On Wednesday 30th September few of our members got together to do the Heritage Trail around Graves Park in Sheffield. The park is celebrating it’s centenary this year after being handed to the people of Sheffield by Alderman JG Graves in 1926. It is the biggest park in Sheffield at around 248 acres, embracing an impressive variety of contrasting features, from open parkland, semi natural woodlands, ponds, cascades, multi sports and recreation facilities, formal gardens, a cafe and even a rare breeds animal farm. The history of the park goes back centuries and was even mentioned in the Domesday Book but at this time it was known as Norton Park. As early as Elizabethan times there was a Hall in the park and one still stands today, although it is now private accommodation. The old road from/to London went through the park and there is still evidence today of it’s pathway.
Although some of us visit the park regularly we still were not aware of the entirety of it. Some of the ladies had not visited St. James church on the edge of the park before. This is where Francis Chantrey, the famous sculptor is buried.
Those that visit regularly had not realised there was an old open air theatre, used as recently as the 1930’s. The stone quarry provided sandstone used in building.
The stream running through the park is known as the Cold Stream and we crossed this using the ancient Pack-horse bridge.
After following the trail we ended up at the Rose Garden cafe which originally was the Pavilion, for a well earned coffee. A great morning with lots of exercise, lots of history and lots of laughs.