Camelot Theme Park
Encyclopedia
Camelot Theme Park is a resort and theme park located in the English
county of Lancashire
. It is based on the legend of Camelot
. It is located on a 140 acre (0.5665604 km²; 0.21875019341305 sq mi) site near the village of Charnock Richard
, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Chorley
. The site is owned by The Story Group, and operated by Knights Leisure. The park is home to many rides, taking a target audience of families and younger children, however the park also boasts numerous thrill rides and roller coasters, including Whirlwind (a Maurer Söhne
spinning coaster), Knightmare
and Excalibur.
, which was first drained in 1692 by Thomas Fleetwood of Bank Hall
in Bretherton
. (The story is that Sir Lancelot's parents King Ban of Benwick and his queen Elaine escaped to Lancashire
from their enemies in France
. Elaine went to help King Ban who had fallen and put Lancelot down on the shore of the lake, by where he was abducted by nymph
Vivian who vanished into the waters of the lake with him. Vivian brought up Lancelot and when he went to King Arthur's court he was knighted as 'Sir Lancelot of the Lake'.)
Martin Mere has been locally known as the 'Lost Lake of Sir Lancelot' following the myth.
In 1986 it was taken over by The Granada Group and operated by them alongside its now defunct sister parks American Adventure
and Granada Studios Tour
. In June 1998 the park was subject to a management buyout in which the park went to Prime Resorts Ltd.
Camelot has seen a downturn in attendance in recent years. In 1995, Camelot's attendance was 500,000 visitors throughout the season. In 2005 Camelot's attendance was only 336,204 visitors.
In a 2006 survey of healthy food available at leading tourist attractions in the UK, Camelot came joint bottom scoring only one point.
In February 2009, Prime Resorts announced that the park was in receivership and would not reopen for the 2009 season. The hotel was bought by Lavender Hotels in March 2009,
and in April 2009, it was announced that a buyer had been found for the park and that it will reopen in May 2009 - NB: The park was noted to be open on 20 July 2009.
The theme park was purchased by Story Group, a construction company based in Carlisle and leased to Knight's Leisure who run the park. The site's future remains uncertain as the new owner is planning to redevelop the site. Current indications are that this will be a housing development.
In the mid 1990s, "The Beast" was re-named "Venom". This building was removed in 2001 to make way for an extension to the Castle Camelot entertainment centre, which would have created an extended indoor entertainment centre including replacement ride. However, when it became apparent the park could close within the next few years the plans were largely scaled back, leaving room for the ride to stay. The building and ride were then rebuilt, but was themed as a snake, in a snakes lair. The ride is now owned by Williams Amusements and the castle was extended to include the new indoor entertainment centre and firstly a Rollerquest (Lasertag) attraction, and then Dodgems ride.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It is based on the legend of Camelot
Camelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
. It is located on a 140 acre (0.5665604 km²; 0.21875019341305 sq mi) site near the village of Charnock Richard
Charnock Richard
Charnock Richard is a small village and civil parish in the borough of Chorley, Lancashire, in England.-History:The village was named in the early 13th century by the local landowner, who gave the township his first name of Richard, to distinguish it from neighbouring Heath Charnock. The village is...
, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Chorley
Chorley
Chorley is a market town in Lancashire, in North West England. It is the largest settlement in the Borough of Chorley. The town's wealth came principally from the cotton industry...
. The site is owned by The Story Group, and operated by Knights Leisure. The park is home to many rides, taking a target audience of families and younger children, however the park also boasts numerous thrill rides and roller coasters, including Whirlwind (a Maurer Söhne
Maurer Söhne
Maurer Söhne is a steel construction company and roller coaster manufacturer. Founded in Munich, Germany in 1876, the company has built many styles of steel buildings, ranging from bridges, industrial buildings, and even art structures. While known for building various wild mouse coasters, Maurer...
spinning coaster), Knightmare
Knightmare (Camelot)
Knightmare is a Schwarzkopf/Zierer custom rollercoaster situated at Camelot Theme Park in the UK. It was built in Kobe, Japan and was originally based in a theme park called Portopialand under the name BMRX'/'Bavarian Mountain Railroad...
and Excalibur.
