Haslam Park

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A municipal park, opened to the public in 1910, with design elements provided shortly afterwards by the landscape architect Thomas H Mawson.

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Haslam Park lies on the north-west side of Preston, north of Ashton, in the area known as Lane Ends. The 30ha site is crossed centrally from east to west by the Savick Brook. The site is bounded to the south by the railway (formerly the London and Midland Railway) and to the west by a stretch of open ground leading to the Lancaster Canal. To the north-west and north-east it is bounded by the Canal itself and to the east by the rear gardens of houses facing onto Windsor Avenue. The setting is largely urban, with open ground stretching away to the west.

ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES

Both of the two main entrances lie on the south side of the park. At the south-east tip of the site, off the north side of the Blackpool Road, stands a set of ashlar and wrought-iron gate piers and gates (1910, listed grade II), accompanied by a lodge. An outer pair of large gate piers capped by cornices and ball finials flank an inner pair of wrought-iron standards supporting double carriage gates between single pedestrian gates, the overthrow carrying the Borough coat of arms. A pair of cast-iron lamp posts (c 1910, listed grade II) stand to either side of the gates.

A double lime avenue along the south side of the park links the south-east entrance to that at the south-west corner. The south-west entrance is off the east side of Cottam Lane, close to the bridge where the railway crosses over the road. A side gate leads from the Lane to a walk up into the park, but the more imposing entrance is via a set of grand steps which lead steeply up to a pair of gates (listed grade II), initialled H P, opening onto what originated as a circular flower garden at the west end of the lime avenue. The line of the walk predates Mawson's involvement at the site, but he was responsible for the planting of the avenue, and for the raising of the Cottam Lane entrance, with its gateway, to close the vista.

GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS

Approximately one third of the way along the avenue, c 200m from the south-east gate, stands a cast-iron drinking fountain on a stone base (1911, listed grade II) which bears the inscriptions 'presented by Councillor WG Makinson, January 1911' and 'keep the pavement dry'. Mawson strongly recommended a pavilion at the central point of the promenade, but the funds for this were not forthcoming.

Along the east side of the park is a broad walk planted with limes along its west side, separating the park from a strip of land used as the works depot at the southern end, and formerly a garden and open air bath at the northern end. To the west of this walk lie the bowling greens, accompanied by a pair of pavilions.

From the north end of the broad walk, paths lead round the north side of the park to join the south-west entrance, north-west over the Savick Brook to join the Canal, and north round the lake which lies close to the Canal, c 400m north of the south-east entrance. The water for the lake is supplied from an overflow of the Canal, entering the lake via a rockwork cascade which lies to the south of the aqueduct (1797, listed grade II) which carries the Canal over the Brook.

REFERENCES

T H Mawson and Sons, Haslam Park, Preston. A brief review of work accomplished and of possibilities for future development, (May 1915), (Preston Borough Council Parks Department)

T H Mawson, The Life and Work of An English Landscape Architect (1927), p 186

Description written: March 2000

Edited: March 2000