Philips Park, Whitefield
Encyclopedia
Philips Park is an area of park
land situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury
on the boundary of Whitefield
and Prestwich
, in Greater Manchester
. The park consists of rich woodland and grassland habitat and is home to an assortment of wildlife. Two thirds of the site was once the Philips family estate, and the remainder, known as Waterdale, is Irwell Valley
land reclaimed following the demolition of two bleach and dye works.
The park is also home to The Barn Countryside Centre. The visitor centre hosts many events for all ages, including willow weaving and pottery workshops, pond dipping and woodland management training courses.
), and nine daughters. Responsible for the construction of the buildings, the Philips family also retained some natural and man-made features when landscaping the area. These included the ancient woodlands of North Wood, Mid Wood, Mere Clough, and a Medieval Deer pale
marking the southern and eastern boundaries.
The Liberal Party
politician Mark Philips was born in the park on 4 November 1800.
The family lived in Philips Park until the grand-daughter of Robert Philips, Anna Maria Philips, died in 1946. The park was sold to Whitefield Council (to be shared with Prestwich Council) and opened as a public park in 1948. The contents of The Park were auctioned, with items such as a Georgian
Mahogany dining room sideboard by Robert Gillow being sold for £6.
In 1971 the construction of the M62 motorway
reached the area, removing much of the valley of the North Wood during construction.
, the house was situated close to a steep bank which sheltered it from the north. The front was well proportioned and the back faced onto a lawn. The house fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1950. The area where it stood is now occupied by a car park.
Access to The Park was from originally from Park Lane. In 1852 a viaduct was built enabling carriages to be driven directly from Bury New Road, along Philips Park Road, to The Park. The viaduct became unsafe and was closed off for many years before being demolished by the Royal Engineers
in a controlled explosion in the 1960s.
Located at 53.537759,-2.304474
. The viaduct provided a direct route for coaches between Bury New Road, The Park, and Molyneux Brow railway station
. The pathway underneath the viaduct to Mere Clough was the subject of a legal case, when the Earl of Derby's agent, Tom Statter, blocked the pathway to prevent acts of trespass
. The case was dismissed and costs awarded against the Earl.
Located at 53.537343,-2.29772
The viaduct was showing severe signs of dilapidation by 1965, and was subsequently demolished in November of the same year. The M60 motorway
has replaced the path of the viaduct and other than the height of the motorway at that point (relative to the valley floor), no trace of its existence remains.
.
Located at 53.531862,-2.312837
Located at 53.536896,-2.304103
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England
due to deterioration. The park is currently subject to a £4m five year plan to regenerate the area.
In 2009 the Friends of Prestwich Forest Park successfully applied for a grant which, along with funding from Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, was used to clear Cobster Field. The field was a large expanse of grazing ground, the purpose of which was to impress visitors as their carriages came down the drive to the Philips' mansion but when the M62 motorway was built the field had been covered with subsoil and was reverting to woodland. The money was used to clear the field, reseed with grass, and reinstate the views down the Irwell Valley to Manchester City Centre.
. The North Lodge of the park is located on the junction of Park lane and Philips Park Road. The lane crosses the motorway over a bridge. Access is also possible by foot or cycle by the multitude of old roads and trails around the park perimeter.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
land situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury
Metropolitan Borough of Bury
The Metropolitan Borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough is composed of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, and has a population of 181,900...
on the boundary of Whitefield
Whitefield, Greater Manchester
Whitefield is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the south bank of the River Irwell, south-southeast of Bury, and to the north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
and Prestwich
Prestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. The park consists of rich woodland and grassland habitat and is home to an assortment of wildlife. Two thirds of the site was once the Philips family estate, and the remainder, known as Waterdale, is Irwell Valley
Irwell Valley
The Irwell Valley extends from the Forest of Rossendale in North West England, through to the cities of Salford and Manchester. The River Irwell runs through the valley, along with the River Croal.-Geology:...
land reclaimed following the demolition of two bleach and dye works.
The park is also home to The Barn Countryside Centre. The visitor centre hosts many events for all ages, including willow weaving and pottery workshops, pond dipping and woodland management training courses.
History
The park owes its name to the Philips family, who owned the land between 1799 and 1948. The land, which was originally part of the medieval Pilkington Park deer park was purchased by Robert Philips of the textile firm J & N. Philips, in 1798. Robert and his wife Ann had two sons (the politicians Mark Philips and Robert PhilipsRobert Needham Philips
Robert Needham Philips DL was an English merchant and manufacturer in the Lancashire textiles business, a Liberal Party politician, and the grandfather of the Whig historian G. M...
), and nine daughters. Responsible for the construction of the buildings, the Philips family also retained some natural and man-made features when landscaping the area. These included the ancient woodlands of North Wood, Mid Wood, Mere Clough, and a Medieval Deer pale
Pale
-Color:*Pale, an adjective meaning of a light shade or hue; approaching white*Paleness , a relative lightness of color*Pale, a variance of human skin color, especially:**Pallor, a symptom of low oxygen content in blood or avoidance of sunlight...
marking the southern and eastern boundaries.
The Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician Mark Philips was born in the park on 4 November 1800.
The family lived in Philips Park until the grand-daughter of Robert Philips, Anna Maria Philips, died in 1946. The park was sold to Whitefield Council (to be shared with Prestwich Council) and opened as a public park in 1948. The contents of The Park were auctioned, with items such as a Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
Mahogany dining room sideboard by Robert Gillow being sold for £6.
