few remaining areas of ancient semi-natural woodland. It is
a fantastic place to see bluebells, woodpeckers, nuthatches, warblers and other
types of birds. Other water and woodland wildlife can be seen in the area,
including moths, butterflies, foxes and four types of bat. It contains a mix of
tree and plant species dominated by English Oak. Grid Ref : SJ 627847
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The Dingle - one
of two places in Warrington with that name - the other is near Lymm
Dam. And somebody has a sense |
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The
Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading charity dedicated solely to the conservation of our native woodland heritage. The Trust owns and maintains over a thousand woods throughout the UK, these woodlands are freely open for everyone to enjoy. The Trust owns and manages parts of the woodland within the Lumb Brook Valley including Fords Rough, Pewterspear Woods and parts of the Dingle. To find out more about the Trust telephone 01476 581111, www.woodland-trust.org.uk
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| Fords
Rough. Nice to walk thorough but unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs. |
Horse
beside Green Lane. Visitors are encouraged to clean up after their dogs. |
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Directions
From
Warrington town centre take the A49 south through Stockton Heath. Turn left into
Lyons Lane. At the roundabout turn right onto Longwood Road. Follow the road and
turn left into Cann Lane and immediately left onto Dingle Lane. Parking is
available on the side of the road and access by foot can be gained to the Dingle
and Fords Rough.
Bus
Nos. 6, 7, 7a and 8 travel from Warrington Interchange at frequent intervals
along Dale Lane/Bridge Lane in Cobbs Estate. This is useful if you wish to walk
from one end to the other, like I did, beginning at Dale Lane/Bridge Lane.
It
should be noted that due to the nature of the terrain the Dingle and Fords Rough
are unsuitable for wheelchair access.
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 232184
Email
the Rangers
The
Ranger Cabin, Black Bear Park, Loushers Lane, Latchford, Warrington.
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Lymm Dam was formed in 1824 with the creation of a turnpike road from Warrington to Stockport. It is about 20 feet deep near the wall by the A56, and then the depth fluctuates across the rest of it, with some parts being quite shallow. In 1821 the Warrington and Stockport Turnpike Trust was granted the right to charge tolls on what is the present day A56; at this time the valley below the church was crossed only by a path leading to a footbridge over the stream. |
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The Turnpike
Trust then set about building a road and a new bridge over the valley. With
their completion the ‘pool and stream’ below the church became the lake
which exists today.
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At that time the area was part of Lymm Hall Estate, which covered much of the village. In 1848 parts of the estate were sold. Lymm Dam and the surrounding area was purchased by Thomas Ridgeway, a local solicitor. He built a large manor house on the present day site of Lymm Rugby Club where his family lived until the close of the 19th century. The house was known as Beechwood and the stone archway which still exists on Crouchley Lane was the entrance to the estate, but the house itself was demolished in the 1930s. |
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Thomas Ridgeway lived at Beechwood for some 20 years before selling the estate to George Dewhurst, a Manchester cotton trader, who's family came to have great influence in Victorian Lymm. the Dewhursts were responsible for some of the landscaping around the Dam including The Wishing Bridge (above, right) and the small stone boathouse.
At
the beginning of the 20th century, the Dewhursts sold the estate to William Lever, and shortly after the First World
War he built the large concrete Crosfield Bridge at the southern end of the site
(seen here, below). Lever was also responsible for the avenues of Lombardy
poplar trees which flank Lymm Dam. These avenues were to form part of a
residential development which William Lever planned for the land, probably to
house his workers, with the three roads in the area meeting at the bridge, but
the houses were never built.
