Heaton Park is a park that became popular in several months. This park is open to the citizens, based in Manchester, England, that uses up a vast area approximately 600 to 650 acres! Along with this, it had 21 roads by it, which you could use to enter the park, adding to the size.
Heaton Park is famous for many things including: having army camps there during WW1; Heaton Hall being built by Sir Thomas Egerton ( in 1772 ); and a place to remember historical events- such as the Gunpowder Plot.
During 1772, Sir Thomas Egerton contracted the popular architect, James Wyatt to rebuild the existing house.In the 1870s, the population of the East End of Newcastle was growing rapidly and a need for additional space was acknowledged.
Heaton Hall remained in the possession of the Egerton’s, until 1902 when the park was bought by Manchester Corporation and Addison Potter for £230,000, the rest they didn’t have. When Addison Potter of Heaton Hall put some land up for sale, the Corporation bought 22.5 acres at a cost of £12,562 and William Armstrong gave a similar amount to enable a 46-acre park to be created.
In 1912, work began on the grounds of the park, due to war was about to break out…World War 1 started on 28th July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918.WW1 ( short for World War 1 ) was announced to start, so Manchester Corporation thought they would help out and do their part. The park had army camps there, training bases and trenches.
Many people think they liked doing their part because yet again, they changed their grounds to suit the British army for World War 2.When the Second World War broke out, they built more trenches, built hospitals on site and made, even more, training bases. This actually helped the park become more popular.
In 2002, the park was renovated using over £10 million. With this money, they built an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, a boating lake, an animal farm, a pitch and putt course, a golf driving range, woodlands, ornamental gardens, an observatory and an adventure playground. Also built in 2002 was the only flat green bowling area in Manchester.
Since 20002, no changes have been made to the actual park, other than the wall surrounding it (which has been made higher). The only other change is that Middleton Road, running along the side of the park, has been made wider.