Queen's Park, Brighton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Queen's Park is an administrative ward and a public park in Brighton, England.
The area lies to the north of Kemptown, and east of the centre of Brighton. It is largely made up of Victorian terraced houses, with a smaller number of detached and semi-detached houses. There are also a number of low-rise blocks of modern flats.
In 1825 Brighton solicitor William Attree acquired land north of Eastern Road—already known as Brighton Park—to build a residential park surrounded by detached villas, inspired by Regent's Park in London. He commissioned architect Charles Barry to design it. It was re named after Queen Adelaide, consort of William IV, who patronised the German Spa opened in 1825 by Dr F A A Struve of Dresden at the south end of the park, which remained in operation until 1886 when it continued as a mineral water plant until 1960. On the site now stands the Royal Spa Nursery school. Attree's plan never materialised and the surrounding housing is of later date.
At the north-west corner is Pennant Lodge, once the home of Charles Freshfield. Also to the north-west of the park itself, on Queen's Park Road, stands the 'Pepper pot' (also called the 'Pepper box'). Originally built as a water tower, later designated an observatory, it was later a public convenience. The park itself, without the houses but including the Spa and the Pepper pot, was bought by the Race Stand Trustees in 1890 for £13,500 and donated to the town.
Today Queen's Park is an attractive public park, well planted with trees and shrubs. It has a pond, frequented by ducks, geese, herring gulls and pigeons, a children's play area, a café, an extensive dog-free area, a scented garden for people with disabilities, a bowling green, tennis courts, and an area that is left untended in order to encourage wildlife.
[edit] Gallery
More views of the park:
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[edit] External links
- Park's page on council site
- History and personal recollections on My Brighton and Hove site