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The
bridge itself was built just after the First World War by local firm
Harry Fairclough, and as the plans for the housing estate never
materialised, the bridge wasn't used for traffic. Over the years it
fell into disrepair and the Borough Council has
carried out an structural survey on its condition. It is now seeking
funding to carry out the necessary repairs. A visitor information
board gives further details of the area and shows photos of the bridge
in the early days. The area
immediately surrounding the lake became the property of Lymm Urban District
Council shortly after the Second World War, and was absorbed into the management
of Warrington Borough Council in 1974 when the national boundaries changed. |
The
Dingle and Slitten Gorge
If you cross the A56 from the path onto the western side of Lymm Dam, you will come to a flight of steps leading into the Dingle. This is an area of woodland through which a stream runs connecting the Main Dam and Lower Dam. A footpath runs alongside the stream into the village centre.
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| The Dingle. | Main
Dam flows into the Lower Dam under Church Road. |
The Lower Dam. |
The water
flows over the Lower Dam and under the road into the mill race behind the shops
on Bridgewater Street. It then runs through Slitten Gorge and eventually into
the Manchester Ship Canal.
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From the bottom of the Dingle cross the road in the village centre, turn left and immediately right into Bridgewater Street. Follow
the road under the canal bridge and you will see the steps leading down
into Slitten Gorge on your right. The footpath through Slitten Gorge
crosses the stream and passes the remains of the slitting mill before
exiting onto Danebank Road. |
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Slitten Gorge. |
Slitten Gorge. |
If you cannot manage the steps, walk along the road (Whitbarrow Road) to the crossroads junction and turn right into Danebank Road. Slitten Gorge is at the bottom of the brew on the right.
Turn right
along Danebank Road and then first left into Lymm Hay Lane. This will bring you
to the Trans Pennine Trail. Turn left and the Ranger Centre is half a mile to
the west of this crossing. From here you can pick up information on the footpath
network in this area.
Lymm Slitting Mill
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The structure you can see spanning the stream in Slitten Gorge is the remains of a slitting mill which operated between the early 18th and early 19th centuries. The mill’s original purpose was nail production, later giving way to the cutting of steel bands for the cooperage at Thelwall. |
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After
its closure, the mill was pulled down to its current height and the
Gorge was made into a Victorian beauty spot. At this stage most of the
area was still a millpond but in 1905 the dam wall was breached and
the pond drained away leaving the stream as it is today. |
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The
Bongs
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At
the southern end of Lymm Dam by Crosfield Bridge you will see a
footpath leading into a wood known as ‘The Bongs’ (from a medieval
word meaning ‘wooded banks’). The Bongs is a private wood but has
a public right of way running through it. The wood extends for 1 mile
south of Lymm Dam after which the public footpath continues on across
farmland. The Bongs is managed by Mersey Valley Partnership. |
St
Mary's Church
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The
Doomsday Book shows that there was a church on this site way back in
the 10th century. Since then it has been rebuilt several
times, most recently in 1851 with the financial help of the Dewhursts.
The present tower was added in 1890 and St Mary’s now often forms a
backdrop to paintings and photographs of the Dam. |
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Horse
Riding
Please keep to the permissive bridleway from Crouchley Lane to Crosfield Bridge along the eastern edge of the park. Visitors on foot are welcome to walk along the bridleway, but please keep vigilant and be careful not to frighten the horses or put your own safety at risk. Look out for red and brown squirrels as you walk along, and if you wish to take photos of them, make sure you have a fast shutter speed on your camera! |
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Angling in Lymm Dam
The
fishing rights are leased to Lymm Angling Club. Non club members can
obtain day tickets from the water bailiff who patrols regularly. For further
information about Lymm Angling Club please contact Neil Jupp on 01925 411774.
Geology
of the Dam
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Taking
a walk round Lymm Dam you will see many areas of exposed sandstone
rock. Sandstone is known as a bedrock or sedimentary rock which means
that it was formed over millions of years by the compression of layer
upon layer of tiny grains of sand.
The
sandstone around the Dam was created during a period of time called
the permo-triassic and is around 250 million years old. |
The most interesting rock feature around the Dam is the ‘bluff’ below St Mary’s church.
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features
are important – the deep cuts into the rock known as NYE CHANNELS
and the rounded steps in the vertical sections, called SCALLOPS. They
were formed around 10,000 years ago when the whole of Cheshire was
covered in ice.