History
The park opened in 1983 and has been operating seasonally since then. The park is based on the story of 'Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table'. The local area was once covered by the largest lake in England Martin MereMartin Mere
Martin Mere is a mere near Burscough, Lancashire, England on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain. The mere is a vast marsh, around that, until it was drained, was the largest body of fresh water in England.-History:...
, which was first drained in 1692 by Thomas Fleetwood of Bank Hall
Bank Hall
Bank Hall is a Jacobean mansion south of the village of Bretherton in Lancashire, England. It is a Grade II* Listed Building. The hall was built on the site of a previous building in 1608 during the reign of James I by the Banastre family who were Lords of the Manor. It was extended during the 18th...
in Bretherton
Bretherton
Bretherton is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England situated to the south west of Leyland and east of Tarleton. Its name suggests pre-conquest origins and its early history was closely involved with the manor house Bank Hall and the families who lived there...
. (The story is that Sir Lancelot's parents King Ban of Benwick and his queen Elaine escaped to Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
from their enemies in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Elaine went to help King Ban who had fallen and put Lancelot down on the shore of the lake, by where he was abducted by nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
Vivian who vanished into the waters of the lake with him. Vivian brought up Lancelot and when he went to King Arthur's court he was knighted as 'Sir Lancelot of the Lake'.)
Martin Mere has been locally known as the 'Lost Lake of Sir Lancelot' following the myth.
In 1986 it was taken over by The Granada Group and operated by them alongside its now defunct sister parks American Adventure
American Adventure
The American Adventure was a theme park located in the East Midlands region of England; quite close to both Nottingham and Derby on the edge of Ilkeston in the county of Derbyshire. The park for many years had a number of large white-knuckle attractions, but in 2005 was re-themed as a 'family'...
and Granada Studios Tour
Granada Studios Tour
Granada Studios Tour was an entertainment theme park at the Granada Studios complex in Castlefield, Manchester which England operated from 1988 to 1999...
. In June 1998 the park was subject to a management buyout in which the park went to Prime Resorts Ltd.
Camelot has seen a downturn in attendance in recent years. In 1995, Camelot's attendance was 500,000 visitors throughout the season. In 2005 Camelot's attendance was only 336,204 visitors.
In a 2006 survey of healthy food available at leading tourist attractions in the UK, Camelot came joint bottom scoring only one point.
In February 2009, Prime Resorts announced that the park was in receivership and would not reopen for the 2009 season. The hotel was bought by Lavender Hotels in March 2009,
and in April 2009, it was announced that a buyer had been found for the park and that it will reopen in May 2009 - NB: The park was noted to be open on 20 July 2009.
The theme park was purchased by Story Group, a construction company based in Carlisle and leased to Knight's Leisure who run the park. The site's future remains uncertain as the new owner is planning to redevelop the site. Current indications are that this will be a housing development.
