Prospect Park, Reading
| Prospect Park | |
|---|---|
 View across the park and the Mansion House on the hill | |
  | |
| Type | Public |
| Location | Reading, Berkshire, UK |
| Coordinates | 51°26′52″N 1°00′33″W / 51.44791°N 1.00911°WCoordinates: 51°26′52″N 1°00′33″W / 51.44791°N 1.00911°W |
Prospect Park is both a public park and a historic house at Tilehurst in the western suburbs of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It is at grid reference SU690725.
Prospect Park was originally the site of Dirle's Farm and part of the estate of Calcot Park. The farm was turned into a mansion in the 1760s, by Benjamin Child, widower of the famous Berkshire Lady, Frances Kendrick,[1] whom he had first met there some years before. He named it after its views over Reading.
The present regency style house, known as the Mansion House, was built by John Liebenrood in the following century. It is a Grade II listed building,[2] currently used as a restaurant. The park was bought by the Reading Corporation in 1901.[3]
The park hit national headlines in May 2005, when 16-year-old Mary Ann Leneghan was stabbed to death and her 18 year old friend survived being shot, by a gang of six men from London (four of whom were on probation at the time).[4]
Sports
Cross country running
The first race in the Hampshire League Cross Country series in 2013 is hosted by Prospect Park.[5]
References
- ↑ Phillips, Daphne (1980). The Story of Reading. Countryside Books. p. 95. ISBN 0-905392-07-8.
- ↑ "Prospect House, Prospect Park, Reading". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ↑ Phillips, Daphne (1980). The Story of Reading. Countryside Books. p. 141. ISBN 0-905392-07-8.
- ↑ Summers, Chris (2006-03-20). "The night terror came to town". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-12-20.
- ↑ http://www.hampshireathletics.org.uk/events/hxcl_reading.html
External links
Media related to Prospect Park, Reading at Wikimedia Commons