Priory Park, Warwick
Encyclopedia
Priory Park is an urban park
located in the centre of Warwick
, England
. Originally the land was the grounds of a 12th century priory
dedicated to St Sepulchre
and built in 1124 but this was closed down by King Henry VIII
during the dissolution of the Monasteries
. It was then destroyed and a residential home was built in 1566 by a man named Thomas Fisher
.
By 1850 the property had been taken over by the famous Warwickshire
family, the Wises. During that year the Great Western Railway
company were allowed to build an embankment
to extend the line to Warwick station
which was built in 1852 at the north-east of the estate. In 1926 Alexander W. Weddell
, an American diplomat purchased the property and demolished it. Many of the stones and other materials from it were used for the building of Virginia House
, Richmond, Virginia
in 1928.
The estate now is owned and managed by Warwick District
council and is a public park. There is very little evidence of the previous buildings in existence. In 1958 and 1979 there were international scout gatherings
at the park and a plaque by one of the paths commemorates this. In the 1970s Warwickshire County Council moved its record offices
to the eastern part of the estate into a purpose built building. The public park area is composed of unimproved grass areas that are cut but not landscaped and there are many clumps of trees to explore. Until the late 1990s there was a small children's play area in the middle but this was removed. The nearest play area can be found a minutes walk north west from the park under the railway bridge in a smaller 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) park called Priory Pools. Because there are many burrow
s around the park European rabbit
s are a common sight, even to the casual observer. The total public area of the main park currently stands at 28.7 acres.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
located in the centre of Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
, England
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...
. Originally the land was the grounds of a 12th century priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
dedicated to St Sepulchre
St Sepulchre
St Sepulchre was an ancient parish partly within the City of London and partly within Middlesex, England.For civil purposes it was divided into two civil parishes, each called St Sepulchre, although the parish in the City of London was also known as St Sepulchre without Newgate...
and built in 1124 but this was closed down by King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
during the dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. It was then destroyed and a residential home was built in 1566 by a man named Thomas Fisher
Thomas Fisher (MP)
-Early life:He was the M.P. for Warwick, was of obscure origin and usually known by the name of Fisher, because his father was a fishmonger in Warwick. His ability recommended him to John Dudley, duke of Northumberland, then Viscount Lisle, who took him into his service, and on 4 May, 34 Hen. VIII,...
.
By 1850 the property had been taken over by the famous Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
family, the Wises. During that year the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
company were allowed to build an embankment
Embankment (transportation)
To keep a road or railway line straight or flat, and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions is prohibitive, the land over which the road or rail line will travel is built up to form an embankment. An embankment is therefore in some sense the opposite of a cutting, and...
to extend the line to Warwick station
Warwick railway station
Warwick railway station serves the town of Warwick in Warwickshire, England. The station is served by Chiltern Railways , and also occasionally by London Midland and CrossCountry. It is located one and a half miles from the town centre although it is in the inner suburbs. It was opened in 1852 by...
which was built in 1852 at the north-east of the estate. In 1926 Alexander W. Weddell
Alexander W. Weddell
Alexander Wilbourne Weddell was an American diplomat. He served as United States ambassador to Argentina from 1933 to 1939 and to Spain from 1939 to 1942....
, an American diplomat purchased the property and demolished it. Many of the stones and other materials from it were used for the building of Virginia House
Virginia House
Virginia House is a country house on a hillside overlooking the James River in Richmond, Virginia, United States.The house was constructed from the materials of the 16th Century Warwick Priory and shipped over and reassembled, completed several months before the stock market crash of 1929...
, Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
in 1928.
The estate now is owned and managed by Warwick District
Warwick (district)
Warwick is a local government district of central Warwickshire in England. The current leader of the district council is Conservative Party member Michael Doody. The council is currently controlled by the Conservative group, who hold 23 of the 46 council seats...
council and is a public park. There is very little evidence of the previous buildings in existence. In 1958 and 1979 there were international scout gatherings
Jamboree (Scouting)
In Scouting, a jamboree is a large gathering of Scouts who rally at a national or international level.The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held in 1920, and was hosted by the United Kingdom...
at the park and a plaque by one of the paths commemorates this. In the 1970s Warwickshire County Council moved its record offices
Warwickshire County Record Office
Warwickshire County Record Office is located in Warwick in England. It collects, preserves and makes available records relating to the history of Warwickshire and its people dating from the early 12th to the 21st century. It is owned and run by Warwickshire County Council.-History:It was first...
to the eastern part of the estate into a purpose built building. The public park area is composed of unimproved grass areas that are cut but not landscaped and there are many clumps of trees to explore. Until the late 1990s there was a small children's play area in the middle but this was removed. The nearest play area can be found a minutes walk north west from the park under the railway bridge in a smaller 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) park called Priory Pools. Because there are many burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
s around the park European rabbit
European Rabbit
The European Rabbit or Common Rabbit is a species of rabbit native to south west Europe and north west Africa . It has been widely introduced elsewhere often with devastating effects on local biodiversity...
s are a common sight, even to the casual observer. The total public area of the main park currently stands at 28.7 acres.