Wicksteed Park
.jpg) Locomotive "Merlin" hauling a passenger train on the Wicksteed Park Railway | |
| Slogan | The Place Where Fun Was Invented |
|---|---|
| Location | Kettering, Northamptionshire, England |
| Owner | Wicksteed Trust |
| Opened | 1921 |
| Rides | |
| Total | 26 |
| Roller coasters | 3 |
| Water rides | 4 |
| Website | http://www.wicksteedpark.co.uk/ |
Wicksteed Park is an amusement park in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. The park opened in 1921. It is believed to be the one of the oldest amusement parks in England[1]. It is located 2 miles (3.2 km) from the A14 and is signposted from the M1 & A1 and located near the Midland main line between London and Sheffield.
History
Foundation
The Park was founded by Charles Wicksteed. He was the son of a Unitarian minister of the same name and his wife Jane, born into the prosperous and long-established Lupton family of Leeds. The young minister arrived in 1835 to lead Mill Hill Chapel, at the heart of that industrial city, and two years later the couple married. In 1841 his sister Elizabeth married Jane's brother Arthur (1819-1867), also a Unitarian minister; Uncle Arthur was, according to a family history, "The Achilles of the Leeds Complete Suffrage Association"[2]- in other words, atragic champion of the fight for universal suffrage; see Chartism and Henry Vincent for more on the CSA. Charles Junior had the maverick MP and mining engineer Arnold Lupton as his first cousin. Charles Junior was one of nine children, including Janet, who wrote, as Mrs Lewis, a memoir including her parents; Philip (Henry), the economist and Unitarian theologian; and (Joseph) Hartley, president of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.[3] Through his mother, he was connected to poiticians, philanthropists, factory owners, and businessmen. One of his nieces was Mary Cicely Wicksteed, who married the prominent Australian surgeon Sir Hibbert Alan Stephen Newton (1887-1949)[4]
In 1913 Wicksteed purchased a tract of Northamptonshire meadowland near Kettering with the intention of developing a model village. He wanted to create an open space and safe parkland for local families. He also owned an engineering company (Wicksteed Park Leisure) and started to supply park seats and playground equipment to public parks far and wide. This company today still provides this equipment and can be found in many such parks across Europe with some of the products in Wicksteed Park.
Development
The Park's fame spread far and wide and special trains and charabancs brought visitors from an ever-widening area. Wicksteed Park was the first Leisure Park in the UK and has been copied many times since. Upon the death of Charles Wicksteed, the Board of Trustees were determined to continue his good work.
Open all year round, the children's playground is the largest free playground in Europe.[5]
Of historical interest is the Water Chute, which was built in 1926 and, having undergone major renovation (in 2002), it is the oldest working ride in the UK.[6] It has a narrow gauge railway which runs around the lake.[7]
The park is owned by the Wicksteed Trust, a registered charity set up by Charles Wicksteed in 1916 and run by Wicksteed Park Ltd, a company wholly owned by the Trust.
Attractions
The attractions at Wicksteed Park are divided into 4 themed areas:
1) Playground - Immediately on entering the park, there is a free playground.
2) Fairground - Rides for children up to 13/14; also in this area is the Fun Palace Arcade.
3) Lakeside - Predominantly features rides themed around water, such as the rowing boats. It is also home to the 'Waterchute'.
4) Arena - Contains many of the park's larger rides, like the Flying Chairs, Revolving Paratrooper, Ladybird Coaster, Roller Coaster and the latest ride, a log flume called 'Rocky River Falls'.
In order to enjoy the attractions, visitors can purchase either tickets or an all day, unlimited ride wristband. There is also an aviary, sand pit and boating on the lake to complement the other attractions. The 30-acre (12 ha) lake is populated by swans, geese, ducks and peacocks. Caravan and camping facilities are also offered on 16-acre (6.5 ha) of land right in the heart of the park.
The park has had its own mascot since March 2000 called Wicky Bear. It also has three other characters - Kerry the Koala, Charlie the Dog and Pong the Panda. The four animals can regularly be spotted walking around the park and greeting guests. Throughout the UK summer holidays when the rides and attractions are in full operation, there is usually a 'Wicky Bear Show' on the park's Outdoor Stage where the four characters can be seen performing together.
The park holds an annual Guy Fawkes Night display.[8]
List Of Rides
THE FAIRGROUND - Magic Ice, Double Pirate Ship, Laser Xtreme, Cups and Saucers, Carousel, Mini-Jets, Crazy Golf, Putting Green, Dodgems, Astroglide, Rockin'Tug, Lighthouse, Wickey's Inflatable, Panning For Gold, Roundabout, Clarence The Coaster.
THE ARENA - The Roller Coaster, Rocky River Falls, Ladybird Coaster, Racing Cars, Honey Pot Bears, Paratrooper.
THE LAKESIDE - The Waterchute, Large & Small Lake Boats, The Monorail, Mr Wicksteed's Veteran Cars.
Wicksteed Park Railway
The Wicksteed Park Railway is one of the most iconic features of the park today.[7] Over 15 million people have taken to its rails since it first opened in 1931.[7] It was the last feature of the park to be added during the lifetime of the parks founder Charles Wicksteed and is supported by the Friends of the Wicksteed Park Railway.[7]
Educational Visits
Wicksteed Park offers various Programmes of Study based on Key Stages 1–4. A Nature Trail is also offered, a little over two kilometres in length and featuring many 'activity' points.
References
- ↑ History
- ↑ Lupton, C.A. , The Lupton Family in Leeds, Wm. Harrison and Son 1965, page 55
- ↑ [Insititute of Mechanical Engineers heritage site. Biography of HartleyWicksteedhttp://heritage.imeche.org/Biographies/HartleyWicksteed]
- ↑ [ Newton, Sir Hibbert Alan Stephen (1887–1949) by Benjamin K. Rank. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11, (MUP), 1988 http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/newton-sir-hibbert-alan-stephen-7834]
- ↑ The Free Playground
- ↑ The Lakeside - Wicksteed Waterchute
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Wicksteed Park Railway
- ↑ "Thousands to be wowed by display". Northants Evening Telegraph. 2011-09-13. Retrieved September 19, 2011. "[...] at Wicksteed Park’s annual bonfire night extravaganza."