Sutton Park
Encyclopedia
Sutton Park, in Sutton Coldfield
, Birmingham
, England
, is one of the largest urban park
s in Europe
and the largest outside a capital city; it is larger than Richmond Park
in London
.
The park covers 970 hectares (2,396.9 acre), with a mix of heathland, wetland
s and marsh
es, seven lake
s, extensive ancient woodland
s (covering approximately a quarter of the park), several restaurants, a private 18-hole golf
course on its western edge and a municipal golf course to the south, a donkey
sanctuary, children's playgrounds and a visitors' centre. There is no entrance charge although on summer Sundays a parking charge for cars applies. A wide range of leisure activities are undertaken in the park. A railway line runs through the park.
-cutting, near Rowton's Well during World War II
, recovered flint
arrowhead
s at the base of the peat. There are some unassuming prehistoric burnt mound
s, and an ancient well
. The park contains a preserved section of the Icknield Street
, a Roman road
; the noticeably cambered road enters the Park near the Royal Oak Gate and exits towards the aptly named Streetly
, the "meadow by the paved street"; it is still possible to walk the road. In 1909, two Roman
coin
s were discovered in the park. The Queen's Coppice, planted in 1953, now covers the site of an ancient tumulus
, from which a stone 'coffin' was dug out by antiquarian
s in 1808. Near Blackroot Pool are the earthworks
of an ancient encampment, the origin of this is not known - possibly it was a hunting lodge and it may have been Roman, Mercia
n or Norman
(or even all three, over time).
The park was established a Royal Forest
by the Anglo Saxon kings of Mercia
, from their seat at Tamworth
at around the 9th century. By the early 12th century, it was in use as a Norman
medieval deer park
. The land was given to the people of Sutton Coldfield by King Henry VIII
in 1528 after Bishop John Vesey, a friend of the King, asked for it as a present to the people of Sutton Coldfield
. The charcoal
burning that took place in the Park is thought to have given Sutton Coldfield the second part of its name.
Wyndley Pool is the oldest in the Park, perhaps dating from the 12th century or even earlier. The house of the Royal Steward sat on the bluff overlooking Wyndley Pool. Keeper's Pool and Bracebridge Pool date from the 15th century. Powell's Pool, Longmoor Pool, and Blackroot date from the 18th century, and were created to run watermills. There was another pool at Boldmere
, now outside the park, but this has since vanished.
Most of the Park has been undisturbed since then. The area of Ladywood, at Four Oaks, was taken for housing, but in exchange the Meadow Platt area near the town was added to the Park, thus allowing the construction of a new Park Road access from the town. A rail line, the Sutton Park Line, was built through the Park in 1879 and the Park had its own station. The advent of the railway, and the new town entrance, greatly increased the number of visitors to the Park. The Park's own dedicated station was closed in 1964, and the line now only serves goods trains.
The Sutton Miniature Railway ran near to the present-day Wyndley Leisure Centre, from circa 1905 until the 1960s, when it was dismantled and the equipment put into store. The stock and engine shed are now at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
.
During World War I
, convalescent camps were built in the Park. During World War II
further camps were built; these were first used for enemy aliens, then for U.S.
forces prior to D-Day
, and finally for Nazi German and Italian prisoners of war.
In 1957, the 50th anniversary of Scouting
was celebrated when the 9th World Scout Jamboree
, held concurrently with the 6th World Rover Moot and the 2nd World Scout Indaba
, was held in the park, with participants from all over the world. The event is commemorated by a short stone pillar in the centre of the park.
Car traffic through the Park was heavily restricted from the 1950s until its takeover by Birmingham City Council
in 1974. Thereafter, the Park's pastoral character was much changed due to the free access of cars. By the late 1970s, there were growing problems with litter, erosion, arson, vandalism, motorbikes and road accidents in the Park.
On Sunday 30 August 1992, 100,000 fans attended the BBC Radio 1
biggest ever Roadshow
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Radio 1 with live performances from bands including Del Amitri
, Aswad, The Farm
and Status Quo. Free buses were provided by Travel West Midlands
and a large Radio 1 Air ship floated above the park.
There was a rare 1887 lido
, for open-air all-weather swimming, at Keepers Pool. But the lido closed in 2003 after arson, and was burned down entirely in 2004. The Lido area is now being purposely reverted to woodland and wetland
.
