Heaton Park

Heaton Park
Heaton Park, Manchester
Map
TypeUrban Park
LocationManchester, England
Coordinates53°32′05″N 2°15′22″W / 53.5347°N 2.2561°W / 53.5347; -2.2561
Area600–650 acres (240–260 ha)
Created1902 (1902)
Operated byManchester City Council
StatusOpen year round
Public transit accessHeaton Park Metrolink station
WebsiteOfficial website
Official nameHeaton Park
Designated20 February 1986
Reference no.1000854

Heaton Park is a public park in Manchester, England, covering an area of over 600 acres (242.8 ha).[1][2] The park includes the grounds of a Grade I listed, neoclassical 18th century country house, Heaton Hall. The hall, remodelled by James Wyatt in 1772, is now only open to the public on an occasional basis as a museum and events venue.[3][4] It is the biggest park in Greater Manchester,[5][6] and also the largest municipal park in Europe.[7][8][9][10]

Heaton Park was sold to Manchester City Council in 1902 by the 5th Earl of Wilton. It has one of the United Kingdom's few concrete towers, the Heaton Park BT Tower.

The park was renovated as part of a millennium project partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund and Manchester City Council at a cost of over £10 million.[11][12] It contains an 18-hole golf course, a boating lake, an animal farm, a pitch and putt course, a golf driving range, woodlands, ornamental gardens, an observatory, an adventure playground, a Papal monument and a volunteer-run tram system and museum, and is listed Grade II by Historic England.[13][14][15] It has the only flat green bowling greens in Manchester, built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

  1. ^ "Heaton Park". Manchester City Council. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  2. ^ "Heaton Hall". TourUK.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Places to Visit: Heaton Park". Bury Council. Archived from the original on 28 October 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  4. ^ Linton, Deborah (1 June 2011). "Budget crisis could lead Manchester council to give away Heaton Hall and Wythenshawe Hall". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  5. ^ "Heaton Park, Manchester: A Major Military Camp". BBC. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Heaton Park". Woodland Trust. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Heaton Park". Manchester Evening News. 11 March 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Ultimate Heaton Park Walk Guide, Manchester (Parking, Routes, Length & More)". The Walking Northerners. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Heaton Park - Review for families". Made For Mums. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  10. ^ "'Largest' park's history restored". BBC News. 2 March 2005. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  11. ^ "Latest news: Heaton Park opens its gates to reveal a renaissance green space". Manchester City Council. 2 March 2005. Archived from the original on 4 January 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  12. ^ "Case Studies: Heaton Park". HELM (Historic Environment Local Management). Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  13. ^ "Green Heritage Sites". English Heritage. Archived from the original on 15 July 2006.
  14. ^ "A-Z of Listed Buildings in Manchester: Listed buildings in Manchester by street (H)". Manchester City Council. p. 8. Retrieved 27 December 2007.
  15. ^ Historic England. "Heaton Hall (1200809)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 December 2007.