Rides and Shows
Current Rides & Attractions
| Colour | Target Audience |
|---|---|
| Thrill ride | |
| Family ride | |
| Children's ride |
Roller Coasters
| # | Name | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caterpillar Capers | A 'wacky worm' style big apple children's coaster. | |
| 2 | Dragon Flyer | The worlds only diesel powered roller coaster. Manufactured by S.C. Italy, this attraction loops the lower section of the park. | |
| 3 | Junior Dragon Coaster | A powered children's coaster | |
| 4 | Knightmare Knightmare (Camelot) Knightmare is a Schwarzkopf/Zierer custom rollercoaster situated at Camelot Theme Park in the UK. It was built in Kobe, Japan and was originally based in a theme park called Portopialand under the name BMRX'/'Bavarian Mountain Railroad... |
A custom Schwarzkopf Schwarzkopf Schwarzkopf refers to:- Place name :Germany:* Schwarzkopf , a mountain of Bavaria, Germany* Schwarzkopf , Berg im Nordschwarzwald* Schwarzkopf , a mountain of Bavaria, GermanyCzech Republic... / Zierer Zierer Zierer is a German company located close to Deggendorf. Zierer manufactures Tivoli and Force line of roller coasters, as well as panoramic wheels, wave swingers, flying carpets, Hextentanz and Kontiki rides... roller coaster. |
|
| 5 | Whirlwind | A Maurer Söhne Xtended SC 2000 spinning coaster. | |
Thrill Rides
| # | Name | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Excalibur 2 | A Fabbri Evolution. Named after the park's original Excalibur ride. Currently SBNO after a boy fell from the ride on the 23rd August 2011. | |
| 7 | The Galleon The Galleon The Galleon is the official newspaper of Spanish River Community High School. It has been a trend-setter among high school newspapers in Palm Beach County, frequently leading in award competitions.-Sun-Sentinel High School Journalism Awards 2007:... |
A non-inverting pirate ship. | |
Family Rides
| # | Name | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dungeons of Doom | Small ghost train-style dark ride | |
| 9 | Falcon's Flight | Zamperla rotating balloon ride. | |
| 10 | Formula-K Go Karts | Requires an extra charge. | |
| 11 | Jousting Knights Dodgems | Bumper cars located in the park's family entertainment centre. | |
| 12 | Kingdom in the Clouds | A Ferris Wheel overlooking the Knight's Valley area of the park. | |
| 13 | Pendragon's Plunge | Set of three blue waterslides, taking riders from the entrance down to Knight's Valley. | |
| 14 | Sir Lancelot's Chargers | An ornate two-tier carousel | |
Children's Rides
| # | Name | Opened | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Bertie Bassett's Driving School | Extra charge required | |
| 16 | Clown Around | ||
| 17 | Cup 'n' Sorcerer | ||
| 18 | Human Cannonball | ||
| 19 | Junior Galleon | ||
| 20 | Junior Jousting Horses | ||
| 21 | Kiddies' Indoor Playland | Soft indoor play area | |
| 22 | Playland Express | Small circuit electric train | |
| 23 | Sky Divers | ||
| 24 | Towers of Fun | Soft indoor play area | |
Current Shows
- Jousting Tournament A live joust performed by Camelot's own Knights, led by an actor playing King Arthur and performed in the Avalon Arena. The park hosts the UK's only full time jousting arena.
- Merlin's Magic Show Performed in Merlin's castle, this show demonstrates 'Merlin's magical skills'.
- Merlin's School of Wizardry Performed in Merlin's castle, Merlin's School of Wizardry teaches some of Merlin's magic to the audience.
- Birds of Prey Show Performed daily in the Avalon Arena, featuring an African Fish EagleAfrican Fish EagleThe African Fish Eagle or – to distinguish it from the true fish eagles , the African Sea Eagle – is a large species of eagle that is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water occur that have an abundant food supply. As a result of its large range, it is known in many...
.
Past Rides
- Tower of Terror was a steel sit-down roller coasterRoller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
manufactured by SchwarzkopfAnton SchwarzkopfAnton Schwarzkopf was a German engineer of amusement rides, and founder of the Schwarzkopf Industries company, which built numerous rides and large roller coasters for both amusement parks and travelling funfairs....
. It was removed in 2000 to make way for a Vekoma Invertigo, and also due to cost issues as the ride was leased along with the original Excalibur from the Bembom Brothers. However, planning permission was denied for this ride so the park was forced to replace the ride with a Pinfari ZL42, "The Gauntlet" (since closed). While the ride was being taken down, a polystyrene castle which was part of the rides theming was burned down when some sparks from a saw hit it. The ride itself was unscathed and after a brief period at DreamlandDreamland-Amusement parks:* Dreamland at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York* Dreamland * Dreamland Margate, in Kent, UK* Nara Dreamland, near Nara, Japan* Yokohama Dreamland, in Yokohama, Japan...
Margate it is now operating as Twist N' ShoutTwist n' ShoutTwist n' Shout was a steel looping roller coaster located at Loudoun Castle Theme Park in Galston, south-west Scotland. It opened in 2003 as a part of the new rides line-up brought in by new owner Henk Bembom. Twist n' Shout remained one of the most popular rides in the park until its closure in 2010...
at Henk Bembom's Loudoun CastleLoudoun CastleLoudoun Castle is a ruined 19th century country house near Galston, in the Loudoun area of Ayrshire, Scotland. The ruins are protected as a category A listed building.-History:...
