Victoria Park, Widnes

Victoria Park is the premier urban park in Widnes, Cheshire, England. It is managed by Halton Borough Council.^[1]

History

The park was opened in 1900 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.^[2] It is on the former Appleton House estate and was created by the local council with funds collected via a public subscription.^[3]

Facilities

There are paved walking routes, grass open spaces, formal gardens, a lake with a fountain, a café with toilets, ice cream parlour, children's play area, tennis courts, bowling greens, a skate park, climbing boulder, bandstand, basketball courts, an enclosed dog run and a butterfly house.^[4]

Landmarks

The park contains a Grade II listed war memorial pillar. Incorporating detailed carvings and standing more than 16m high, the memorial is a striking and prominent architectural building.^[5] The pillar was designed by Harold E Davies and unveiled by the 17th Earl of Derby in a ceremony on 28 September 1921 after a civic parade from Widnes Town Hall. The memorial cost £6,000 and was paid for by public subscription. The sculptural additions were undertaken by the national artist Herbert Tyson Smith.^[5]

There is a memorial fountain in honour of William Ewart Gladstone. A milestone marker with plaque commemorates the last effective Zeppelin air raid of World War I in England. Five Zeppelins dropped bombs in Widnes, Ince and Wigan.^[3] There is a statue of Sgt. Thomas Mottershead V.C., DCM (1892–1917) who was born in Widnes and was awarded a Victoria Cross and Distinguished Conduct Medal in World War I. There is a combined memorial headstone for Mottershead and two other recipients of the V.C. from Halton: Thomas Wilkinson and Thomas Alfred Jones.