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Bury Council hopes to attract support from the Heritage Lottery Fund to resore Philips Park through its Parks for People Programme. A Round 1 bid is due to be submitted in February 2009.
The HLF bid won’t fund all the works we’d like to see in the park, so we will be looking for other sources of money to fund other elements of the restoration project.
History of Philips Park
In terms of heritage and biodiversity, Philips Park is the most important park in the Borough. It was part of the medieval Pilkington Park deer park. For 150 years from 1799 it was the property of the Philips family of Manchester merchants. The second generation of Philips's to live at The Park were Robert Needham Philips (1815-1890), who was Bury's MP for 22 years and his brother Mark (1800-1875), who was MP for Manchester between 1832 and 1847 and a champion of public parks and education for all. The park now finds itself situated close to junction 17 of the M60.
The park was acquired by Prestwich and Whitefield Councils in 1950, since then, many people would say that it has been in slow decline. The Philips's house was demolished soon after acquisition. However, many features survive and the structure of the formal parts of the park is still evident.
In 1996 the shippon of the estate farm was converted and opened as 'The Barn countryside centre'. The semi-natural parts of the park became the Borough's first local nature reserve in 1999.
In 1998 a restoration plan was drawn up for the park but it wasn't acted upon because its proposals were inconsistent with the then-use of the main surviving building as a nightclub. In 2006 Bury MBC regained posession of these buildings and the Heritage Lottery Fund launched its Parks for People programme. Together these created the best opportunity for many years to restore the park.
In October 2006 the Heritage Lottery Fund provided funding for Bury MBC to appoint consultants to produce an updated restoration plan. A draft of this work was the subject of public consultation in January 2008. In October 2007 the Council's Executive agreed that a funding bid for restoring the park be drawn up and the bid’s submission was agreed in February 2008.
Restoration proposals
The focus of the restoration project will be on the former nightclub buildings and the formal garden. However, the full list of items is as follows:
Philips Park - Summary Schedule of Proposals
1. Quadrangle Buildings
Conservatory & West Wing
Renovated to provide accommodation for park user facilities including café, public toilets, information displays, ranger base and associated community uses
North & East Wing
External building features and building shell secured and internal areas reinstated for flexibility of use by future commercial tenants
Courtyard
Space repaved with bound gravel and stone slabs for use by visitors and building users. Wall replaced on south side with new wall and railings.
2. Formal Gardens
Vegetation Management
Rhododendron regrowth and other invading vegetation removed to enable repair to garden structures and reinstatement of ornamental planting. Mature trees to be retained identified and any necessary arboriculture work undertaken.
Repair to Walls, Footpaths & Steps
Walls, footpaths and steps within the formal garden areas inspected and repaired as required and in sympathy with original design and materials. Original loose gravel footpaths reconstructed in bitmac with a bound gravel surface which is more suitable for the increased use anticipated.
Temple Restored
Repair and restoration of ‘listed’ garden temple in accordance with historic photographs, including recreation of ‘The Muse Erato for Lyric Poetry’ statute based on original held in Bury Museum. Statute and interior of temple illuminated.
Shrub & Ornamental Borders Reinstated
Following removal of vegetation, planting areas within formal garden areas will be planted with shrubs, herbaceous material and annual bedding in accordance with historic photographs and descriptions.
Lawns & Grass Walk Renovated
Ornamental grass areas maintained in accordance with the historic layout of the formal gardens and House lawns, including the reconstruction of the grass steps along the grass walk.
Lily Pond Refurbished
All stone work repaired, including tank around spring feed into pond, prior to re-establishing lily planting in accordance with historic descriptions.
Furniture & Ornaments
The reintroduction of seats, urns and other features recorded on historic photographs.
3. Car Parks
Top Car Park Extended
Capacity of car park increased by extending surfaced area and reinforcing adjacent grass area to provide overflow accommodation when required.
New Car Park at Coach House Site
New car park constructed on Coach House site for visitors to buildings and formal gardens. Accessed from new link from Main Drive through raised ‘island’ bed. Spaces for disabled parking.
Car Park on House Site Removed
Surfaced car park removed and site of House returned to grass awaiting archaeological investigation.
Bottom Car Park Removed
Area returned to meadow for grazing and only a small surfaced area retained at south end for storage of maintenance materials.
4. Main Drive
Entrance Improvements
New signage and lighting introduced along with vegetation management and refurbishment of adjoining features to establish a more welcoming entrance to the park.
Drive Repaired & Resurfaced
Local areas of damage repaired and gullies refurbished prior to resurfacing main drive from entrance to new car park.
New Lighting
Existing equipment replaced with columns of more appropriate design and lanterns providing more efficient illumination.
Railings Replaced & Refurbished
Metal railings replaced and refurbished as required along south edge of main drive.
5. Play Area
Renew & Extend Top Play Area
Play area renewed on existing site and extended onto adjoining grass space to provide additional equipment.
Create Picnic Area
Establishment of a family picnic area with seats and benches on grass space adjoining extended play area and car park.
6. Woodlands & Meadows
Cobsters Field
Scrub growth cleared and fields returned to grazed meadows to reinstate historic views from main drive and expose landform.
Park Entrances
Welcoming signs and information provided at the three main pedestrian entrances into the park at Ox Gap, South Lodge and Kingfisher Lodge.
7. Archaeology
Surveys & Works
Surveys and subsequent works and interpretation undertaken in accordance with the recommendations of the Archaeological Survey completed by Gifford & Partners for BMBC in February 2005, to the following features:
1. Prehistoric/ Roman British Earthworks in the area of the lawn
2. Medieval Park Pale
3. Outwood Bleach Works
4. Garden Outbuildings
5. Philips Park House
6. Park Lodges
7. Outwood Lodge
8. Icehouse
9. Track from Ox Gap
10. Mound on lawn
11. Walled Garden
12. Waterdale Dye Works
13. Mound in Cobsters Field
Related Links
Walk around Philips Park Local Nature Reserve leaflet (1mb 3 page pdf)
Philips Park Tree Trail (900kb 19 page pdf)
Prestwich Forest Park leaflet (490kb 4 page pdf)
Prestwich Clough leaflet (1mb 3 page pdf)
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
Local Nature Reserves