, with the "Skeleton Hill" being popular with downhill bikers. Secondly sailing and canoeing, which take place mainly on Powell's Pool and finally kayaking and canoeing club on Blackroot Pool with Royal Sutton Coldfield Canoe Club
Runners and walkers also make the most of the park and its extensive pathways and trails.
A number of running events are staged in the park. These include:
British Military Fitness
hold fitness classes up to six days a week in the park close to the Boldmere Gate.
There is an 18-hole golf course near to the Streetly Gate entrance to the park.
There is a section of grass sectioned off for the usage of model aeroplanes and helicopters. This is between Boldmere Gate and the Jamboree Stone and can be accessed at most times by car from Boldmere Gate.
Sutton Park has also been used for motor rallying, and was a popular spectator stage on the Lombard RAC Rally in the 1970s and 1980s.
Also there are many watersports in the park, including fishing and sailing on the park's Powells pool, where the Sutton Sailing Club(SSC) sails regularly throughout the year. They sail on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons throughout the summer and on Sunday mornings during the winter. The Sailing club is situated near the Boldmere gate. For more information visit this site -> http://www.suttonsc.org.uk/.
formerly bred in the park; the last recorded being in 1957, the year of the Scout Jamboree. Since then, there have only been two sightings, in 1974 and 2005. Both Red Grouse
and Black Grouse
were in the park until 1868 and 1897 respectively.
designated most of Sutton Park a National Nature Reserve
and it features on English Heritage
's list of recognised historic parks and gardens. In July 2005, a 20-year 'Keepers of Time' scheme was announced, which will eliminate alien species from ancient woodland
s and restore native varieties like oak
, ash
and beech
.
The park is currently managed by Birmingham City Council
; but in July 2004 it was announced that control would be devolved to the local councillors for Sutton Coldfield
.
The roads have reverted to their previous 'heavily restricted' status. There is still considerable car traffic into and out of the park, mainly of families with children, dog walkers, kite/model aeroplane fliers and other recreational use. However, cross-park 'through traffic' is now completely blocked by sturdy gates across the main link roads, similar to the existing gates at all road entrances and exits, that open and close with dusk and dawn. This measure has significantly reduced the use of the park as a rush-hour short-cut (notably between Boldmere
and Streetly
), with some noticeable impact on congestion of local routes around the Park. The benefit of traffic restriction is improvement in the enjoyability of the park; with cleaner air, safer roads for walkers and cyclists, and much reduced visual and noise pollution
, plus reduced wear and tear on the poorly maintained, decaying road surfaces.
Road speed limits through the park have been reduced twice, from 30mph to 20 mph in the 1980s, and to 5 mph in 2004. Also, on the pedestrianised areas (areas that used to be roads for cars, but are now closed to vehicles, except for emergency/ranger traffic), many speed bumps have been removed.
The commercial funfair for small children beside Powell's Pool continues to operate, attracting significant business. It offers rides such as a daisy-chained go-kart
track ride (with 'spooky' tunnels), and a two-person manually operated bell-rope pirate ship swings.
There is a Sea Cadets dry-dock training vessel ("the Concrete Corvette") at Boldmere Gate along with the headquarters of the 1st Sutton Coldfield Sea Scouts, and at the other side of the park the 9th Sutton Coldfield Scouts.
There are now a larger number of police officers in the park, especially at the main gate, Town Gate. This has helped to stop vandalism and arson attacks on the park, however, some incidents still happen.
In December 2007, the National Cycle Network
won £50-million in a public vote. The effect on Sutton Park will be to build the Plants Brook route that will create a free off-road bicycle path from east Erdington
to Sutton Park.
At February 2008, a City Council feasibility study
is examining the possibility of once again running passenger trains through the park.
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is one of the largest urban park
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...
s in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the largest outside a capital city; it is larger than Richmond Park
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The park covers 970 hectares (2,396.9 acre), with a mix of heathland, wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s and marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, seven lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, extensive ancient woodland
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
s (covering approximately a quarter of the park), several restaurants, a private 18-hole golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course on its western edge and a municipal golf course to the south, a donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
sanctuary, children's playgrounds and a visitors' centre. There is no entrance charge although on summer Sundays a parking charge for cars applies. A wide range of leisure activities are undertaken in the park. A railway line runs through the park.