In 1971 the construction of the M62 motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
reached the area, removing much of the valley of the North Wood during construction.
The Park
Completed by Robert Philips in 1830, "The Park" was the family's main residence. Built in the Italian villa style and furnished by Robert GillowRobert Gillow
Robert Gillow was an English furniture manufacturer.Born in Singleton, Lancashire he served an apprenticeship as a joiner and cabinet maker. He joined with a family of traders called Sattersthwaite and sailed with them to the West Indies as a ships carpenter. In Jamaica he became interested in...
, the house was situated close to a steep bank which sheltered it from the north. The front was well proportioned and the back faced onto a lawn. The house fell into disrepair and was demolished in 1950. The area where it stood is now occupied by a car park.
Access to The Park was from originally from Park Lane. In 1852 a viaduct was built enabling carriages to be driven directly from Bury New Road, along Philips Park Road, to The Park. The viaduct became unsafe and was closed off for many years before being demolished by the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in a controlled explosion in the 1960s.
Outwood Lodge
The former home of John Grundy (chairman of the East Lancashire Railway) and later Mark Philips, it overlooked the North Wood and was designed by Johnson of Lichfield. It was replaced by the present North Lodge from around 1890–1900. All that remains is part of a wall outside the North Lodge.North Lodge
Located at the junction of Philips Park Road and Park Lane, this building replaced Outwood Lodge. Parts of Outwood Lodge were used in its construction. This building was used as staff accommodation until the death of Anna Maria Philips in 1946.Located at 53.537759,-2.304474
Philips Park Road Viaduct
This viaduct was built in 1852 at a cost of £8,000. Eight brick arches spanned the valley some 80 feet (24 m) below. The cost of construction was shared between Robert Philips, the Earl of Derby, and the East Lancashire RailwayEast Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
. The viaduct provided a direct route for coaches between Bury New Road, The Park, and Molyneux Brow railway station
Molyneux Brow railway station
Molyneux Brow Railway Station was a railway station built on the Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway line, between Radcliffe and Clifton , in Greater Manchester.-History:...
. The pathway underneath the viaduct to Mere Clough was the subject of a legal case, when the Earl of Derby's agent, Tom Statter, blocked the pathway to prevent acts of trespass
Trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels and trespass to land.Trespass to the person, historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem, and maiming...
. The case was dismissed and costs awarded against the Earl.
Located at 53.537343,-2.29772
The viaduct was showing severe signs of dilapidation by 1965, and was subsequently demolished in November of the same year. The M60 motorway
M60 motorway
The M60 motorway, or Manchester Orbital, is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton...
has replaced the path of the viaduct and other than the height of the motorway at that point (relative to the valley floor), no trace of its existence remains.
Philips Park Lodge
Philips Park Lodge, known locally as "The Witch's Cottage" was a small thatched cottage dating from and built in the style of the regency period. Latterly, it existed in a neglected condition for some time and had been subject to arson attacks by vandals. It was demolished in 1969 to make way for the M62 motorwayM62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
.
South Lodge
The South Lodge, built in the same period as Philips Park Lodge, overlooked a small reservoir east of Molyneux Brow railway station, along an ancient packhorse route. As late as the 1960s, the property had no gas or electricity. Despite attaining listed building status, it fell into disuse and disrepair, and was demolished in 1974.Located at 53.531862,-2.312837
Thatched Cottage
The Thatched Cottage was the original entrance lodge to Philips Park. Built alongside a tree-lined driveway, the cottage was replaced in the early 1900s by the North Lodge, although not on the same site. This cottage was demolished to make way for the M62 in 1968.Located at 53.536896,-2.304103
The Stables
Recently a nightclub, now being restored to pre-20th century state. This has involved the demolition of all the sections that were added to make a nightclub venue, revealing the original courtyard that had become hidden. The project has been supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.The Conservatory
The centrepiece of the conservatory was a bronze fountain with a stone basin from Florence, set in a moss lined alcove. A Lily pond is below the conservatory.Grass Walk
The Grass Walk was a grass staircase leading to a Garden Temple originally housing a marble statue carved in Rome in 1856.Current status
Some of the original buildings remain, such as the Grade II listed North Lodge and Grade II listed Conservatory, the Park Hall, and some of the staff accommodation and stables area. The original house occupied by the Philips family was demolished in 1950. In 1998 a restoration plan for the park was commissioned by Bury Council, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. A year later Philips Park was de-listed from the English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England
National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens
In England, the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England provides a listing and classification system for historic parks and gardens similar to that used for listed buildings. The register is managed by English Heritage under the provisions of the National...
due to deterioration. The park is currently subject to a £4m five year plan to regenerate the area.
In 2009 the Friends of Prestwich Forest Park successfully applied for a grant which, along with funding from Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, was used to clear Cobster Field. The field was a large expanse of grazing ground, the purpose of which was to impress visitors as their carriages came down the drive to the Philips' mansion but when the M62 motorway was built the field had been covered with subsoil and was reverting to woodland. The money was used to clear the field, reseed with grass, and reinstate the views down the Irwell Valley to Manchester City Centre.
Access
Vehicular access to the park is by Park Lane, northwest of Junction 17 of the M60 motorwayM60 motorway
The M60 motorway, or Manchester Orbital, is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton...
. The North Lodge of the park is located on the junction of Park lane and Philips Park Road. The lane crosses the motorway over a bridge. Access is also possible by foot or cycle by the multitude of old roads and trails around the park perimeter.