Leazes Park is a Grade II listed urban park in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the city's oldest park, opened in 1873, and lies to the west of the city centre. The park contains a lake above the course of the Lort Burn. It is next to St James' Park and the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Leazes Park is separated from Spital Tongues by Castle Leazes, an area of common land similar to the Town Moor.
The creation of Leazes Park was a drawn out process. In September 1857 3,000 working men petitioned Newcastle Council for ‘ready access to some open ground for the purpose of health and recreation’ and a year later a special committee was set up to try to find a location for a park. Aldermen Harle and Hamond took up the challenge and campaigned for a park and eventually succeeded in having Leazes Park created on a part of the Leazes Town Moor.
On 23 December 1873, Leazes Park was officially opened by Alderman Sir Charles Hamond. It became the first public park created on Tyneside.
John Fulton, the Town Surveyor, laid out Leazes Park similar to other parks being built in Britain at that time. The layout centres on the lake. The Bandstand was added in 1875 and a balustrade stone terrace in 1879. Later, the whole park was surrounded with metal railings. A second lake was created in 1893 but this was filled in by 1949 and the area used for a bowling green and tennis courts.
The grand Jubilee Gates were added in 1896 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria and a Palm House was built. In 1908 a bust of Alderman Sir Charles Hamond was erected (which is also grade II listed) as the centrepiece to the terrace and the park was then complete.
The park continued to develop with deer, aviaries, tennis, and croquet until the 1980s when it was in need of refurbishment. The refurbishment became possible when the park was awarded £3.7 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2001. The restoration project was completed in 2004.
Description courtesy of Wikipedia.
18th September 2024
Richardson Road Lodge/Tower Cafe.
Play Area.
The older kids play area recently reopened after refurbishment.
Car Park.
A part of the park was recently given over to extending the car park. I'm sure some, not me, could provide a decent argument for doing that if it encouraged more people to the park. The thing is that these photos were taken at 7.30am and the car park was full of cars and vans visiting or working at the Royal Victoria Infimary just yards away. I can assure you the owners of the vast majority of these vehicles were not using the park. Shame on Newcastle City Council Urban Green for giving up valuable park so they can make a few bob.
12th May 2024
Richardson Road entrance.
Broken Pillars and grass left damaged following the recent In The Park Festival. The damage is believed to have been caused by an event vehicle.
17th August 2022
Leazes Park, bust of Alderman Hamond.
Bust on pedestal. Dated 1905. Bronze bust of Alderman Sir Chas. F. Hamond (sic) JP.DL. on tapered sandstone pedestral inscribed with name. ERECTED/13 FEB 1905/ TO/COMMEMORATE/HIS SERVICE/IN OBTAINING/THIS PARK/IN/1872/. A laurel wreath below; and below that PALMAM CU MERUIT FERAT. Bust damaged at time of survey.
Grade 2 Listed. Source: Sitelines.
Leazes Park Bandstand.
The Bandstand was rebuilt to the original design in 2003 and then refurbished in 2017.
Barbecue Oven.
Leazes Park, boatman's hut.
The original buildings in Leazes Park add to the character and quality of the park. The Boatman’s Hut is a small square building. It is predominantly green and cream painted wood, but has a lower course of bricks. The entrance on the east face is a double door, painted green to match the rest of the woodwork. A pyramidal roof tops the building and overhangs on each side.
Source: Sitelines.
Play Area.
A section of the play area was closed off on my visit.
Leazes Park, Springbank Pavilion.
The interior of Springbank Pavilion, situated in Leazes Park, is interesting. The inside of the pavilion was used as accommodation for bowlers and fishermen. It is designed in an ‘L’ shape, constructed using a wooden frame and set on a stone base. The exterior is painted green and cream, and there are a series of small double windows around the pavilion below the gables.
Source: Sitelines.
The Friends Garden.
The Friends Garden cost over £10,000 which was raised by volunteer group The Friends of Leazes Park. A dedicated seating area which boasts a wide variety of trees, shrubs and plants chosen for their colour, shape, form, texture and fragrance.
Leazes Park Terrace.
The Old Potting Shed.
One of the original buildings in Leazes Park which adds to the character and quality of the park. The old potting shed is an L shaped wood and brick single storey building. The wooden features are painted green and cream in contrast with the red of the bricks. As well as serving an important function as an Education Centre the building is also used by the park gardeners.
Source: Sitelines.
The Tower Cafe.
Moffat Pavilion.
Moffat Pavilion forms part of one of the most important areas of green space in Newcastle. The Pavilion is one of the earliest buildings to survive in Leazes Park. It is a single storey wooden framed structure set in a stone base. A corrugated roof overhangs the building below, which is painted green and cream.
Source: Sitelines.
Tennis Courts.
Western lodge.
Now being left to fall down of it's own accord this two storey Victorian building was originally the Head Gardener’s Lodge. It is a brick structure with stone decoration, and a patterned slate roof. A central porch is located at the front of the lodge, and gables are situated at either side of the first floor windows.
Source: Sitelines.
Leazes Park Maze.
SOS Alarms.
A button will never replace the role of a fully funded park keeper. This alarm was installed after a recent abhorrent crime had taken place in the park.
18th January 2018
21st August 2017
25th November 2014
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1st November 2013
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15th January 2013
25th November 2010
11th April 2010
2nd December 2008
20th October 2008
16th February 2008
12th February 2008
30th April 2007
22nd June 2006
15th June 2006
14th February 2006
17th January 2006
23rd November 2005
12th November 2005
31st August 2005
21st August 2005
Photos taken by reader Richard Walker of the lake when it was frozen over and then was covered with a fresh snowfall.
And a couple more photos from Richard Walker. Thanks Richard.
More Information:
- Sitelines - Leazes Park
- Wikipedia - Leazes Park
- Historic England - Leazes Park
- Urban Green Newcastle - Leazes Park
- Sitelines - Leazes Park, bandstand
- Bird Watching Sites - Leazes Park
- Co-Curate - Leazes Park
- Friends Of Leazes Park
- Sitelines - Leazes Park, boating lake
- Sitelines - Leazes Park, flagstaff
- Sitelines - Leazes Park, boating lake
- Sitelines - Leazes Park, two bowling greens
See my other photos around Leazes Park:
4 comments:
We used to have about four Band stands in the Park where I used to live, I can even remember a Band playing in one of them :-) Only the bases are left now as far as I know, due to vandals :-(
I've never noticed that one in use either apart from the day the park re-opened after a major clean up.
Great memories!
Loved this park as a child and brought my own children here many times.
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