History
PeatPeat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
-cutting, near Rowton's Well during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, recovered flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
arrowhead
Arrowhead
An arrowhead is a tip, usually sharpened, added to an arrow to make it more deadly or to fulfill some special purpose. Historically arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials; as human civilization progressed other materials were used...
s at the base of the peat. There are some unassuming prehistoric burnt mound
Burnt mound
A burnt mound is an archaeological feature consisting of a mound of shattered stones and charcoal, normally with an adjacent hearth and trough. The trough could be rock-cut, wood-lined or clay-lined to ensure it was watertight...
s, and an ancient well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
. The park contains a preserved section of the Icknield Street
Icknield Street
Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from the Fosse Way at Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire to Templeborough in South Yorkshire...
, a Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
; the noticeably cambered road enters the Park near the Royal Oak Gate and exits towards the aptly named Streetly
Streetly
Streetly is an area which lies mainly in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, England around 8 miles to the north of Birmingham. Streetly lies on the border of Birmingham and Walsall and is part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is adjacent to Aldridge, Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr and Four...
, the "meadow by the paved street"; it is still possible to walk the road. In 1909, two Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
s were discovered in the park. The Queen's Coppice, planted in 1953, now covers the site of an ancient tumulus
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, from which a stone 'coffin' was dug out by antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
s in 1808. Near Blackroot Pool are the earthworks
Earthworks (archaeology)
In archaeology, earthwork is a general term to describe artificial changes in land level. Earthworks are often known colloquially as 'lumps and bumps'. Earthworks can themselves be archaeological features or they can show features beneath the surface...
of an ancient encampment, the origin of this is not known - possibly it was a hunting lodge and it may have been Roman, Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
n or Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
(or even all three, over time).
The park was established a Royal Forest
Royal forest
A royal forest is an area of land with different meanings in England, Wales and Scotland; the term forest does not mean forest as it is understood today, as an area of densely wooded land...
by the Anglo Saxon kings of Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
, from their seat at Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
at around the 9th century. By the early 12th century, it was in use as a Norman
Norman dynasty
Norman dynasty is the usual designation for the family that were the Dukes of Normandy and the English monarchs which immediately followed the Norman conquest and lasted until the Plantagenet dynasty came to power in 1154. It included Rollo and his descendants, and from William the Conqueror and...
medieval deer park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
. The land was given to the people of Sutton Coldfield by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
in 1528 after Bishop John Vesey, a friend of the King, asked for it as a present to the people of Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
. The charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
burning that took place in the Park is thought to have given Sutton Coldfield the second part of its name.
Wyndley Pool is the oldest in the Park, perhaps dating from the 12th century or even earlier. The house of the Royal Steward sat on the bluff overlooking Wyndley Pool. Keeper's Pool and Bracebridge Pool date from the 15th century. Powell's Pool, Longmoor Pool, and Blackroot date from the 18th century, and were created to run watermills. There was another pool at Boldmere
Boldmere
Boldmere is a residential area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is bordered by New Oscott, Sutton Park, Wylde Green and Erdington, and is in the ward of Sutton Vesey.- Toponymy :...
, now outside the park, but this has since vanished.
Most of the Park has been undisturbed since then. The area of Ladywood, at Four Oaks, was taken for housing, but in exchange the Meadow Platt area near the town was added to the Park, thus allowing the construction of a new Park Road access from the town. A rail line, the Sutton Park Line, was built through the Park in 1879 and the Park had its own station. The advent of the railway, and the new town entrance, greatly increased the number of visitors to the Park. The Park's own dedicated station was closed in 1964, and the line now only serves goods trains.
The Sutton Miniature Railway ran near to the present-day Wyndley Leisure Centre, from circa 1905 until the 1960s, when it was dismantled and the equipment put into store. The stock and engine shed are now at the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway is a railway built in 1948 in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire operating between Cleethorpes Leisure Centre and behind Pleasure Island/buck beck. It was originally built to a slightly smaller gauge.-History:...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, convalescent camps were built in the Park. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
further camps were built; these were first used for enemy aliens, then for U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces prior to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, and finally for Nazi German and Italian prisoners of war.
In 1957, the 50th anniversary of Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
was celebrated when the 9th World Scout Jamboree
9th World Scout Jamboree
The 9th World Scout Jamboree, also known as the Jubilee Jamboree, was held at Sutton Park, Birmingham, England, for twelve days during August, 1957. The Jamboree marked dual milestones as it was both the 50th anniversary of the Scouting movement since its inception at Brownsea Island and the 100th...
