Skip to main content

Nuttall Park is a large 10.70 hectare urban community park in Ramsbottom. The park is located 5 miles north of Bury and just 600 meters from Ramsbottom town centre, by foot, 1 mile by road. Opened in 1928 as a public park it is also linked to the Irwell Sculpture Trail.

The park is level in most places with well maintained footways and accessible to people in wheelchairs and families with push chairs.

You can travel to Ramsbottom at weekends by steam train on the East Lancashire Railway.

Facilities and attractions

Friends of Nuttall Park

The Friends of Nuttall Park are a group of volunteers who are passionate about Nuttall Park.

Green Flag Award

Nuttall Park has retained a Green Flag Award since 2005. The national Green Flag Award scheme recognises excellence in greenspace management and measures criteria such as cleanliness, maintenance, sustainability, community involvement, heritage, nature conservation, health, safety, security and overall management.

History

The following is an extract from the RUDC programme for the opening ceremony of Nuttall Park, Saturday 21st July 1928:

"The history of Nuttall Hall and Park starts in the time of Richard II (1377 - 1399). Richard De Notogh is said to have resided in the Old Hall at Nuttall Village. The Nuttall estate remained in the hands of the De Notogh's, or Nuttalls as they subsequently became called until 1698.

In 1812 the estate was purchased by Messrs Grant Brothers and near the site of the present Hall there existed the Shipperton Farm House. This was taken down and replaced by Nuttall Hall.

The Hall was then passed into the hands of Miss Isabella Grant in 1855, and upon her death in 1890 it was passed to her son John Grant Lawson (later to become Sir John Grant Lawson. Upon the death of Sir John Grant Lawson in 1919 Sir Peter Grant Lawson Bart, inherited the Estates.

About 10 acres of land which now forms part of the Park had been purchased in 1927 from The Bleachers' Association, who, when aware that the land was desired for a Park, very kindly consented to sell the land at the price they themselves had paid for it in 1919.

By a magnificent gift of Nuttall Park and Nuttall Hall, by Lieut. Col. Austin Townsend Porritt, Ramsbottom has secured a real acquisition for the health, welfare and recreation of its inhabitants.

The Hall, erected about 1817, is built of stone and is of Early English Architecture for John Grant.

The whole cost of the hall, footpaths, fencing, river walls, bowling green, three hard tennis courts, bandstand, seats, plants, shrubs, and everything necessary for the completion of the Park has been munificently borne by Col. Porritt."

The following is an extract from the Ramsbottom Heritage Society News Magazine 17, Autumn 1998:

"The 21st July 1998 saw the 70th Anniversary of the opening of Ramsbottom's largest stretch of community-dedicated land. The layout of the park had been designed and executed by DICKSONS Nurseries of Chester, having been selected from 10 designs submitted by various firms in open tender. The RUDC's Engineer and Surveyor, Mr A Plunkett, had supervised the work".

"The Opening must have been quite a day, and the park will have been crowded. A band started the proceedings at 2.45pm with the national anthem, and speeches from various councillors, notably Chairman J E Wigley, and of course from Lt Col Porritt. The tennis courts were opened, trees were formally planted, the Colonel opened the Hall, the band played 'Auld Lang Syne' and then continues with its selection until dusk. A commemorative plaque was placed on the Hall, which somehow survived the demolition in 1952. It now adorns the wall in our Heritage Centre."