Millhouses Park
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Millhouses Park is a large park in the south of Sheffield. Lying between Abbeydale Road South (A621) and the railway line, it follows the course of the River Sheaf for approximately a mile through the Abbeydale valley. The park contains open grassed areas, woodlands, and floral displays. Sporting facilities on offer include:
- Football pitches
- Bowling greens
- Cricket pitch
- Boating lake
- Basketball court
- Children's play area
- Skate park
- Adventure playground
- Tennis courts
- 9-hole putting course
As well as these, visitors are provided with car parking, public toilets and a cafe serving gourmet food.
[edit] History
In 1907 Earl FitzWilliam gave the city some land in Millhouses. The City Council bought more land and laid out a public park, including many of the current facilities and also an open-air swimming pool and paddling pools. These have had to be closed due to water quality problems; the lido site now houses the children's play area. At one time this park could attract up to 50,000 visitors on summer weekends.[1] Before the existence of the park, this area of Sheffield had been used for farmland, and a number of mills had been built to take advantage of the power provided by the river.[2]
There is an annual fair/festival that takes place in the park featuring live bands, stalls, and a duck race on the River Sheaf, all raising money for the upkeep of the park. There was previously a full-time funfair on the grassed area at the northern end of the park; it had to be removed when Yorkshire Water installed a large storm drain under this area of land, and it is not known whether the fair will return now the work is complete.
On June 25, 2007, the river running through the park was severely flooded by heavy rainwater. Sadly Ryan Joe Parry, a 14-year-old boy, was swept to his death in the park by the flooded river. Many tributes were laid at the scene.
[edit] External links
- Sheffield's Parks, Woodlands & Countryside - City council parks guide
- Friends of Millhouses Park - a voluntary organisation devoted to assisting with maintenance of and provision of facilities in the park.
- Notes on History of Millhouses
[edit] References
- ^ Harvey, Peter (1996). Abbeydale and Millhouses. Stround: The Charlford Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 0-7524-0732-5
- ^ Water Wheels on the River Sheaf in Abbeydale (2003-04-20). Retrieved on 2006-08-14.
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