, held concurrently with the 6th World Rover Moot and the 2nd World Scout Indaba
World Scout Indaba
The World Scout Indaba was a gathering of Scout Leaders from around the world, a sort of World Jamboree for Scouters. Created at the 1949 12th World Scout Conference in Elvesaeter, Norway, the British Scout Association submitted that of the great number of Scouters working in a Pack, Troop or Crew,...
, was held in the park, with participants from all over the world. The event is commemorated by a short stone pillar in the centre of the park.
Car traffic through the Park was heavily restricted from the 1950s until its takeover by Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
in 1974. Thereafter, the Park's pastoral character was much changed due to the free access of cars. By the late 1970s, there were growing problems with litter, erosion, arson, vandalism, motorbikes and road accidents in the Park.
On Sunday 30 August 1992, 100,000 fans attended the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
biggest ever Roadshow
Radio 1 Roadshow
The Radio 1 Roadshow was an annual summer event hosted and broadcast by BBC Radio 1 from the 1970s through to the 1990s. The roadshow enjoyed three decades of live broadcasts from beach resorts around the UK...
to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Radio 1 with live performances from bands including Del Amitri
Del Amitri
Del Amitri were a Scottish pop-rock guitar band, formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1983. The band grew out of Justin Currie's Jordanhill College School band and came together after teenager Currie placed an advertisement in the window of a music store asking for people who could play to contact him...
, Aswad, The Farm
The Farm (band)
The Farm were a British band from Liverpool, popular through the early 1990s. Their album Spartacus reached the top position on the UK Albums Chart when it was released in March, 1991.-History:They formed in early 1983....
and Status Quo. Free buses were provided by Travel West Midlands
National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
and a large Radio 1 Air ship floated above the park.
There was a rare 1887 lido
Lido
The Lido is an 11 km long sandbar located in Venice, northern Italy, home to about 20,000 residents. The Venice Film Festival takes place at the Lido every September.-Geography:...
, for open-air all-weather swimming, at Keepers Pool. But the lido closed in 2003 after arson, and was burned down entirely in 2004. The Lido area is now being purposely reverted to woodland and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
.
Sports
The park is popular for a number of sports. These include mountain bikingMountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, with the "Skeleton Hill" being popular with downhill bikers. Secondly sailing and canoeing, which take place mainly on Powell's Pool and finally kayaking and canoeing club on Blackroot Pool with Royal Sutton Coldfield Canoe Club
Runners and walkers also make the most of the park and its extensive pathways and trails.
A number of running events are staged in the park. These include:
- Seven Pools Run (March)
- Midland Counties men's 12-stage and women's 6-stage relays (March)
- ERRA National men's 12-stage and women's 6-stage relays (April)
- Hill West 10k (May)
- Great Midlands Fun RunGreat Midlands Fun RunThe Great Midlands Fun Run is an annual charity fundraising event held in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England.The event began in 2003 with a total of over £40,000 being raised. This was doubled in 2004 to £82,700 and a further £81,800 was added in 2005 before raising £108,300 in the 2006 event...
(June) - Race for LifeRace for LifeRace for Life is a series of fundraising events organised by the British charity, Cancer Research UK. They involve running, jogging or walking a 5-kilometre course and raising sponsorship for doing so. The money raised is donated to the charity to fund cancer research and campaigns...
(June) - Sutton Coldfield 10k (June)
- Birmingham Insurance Institute Fun Run (July)
- Midland Counties men's 6-stage and women's 4-stage relays (September)
- ERRA National men's 6-stage and women's 4-stage relays (October)
- Cinder Path Run (November)
British Military Fitness
British Military Fitness
British Military Fitness, or BMF, is an organisation providing fitness classes in over fifty public parks across the United Kingdom. The classes are run by former or serving members of the British armed forces with recognised fitness training qualifications....
hold fitness classes up to six days a week in the park close to the Boldmere Gate.
There is an 18-hole golf course near to the Streetly Gate entrance to the park.
There is a section of grass sectioned off for the usage of model aeroplanes and helicopters. This is between Boldmere Gate and the Jamboree Stone and can be accessed at most times by car from Boldmere Gate.