Melt
water containing rock and soil deposits flowed under the ice causing
erosion of the sandstone. The nye channels and scallops were created
where the water flow was greatest. |
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These
formations at Lymm Dam are very important. They are one of only two examples of
this kind currently recorded in the UK; the other is at Thurstaston Hill on the
Wirral Peninsular.
Wildlife, Woodland and Wildflowers
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The
Dam has a varied cross-section of wildlife with magnificent views and
something of interest all around the site throughout the seasons. Much
of the lake is surrounded by woodland with oak and beech the
predominant species.
Autumn
brings a kaleidoscope of colours as the leaves take on their seasonal
hue. In spring, bluebells, wild daffodils and snowdrops carpet the oak
woodland amongst pockets of flowers, such as wood sorrel and wood
anemone. |
Other wildflowers easily spotted at the Dam include foxglove and tormentil on banks, meadow cranesbill and yarrow in meadows, red campion and garlic mustard in woodland and marsh marigold and bittercress on the water’s edge.
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life includes wrens, tits, robins, blackbirds and kingfishers,
mallard, coot, moorhen, tufted duck and great crested grebe. Swallows,
swifts and house martins perform acrobatic displays as they hunt over
the water and meadows on balmy summer evenings while the woodlands
attract nuthatches, treecreepers and woodpeckers. |
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| Bats |
Aye, aye, Captain Birdseye! |
Stay out a little on a summer night and you are likely to see bats on the wing. The Dam is recognised as a locally important area for this fascinating group of mammals with both the UK’s largest (noctule) and smallest (pipistrelle) bats feeding over the Dam.
Lymm Heritage Trail
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The trail is a self-guided trail exploring the built and natural heritage of the village. The router is based on the north-south valley which runs through the village centre (comprising Lymm Dam, the Dingle and Slitten Gorge) and two east-west routes - the Bridgewater Canal and the former Warrington to Altrincham Railway (now part of the Trans Pennine Trail). The full route is 3½ miles but the trail can be walked in shorter distances. The route is waymarked and route maps (shown left) can be found on each of the eleven information boards along the trail. |
Directions
The
Dam is situated south of Lymm village on the A56.
Arriva
No’s 37 and 38 and Warrington Borough Transport No’s 5 and 6 buses pass
by. For more
details about Warrington Borough Transport buses, contact Network Warrington
on 01925 634296
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 758195
Email
the Rangers
Ranger
Cabin, Trans Pennine Trail, Off Statham Avenue, Lymm, WA13 9NJ
Moore
Nature Reserve occupies over 180 acres between the Manchester Ship Canal and
the River Mersey adjacent to the Arpley Landfill site. Originally an area of
farmland, scrub and woodland, it has been managed as a nature reserve by
wardens employed by Waste Recycling Group Limited since 1991. Five lakes have
been created as well as several other smaller ponds, grasslands and reed beds.
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Ponds and large lakes play an important part in the conservation of the wildlife. |
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The
area has long been known for its bird-life, with a good variety of wildfowl as
well as many woodland and farmland birds. The reserve has several hides
overlooking most of the pools and a woodland feeding station. The nearby tip
also attracts masses of gulls, many of which visit the reserve pools to bathe.
Thorough examination of gull flocks may reveal rare visitors as well as the
more usual species.
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Feeding stations and viewing points are provided throughout the nature reserve. |
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The
site has also a varied mammal population. Foxes are seen regularly, Brown Hare
can be seen on local farmland and several water bodies hold numbers of Water
Vole. At least six species of bat have been recorded. Recently there has been
increasing evidence of Muntjak deer and possible Polecat on site.
