West Bank Park Explained

West Bank Park
Image Alt:Image of a tarmacked path curving through a wooded area
Location:Holgate, York, England
Grid Ref Uk:SE 582511
Grid Ref Uk Note:[1]
Coordinates:53.9534°N -1.1109°W
Coords Ref:[2]
Created:1936–1938
Awards:Green Flag

West Bank Park is a public open space in Holgate, the city of York, in Northern England. The area was previously a nursery owned by James Backhouse before being converted into a park in the 1930s.

History

In the 19th century, the botanist James Backhouse owned a nursery in Holgate which covered, and was known worldwide, having the nickname of the "Kew of the North".[3] [4] During the second half of the 19th century, Backhouse had several large greenhouses built to grow ferns, with the Backhouse family being credited as "Britain's leading cultivators of exotic ferns."[5] Part of this land became West Bank Park in the early 20th century, and now has grassed areas and woodland.[6] The northern part of the woodland had previously been the site of a small lake, which archaeological evidence showed had silted up by the time the area was converted into a park.[7] [8] [9] The land was converted into a park between 1936 and 1938, but larger-scale development of the area was halted until after the Second World War, and then West Bank House was demolished in 1974.[10] [11] The house had been built by Backhouse in 1853, and then sold to Sir James Hamilton in 1910, alter becoming a home for unwed mothers.[12] Less maintenance of the park and rising crimes rates saw the formation of the Friends of West Bank Park in 1993.[13]

In the northern part of the park is a grade II listed statue of Queen Victoria. It was created in 1905 by George Milburn and intended to commemorate the reign of Queen Victoria by being placed in the Guildhall in York. However, at some point during the 20th century it was removed to West Bank Park, and has been renovated as recently as 2018.[14] [15]

In 2013, the council stopped locking the park gates on an evening in an effort to save money.[16] The locking of the gates was reinstated by the Friends of West Bank Park in 2016, which saw vandalism and crime rates in the park drop by 50%.[17] [18] West Bank Park has been awarded a green flag for every year between 2006 and 2024.[19] [20] [21]

Facilities and transport

Buses connect the city centre with West Bank Park; services 1 and 5, both run by FirstBus York, though service number 1 runs directly past the parks' northern entrance.[22] [23] [24] The park has children's play areas, bowling greens, woodland, and standard and adapted toilets.[25] One of the children's play areas additionally has a basketball court, and there is a children's wildlife area with a pond, and bird feeding.[26] [27] The mature woodland at the north end of the park includes dawn and giant redwoods.[28]

The park used to have a cafe by the bowling greens, which was also used to teach cooking skills to those with special needs. It closed down in 2009, and efforts have been made to re-open the cafe, or to open a newer cafe in the old gate-keeper's lodge.[29] [30]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EYO63 – West Bank Park . her.york.gov.uk . 23 August 2024.
  2. Web site: West Bank Park – York . parksandgardens.org . 23 August 2024.
  3. News: Ginley . Joanne . Park heritage centre plan to highlight story of 19th century garden pioneer . The Yorkshire Post . 25 February 2014 . 13. 0963-1496.
  4. News: Cullen . Jane . Banking on future of city park . The York Press . 13 June 2014 . 18. 1757-3289.
  5. Book: Keogh . Luke . The Wardian Case . 2020 . Kew Publishing . Kew . 978-1-84246-719-0 . 136.
  6. Web site: West Bank Park . archaeologydataservice.ac.uk . 24 August 2024.
  7. Web site: P0335 West Bank Park, Holgate · York Archaeology Online Collections · Collections . collections.yorkarchaeologicaltrust.co.uk . 11 September 2024.
  8. Web site: Georeferenced Maps – Map images – National Library of Scotland . maps.nls.uk . 11 September 2024 . Use the slider on the bottom left (named "Change transparency of overlay") to toggle between old mapping and modern-day satellite imagery.
  9. Web site: West Bank Park Holgate . archaeologydataservice.ac.uk . 11 September 2024.
  10. Book: Hodgeson . Geoff . A History of Holgate in five parts; part five, twentieth century Holgate . 1999 . Hodgson . Rufforth . 0-9527093-7-6 . 64.
  11. Book: Pevsner . Nikolaus . Neave . David . Neave . Susan . Yorkshire - York and the East Riding . 2005 . Yale University Press . London . 0300095937 . 261.
  12. Book: Waterson . Edward . Lost houses of York and the North Riding . 1990 . Jill Raines . York . 0-9516-4940-X . 63.
  13. Book: Hodgeson . Geoff . A History of Holgate in five parts; part five, twentieth century Holgate . 1999 . Hodgson . Rufforth . 0-9527093-7-6 . 65.
  14. News: Lewis . Stephen . 'There's a statue of Queen Victoria – get it sorted!' . 17 September 2024 . York Press . 24 May 2019.
  15. News: Dobson . Michaela . Queen Victoria Statue Conservation Completed . 17 September 2024 . York Civic Trust . 4 June 2018.
  16. News: Jobs to go as city of York council budget agreed . 17 September 2024 . BBC News . 1 March 2013.
  17. Web site: Gate Locking . westbankpark.org . 17 September 2024 . 13 September 2017.
  18. News: Turnbull . Catherine . Crime reduced at locked park . The York Press . 11 December 2017 . 9.
  19. News: Jacob . Liana . Best parks in Yorkshire: 77 parks and canals in Yorkshire have been awarded the Green Flag status . 23 August 2024 . The Yorkshire Post . 19 October 2021.
  20. Web site: About . westbankpark.org . 23 August 2024 . 6 September 2017.
  21. News: Three York parks honoured with Green Flag awards . 23 August 2024 . BBC News . 24 July 2024.
  22. Web site: Top 20 parks around York First Bus . firstbus.co.uk . 11 September 2024.
  23. Web site: York Network map . firstbus.co.uk . 11 September 2024.
  24. Web site: Top 20 parks around York First Bus . firstbus.co.uk . 17 September 2024.
  25. Web site: Westbank Park . accessable.co.uk . 11 September 2024.
  26. Web site: West Bank Park play area – Parks and open spaces directory . york.gov.uk . 16 September 2024.
  27. Web site: About . westbankpark.org . 17 September 2024 . 6 September 2017.
  28. News: Lewis . Haydn . Girl becomes trapped in popular park as fire crews come to her rescue . 17 September 2024 . The Northern Echo . 28 December 2022.
  29. News: Catton . Richard . Anger over West Bank Park café closure . 17 September 2024 . York Press . 22 April 2009.
  30. News: Council hopeful's plans for West Bank Park café . 17 September 2024 . York Press . 13 March 2015.

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