Sutton Park has also been used for motor rallying, and was a popular spectator stage on the Lombard RAC Rally in the 1970s and 1980s.
Also there are many watersports in the park, including fishing and sailing on the park's Powells pool, where the Sutton Sailing Club(SSC) sails regularly throughout the year. They sail on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons throughout the summer and on Sunday mornings during the winter. The Sailing club is situated near the Boldmere gate. For more information visit this site -> http://www.suttonsc.org.uk/.
Wildlife
NightjarsEuropean Nightjar
The European Nightjar, or just Nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, is the only representative of the nightjar family of birds in most of Europe and temperate Asia.- Habitat and distribution :...
formerly bred in the park; the last recorded being in 1957, the year of the Scout Jamboree. Since then, there have only been two sightings, in 1974 and 2005. Both Red Grouse
Red grouse
The Red Grouse is a medium sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the Willow Grouse but is sometimes considered to be a separate species Lagopus scoticus...
and Black Grouse
Black Grouse
The Black Grouse or Blackgame is a large bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal...
were in the park until 1868 and 1897 respectively.
Current status
In 1997, English NatureEnglish Nature
English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
designated most of Sutton Park a National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
and it features on English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
's list of recognised historic parks and gardens. In July 2005, a 20-year 'Keepers of Time' scheme was announced, which will eliminate alien species from ancient woodland
Ancient woodland
Ancient woodland is a term used in the United Kingdom to refer specifically to woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales . Before those dates, planting of new woodland was uncommon, so a wood present in 1600 was likely to have developed naturally...
s and restore native varieties like oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
, ash
Ash tree
Fraxinus is a genus flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. It contains 45-65 species of usually medium to large trees, mostly deciduous though a few subtropical species are evergreen. The tree's common English name, ash, goes back to the Old English æsc, while the generic name...
and beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
.
The park is currently managed by Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
; but in July 2004 it was announced that control would be devolved to the local councillors for Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
.
The roads have reverted to their previous 'heavily restricted' status. There is still considerable car traffic into and out of the park, mainly of families with children, dog walkers, kite/model aeroplane fliers and other recreational use. However, cross-park 'through traffic' is now completely blocked by sturdy gates across the main link roads, similar to the existing gates at all road entrances and exits, that open and close with dusk and dawn. This measure has significantly reduced the use of the park as a rush-hour short-cut (notably between Boldmere
Boldmere
Boldmere is a residential area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is bordered by New Oscott, Sutton Park, Wylde Green and Erdington, and is in the ward of Sutton Vesey.- Toponymy :...
and Streetly
Streetly
Streetly is an area which lies mainly in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, England around 8 miles to the north of Birmingham. Streetly lies on the border of Birmingham and Walsall and is part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is adjacent to Aldridge, Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr and Four...
), with some noticeable impact on congestion of local routes around the Park. The benefit of traffic restriction is improvement in the enjoyability of the park; with cleaner air, safer roads for walkers and cyclists, and much reduced visual and noise pollution
Noise pollution
Noise pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life...
, plus reduced wear and tear on the poorly maintained, decaying road surfaces.
Road speed limits through the park have been reduced twice, from 30mph to 20 mph in the 1980s, and to 5 mph in 2004. Also, on the pedestrianised areas (areas that used to be roads for cars, but are now closed to vehicles, except for emergency/ranger traffic), many speed bumps have been removed.
The commercial funfair for small children beside Powell's Pool continues to operate, attracting significant business. It offers rides such as a daisy-chained go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
track ride (with 'spooky' tunnels), and a two-person manually operated bell-rope pirate ship swings.
There is a Sea Cadets dry-dock training vessel ("the Concrete Corvette") at Boldmere Gate along with the headquarters of the 1st Sutton Coldfield Sea Scouts, and at the other side of the park the 9th Sutton Coldfield Scouts.
There are now a larger number of police officers in the park, especially at the main gate, Town Gate. This has helped to stop vandalism and arson attacks on the park, however, some incidents still happen.
In December 2007, the National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
won £50-million in a public vote. The effect on Sutton Park will be to build the Plants Brook route that will create a free off-road bicycle path from east Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
to Sutton Park.
At February 2008, a City Council feasibility study
Feasibility study
Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknesses of the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented by the environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospects for success. In its simplest...
is examining the possibility of once again running passenger trains through the park.