A PERSONAL HISTORY OF BESTWOOD COUNTRY PARK
A grey uneven moonscape was my introduction to Bestwood Country Park in 1971 when, on returning to Nottingham, we moved to Rise Park. The present park area was not a park then but an enormous slag heap being graded by large machines. In the centre of this moonscape was a lake of slurry, not a blade of grass in sight. I remember looking across this lake of slurry at the sunset reflected in this grey lake.
At this time we called it ” the tip”, a name which is still used within our family, even though the area is now covered with trees, shrubs and, in the spring time, even orchids. In those days, in the distance, could be heard the sound of a locomotive with the clanging of wagons being shunted. I guess they were tidying up the colliery site after its closure a few years earlier. Grass began to cover our tip and in spring time the sound of skylarks filled the air. What a difference we see today, with many acres set aside for recreation and with miles of foot and bridle ways snaking their way around the park. The park has two main access points, north side and south side: from the north side, Bestwood Village’s Park Road, you approach the industrial side of the park. The colliery Winding Engine House dominates the site, which is open to the public on Saturday morning between 10.00 and 12.00 for tours, with a lift to all floors. Close by is the Dynamo House with displays which give a history of the site and park going right back to the stone age. On Saturday mornings between 10.00 and 12.00 the Dynamo House volunteers provide tea, coffee and cakes and a sit down for dog walkers, cyclists, walkers and horse riders, as well as the Saturday morning Nordic walking group.
Walking into the park with the horse stables on the left and right, a roadway on the left leads to a former sand quarry and also on the left, on raised ground, stands the former Rectory, part-way between St. Mark’s church in the village and Emmanuel Church in Warren Hill, up near Bestwood Lodge. The Rectory was built in the 1888 for the rector of the then newly formed parish, when the coal and iron industries were booming, drawing new people into the area. Continuing forward, you arrive at Alexandra Lodges, a Gothic style building across the track from the village to the Lodge which consists of a timber framed building flanked by two wings of two story living accommodation. Close by are the teaching room and the site of the new toilet block – we hope to be built soon.
Continuing forward up the main drive, you arrive at the Bestwood Lodge Hotel, now part of the Best Western Group of hotels. It was built on the site of the old Bestwood Hall, which over centuries was a royal hunting lodge, site of much royal entertaining and source of some interesting local legends. The Hall was demolished and Bestwood Lodge built on its site in 1865. The present building, now a Best Western Hotel, is a good example of Gothic Revival designed by S S Tuelon, with towers and turrets. It has been called “notched and knobbly” and was said to have “the curious quality of gazing through magic glasses at some prehistoric monster”. In the 1800s, the Prince of Wales made several visits to Bestwood and was so inspired by Teulon’s work that he employed him at Sandringham. Both inside and outside are relief sculptures. At the entrance are sculptures of the heads of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. On the outside are Foresters and a depiction of a Bull crashing into a wall with water pouring out, hence Bul-Well – Bulwell. All of these sculptures were created by Thomas Earp of Nottingham. It is a very interesting building where morning coffee or afternoon tea can be obtained. Sitting outside on the hotel patio looking south it is possible to see the Japanese Garden, commissioned by the Duke of St Albans' family in the days of Bestwood Hall. The Friends of Bestwood Country Park (FoBCP) with the local council, have helped to revive this garden, which is an on-going project. Also to be seen is the Arboretum where the FoBCP are trying to identify the trees and get funding to create a descriptive leaflet. A short walk away is Emmanuel Church, a very pretty church, with Dukes and Duchesses buried in the churchyard.
After your refreshments, continue down the hill and you will come to a car park with toilet facilities close by, which forms the south entry, from the Arnold side of the park via Bestwood Lodge Drive. Across the horses’ field can be seen a group of houses which were built to house the officers and other ranks working at Bestwood Lodge when it was used as the headquarters for Northern Command in World War II.
BM
May 2013
At this time we called it ” the tip”, a name which is still used within our family, even though the area is now covered with trees, shrubs and, in the spring time, even orchids. In those days, in the distance, could be heard the sound of a locomotive with the clanging of wagons being shunted. I guess they were tidying up the colliery site after its closure a few years earlier. Grass began to cover our tip and in spring time the sound of skylarks filled the air. What a difference we see today, with many acres set aside for recreation and with miles of foot and bridle ways snaking their way around the park. The park has two main access points, north side and south side: from the north side, Bestwood Village’s Park Road, you approach the industrial side of the park. The colliery Winding Engine House dominates the site, which is open to the public on Saturday morning between 10.00 and 12.00 for tours, with a lift to all floors. Close by is the Dynamo House with displays which give a history of the site and park going right back to the stone age. On Saturday mornings between 10.00 and 12.00 the Dynamo House volunteers provide tea, coffee and cakes and a sit down for dog walkers, cyclists, walkers and horse riders, as well as the Saturday morning Nordic walking group.
Walking into the park with the horse stables on the left and right, a roadway on the left leads to a former sand quarry and also on the left, on raised ground, stands the former Rectory, part-way between St. Mark’s church in the village and Emmanuel Church in Warren Hill, up near Bestwood Lodge. The Rectory was built in the 1888 for the rector of the then newly formed parish, when the coal and iron industries were booming, drawing new people into the area. Continuing forward, you arrive at Alexandra Lodges, a Gothic style building across the track from the village to the Lodge which consists of a timber framed building flanked by two wings of two story living accommodation. Close by are the teaching room and the site of the new toilet block – we hope to be built soon.
Continuing forward up the main drive, you arrive at the Bestwood Lodge Hotel, now part of the Best Western Group of hotels. It was built on the site of the old Bestwood Hall, which over centuries was a royal hunting lodge, site of much royal entertaining and source of some interesting local legends. The Hall was demolished and Bestwood Lodge built on its site in 1865. The present building, now a Best Western Hotel, is a good example of Gothic Revival designed by S S Tuelon, with towers and turrets. It has been called “notched and knobbly” and was said to have “the curious quality of gazing through magic glasses at some prehistoric monster”. In the 1800s, the Prince of Wales made several visits to Bestwood and was so inspired by Teulon’s work that he employed him at Sandringham. Both inside and outside are relief sculptures. At the entrance are sculptures of the heads of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. On the outside are Foresters and a depiction of a Bull crashing into a wall with water pouring out, hence Bul-Well – Bulwell. All of these sculptures were created by Thomas Earp of Nottingham. It is a very interesting building where morning coffee or afternoon tea can be obtained. Sitting outside on the hotel patio looking south it is possible to see the Japanese Garden, commissioned by the Duke of St Albans' family in the days of Bestwood Hall. The Friends of Bestwood Country Park (FoBCP) with the local council, have helped to revive this garden, which is an on-going project. Also to be seen is the Arboretum where the FoBCP are trying to identify the trees and get funding to create a descriptive leaflet. A short walk away is Emmanuel Church, a very pretty church, with Dukes and Duchesses buried in the churchyard.
After your refreshments, continue down the hill and you will come to a car park with toilet facilities close by, which forms the south entry, from the Arnold side of the park via Bestwood Lodge Drive. Across the horses’ field can be seen a group of houses which were built to house the officers and other ranks working at Bestwood Lodge when it was used as the headquarters for Northern Command in World War II.
BM
May 2013