. - The Rack a Vekoma Canyon Trip. the only split level ride in Europe, in 2010 it was removed due to serious mechanical failure that was not economical to repair.
- Excalibur Was a Weber Dreamboat (Traumboot) and was removed with the Tower of Terror. It stood originally on the site of the Whirlwind, however the space the Tower of Terror originally took up was more than enough space for the replacement Gauntlet Pinfari roller coaster and the Excalibur 2 (Fabbri Evolution). This left a site vacant, which was later used for the Whirlwind
- Venom(Previously known as The Beast) was a steel powered dark-roller coasterRoller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
. It was removed in 2005 due to increasing safety regulations with indoor roller coasterRoller coasterThe roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s. While operated, the ride was enclosed inside a building and kept in the dark. When first opened, the ride was originally called "The Knightmare" and was an outdoor coaster. In 1985, a mountain theme was placed over "The Knightmare" and it's name was changed to "Space Mountain". In 1988, the indoor coaster was re-named/re-themed "The Beast" and featured the best audio for the ride, before the train moved from the station.
In the mid 1990s, "The Beast" was re-named "Venom". This building was removed in 2001 to make way for an extension to the Castle Camelot entertainment centre, which would have created an extended indoor entertainment centre including replacement ride. However, when it became apparent the park could close within the next few years the plans were largely scaled back, leaving room for the ride to stay. The building and ride were then rebuilt, but was themed as a snake, in a snakes lair. The ride is now owned by Williams Amusements and the castle was extended to include the new indoor entertainment centre and firstly a Rollerquest (Lasertag) attraction, and then Dodgems ride.
- The Sorcerer was a roller coaster manufactured by Pinfari. It was installed in 1995 however removed in 1997 to make way for The Quintain. The park also considered it too small a roller coaster and it was not as popular with guests as the park hoped. Its presence was faded by the ever popular Tower of Terror.
- The Quintain was a Huss Flipper and was removed before the 2006 season started and was replaced by a carouselCarouselA carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. It was thought by many guests that the ride was not suitable for the target audience of the park. - The Gauntlet, a Pinfari ZL42 Looping Rollercoaster. During 2002 and 2003 the ride experienced considerable downtime. After refurbishment of the trains and braking system the ride had 2 very good seasons. To further improve the ride a new train was purchased in 2005. The ride was then moved to make way for the Knightmare ride. The ride then operated at New Pleasureland in SouthportSouthportSouthport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
for a short time. It has now been refurbished and rebuilt in the Marina Park, Varna, BulgariaVarnaVarna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
. - Carousel, the smaller of the two Carousels in the park was removed after the 2006 season due to its age and being shaded by the much more extravagant carousel located close by. The Junior Galleon has been moved to the front of the Playland building to occupy the Carousel's central spot.
- Leverets, A small children's ride located at the side of the Rack (previous locations include: the side of the original Excalibur, and at the front of the park - under a different name). It was removed after the 2006 season due to the cars and track becoming unreliable. The ride was often closed when the park was open, and has been replaced by a gnome garden.
- Mad Monastery a dark funhouse ride, situated at the back of the Playland area.
Past Shows
- Cats Of The Round Table A animatronic show that was near the front of the park.
- SootySootySooty is a British glove puppet bear and TV character popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. The children's television show which bears his name has continued in various forms since the 1950s and, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the...
and the Dragon A puppet show to do with a popular puppet.
Accidents
- On 22 October 2001, a park employee was struck by The Gauntlet roller coaster and was killed. The park was fined £40,000 as it had no written safety procedures for its staff.
- On 18 April 2004, a boy was hit by a bus in the theme park's car park and was killed. The driver was charged with death by dangerous driving, the case was later dropped due to legal arguments.
- On 23rd August 2011, a 12 year old boy fell from the Excalibur 2 ride. the ride is rumoured to be removed for the 2012 season.
Links
- www.camelotthemepark.co.uk - Camelot Theme Park Official Website.