Hyde Park
Hyde Park is a green and peaceful oasis, just a few minutes walk from the bustling commercial centre of Hyde.
The park is surrounded by residential properties and so provides an essential and valuable leisure and recreational resource for the local community.
The towns’ bus and train stations are within easy walk of the park and there is parking available at the Lodge Lane entrance.
The park has a popular enclosed play area for the younger visitors. Hyde Park is a nice, peaceful area, just a few minutes walk from the town centre of Hyde.
The park is surrounded by residential properties, providing a valuable leisure and recreational resource for the whole community.
The park has many different places for adults and children to enjoy the facilities within the park, a play area for the younger visitors and the Garden of Tranquillity available for people to enjoy the peacefulness of the park and its great scenery. Band concerts are featured throughout the summer months at Hyde Park as well as the extremely popular “Splendid Weekend” featuring Proms In The Park on the Saturday evening and on Sunday there is “Party in the Park” providing an extremely riveting fun day out for the whole family.
The park is managed by Hyde and Longdendale District Assembly.
History of Hyde Park
Hyde Park was opened on May 21st 1904 having been given to Hyde Corporation by the Ashton family. The Ashton family were influential mill owners and one of the towns main employers who resided in Newton Lodge from it being built in about 1820 until 1890 when the family moved to Staffordshire.
The estate was offered to Hyde Corporation in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria by the two teenage daughters of Charles James Ashton shortly after his death.
The park was designed by the Borough Surveyor, Joseph Mitchell and originally included lawn tennis courts, a boating lake, a putting green and two bowling greens.
Today the park looks very different: The bandstand was officially opened on 18th May 1922 and in 1938 Newton Lodge was demolished and its place was taken by Bayley Hall. In 1935, to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V, a row of oak trees was planted along the pathway between the bandstand and the woodland dell. This pathway became known as Jubilee Walk.
More recently the park has undergone improvement works costing around £1.5 million and today families can stroll in the elegant gardens or relax whilst their children enjoy contemporary play equipment in an environment that is both safe and welcoming.
Hyde Park also provides and important haven for native wildlife species and several local schools make use of the park for its educational value.
Facilities Within Hyde Park
Garden of Tranquillity
The original Garden of Remembrance was designed in association with Hyde British Legion and was opened in September 1935. this was restored and extended in 2005 and opened as the Garden of Tranquillity on 30th July of that year. The Garden of Tranquillity was built in memory of all local residents who have lost their lives in tragic circumstances and was designed not as a place of mourning, but was a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy and a place for people to reflect on life.
Bayley Hall
Bayley Hall forms the main architectural feature of Hyde Park and was built in 1939 on the former site of Newton Lodge. The hall is built over some of the original cellars and has elevated views over the bandstand and woodland dell. It is named after Marie Bayley, Charles James Ashton’s first wife.
Children’s Play Area
The children’s play area is a relatively new feature in the park. Newton Lodge originally looked across to the lake, which was extended to include a boathouse shortly after Hyde Park opened. The lake was reduced in size during the 1950’s to a paddling pool when the first play area was built.
Drinking Fountain
The drinking fountain found its way into Hyde Park shortly after the First World War. The fountain was donated to the people of Hyde by the Total Abstainers, a local Temperance Society, and was originally positioned on Hyde market ground. Being a member of a Temperance Society involved the promise not to consume alcohol.
Bandstand
Hyde Park bandstand was officially opened on the 18th May 1922 and is now Grade II listed on the national “List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest”.
The bandstand was originally surrounded by moveable glass partitions and played host to bands such as the Household Cavalry, Black Watch and local colliery bands. During the 1930’s the bandstand hosted two concerts every Sunday.
Rockery
Several rockeries have been created around Hyde Park, using stone that has been in storage since Newton Lodge was demolished in 1939. these were the creation of the Hyde Park gardening staff.
Remembrance Seating Area
The Remembrance Seating Area was created during Hyde Parks recent refurbishment and was built following consultation with Hyde British Legion. The stone pillars originally formed the entrance to Newton Lodge, the Ashton family home and are almost 200 years old. The memorial stone was recovered from the original Garden of Remembrance.
Hyde Park Lodge
The original gatehouse to Newton Lodge estate was on Claredon Road. The second gatehouse, Hyde Park lodge was constructed in 1911 on Park Road. This lodge was known as the first bungalow to be built in Hyde and has been used for various purposes over the years: To house the park keeper, a mess facility for gardeners and more recently as a meeting place for Friends of Hyde Park.
Park Road Gates
The entrance gates on Park Road underwent extensive repair and restoration work in 2004. stonework was cleaned and restored by a specialist contractor, new gates were built and fencing replaced. A pair of stone plaques adorn either side if the Park Road entrance gates. One provides details of the parks opening ceremony and the second lists memberships of the first park Committee, set up in 1904 to coincide with the opening of Hyde Park.