The
site also supports 22 species of butterfly including Brimstone and Purple
Hairstreak and 16 species of dragonfly including Emperor, Migrant Hawker and
Black-tailed Skimmer. Grid Ref : SJ 570852
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I wonder how many different types of birds, butterflies and dragonfly you will spot on your visit? |
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For
more information, contact
Moore Nature Reserve, Arpley Landfill Site, Forrest Way, Sankey Bridge,
Warrington WA4 6YZ
Telephone: (01925) 444689 www.wrg.co.uk/moorenaturereserve
How
to get there:
Take the A56 (Chester road) from Warrington or the M56 J11, and turn off
at the traffic lights signposted Moore near the Walton Arms pub. From Moore
village turn right into Moore Lane, over the Manchester Ship Canal and into
Lapwing lane.
Orford Park is set in 18 acres that once formed part of the land and gardens of the no longer existent Orford Hall.
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Whether you want a gentle stroll, a game of bowls, or to attend one of the events organised by the Ranger Service, the park has something for all the family. The park has easy access for all, with tarmac-covered paths suitable for wheelchairs and buggies. There are large open spaces with picnic benches positioned adjacent to the children’s play areas. Car parking is available from Alder lane. The pitch and put golf featured in the photo, right, is no longer available. |
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The
park supports a rich variety of wildlife. Trees, shrubs and hedgerows provide
food, shelter and nesting areas for birds such as sparrow hawks, blue tits and
song thrushes.
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At the centre of the park a wildlife pond has been created to allow nature to live right at the heart of a residential area. Pond
dipping reveals an underwater environment teaming with water life
which includes six species of dragonfly, four species of damselfly,
water boatmen, great diving beetles and water snails. Larvae of a
special rarity - the Emperor dragonfly - have been found in the
pond. |
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In
the summertime wildflowers attract and provide food for many species of
insects such as butterflies, beetles and bees.
Until
1935 a hall had stood in the park grounds since the 13th century.
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The
first hall was a timber and plaster building with ornate chimneys
and a thatched roof. It was built for the Le Norris family in 1232.
The Norris family remained in the hall until 1595, after which it was
purchased by Thomas Tildesley who rebuilt it in a Jacobean style. In
1639, owing to debts incurred during the rebuilding works, Richard
Tildesley was forced to sell it to Thomas Blackburne. |
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By 1716 the hall had been greatly enhanced and it was during this period that it became renowned for its outstanding collection of rare plants, trees and unusual animals. The ‘Hothouse’ in the grounds was the first in the country to grow pineapples, coffee, tea and sugarcane. The hall grounds also boasted an orangery where citrus fruits were grown.
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In 1833 William Beaumont, the first Mayor of Warrington, leased the hall. After his death his wife continued to live there until she died. For a short period of time after her death the hall was used by the Warrington Training College but then fell empty. |
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In
1916 the hall and 18 acres of grounds were purchased by a group of
local gentlemen for the sum of
£3,600 from Colonel Robert Ireland Blackburne as a gift and
memorial for the town of Warrington – for "…the lads of
Warrington who had fought and died in the Great War". The grounds were opened as a public park on 4 August 1917. |
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By
1935 the hall itself was in a state of disrepair and the costs of restoration
were thought to be too high and it was sadly demolished. A photograph of the
hall can be viewed in the heritage
section of the Council’s website.
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The wildflower meadow in the northern section of the park. |
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Directions
Take
the A49 north out of the town centre. Go past the McDonalds restaurant on your
left. Take the 2nd right turn, crossing the dual carriageway into Alder Lane.
The car park is half a mile down on the left.
From
the M62 motorway, leave the motorway at junction 9. Follow the signs for
Warrington towards the town centre along the A49. Take the first left after
Warrington Collegiate into Alder Lane. The car park is half a mile down on
the left.
The
No.22 bus from Warrington Bus Station leaves at 20 minutes past the hour and
stops at Hallfields Road. The No.25 bus from Warrington Bus Station leaves at
10 minutes to the hour and also stops in Hallfields Road.
How
to Contact The Rangers
Tel/Fax:
01925 658098
Email
the Rangers
Ranger
Cabin, Orford Park, Alder Lane, Orford, Warrington, WA2
8AG
Click here for Part 2
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