JAMES DUNN PARK - Walney Island

(AKA: 'Walney Park' & more recently as 'Vickerstown Park')

See also: Vickerstown

 

Walney Park opened in 1902 taking it's flower stock from the Avon Street Nurseries. It was 1904 before all the 'major' attractions 'inc a bandstand' were completed, although the Swan Pond was complete by 1903. In 1915 the Walney Estates Company transferred ownership of the park to Barrow Council in return for 50% of the costs toward property construction site/s on Central Drive.

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The picture above shows the 'main' entrance to the park, but more interestingly the large boulder on the left of the entrance has a plaque fastened to it, which reads as follows: (This Granite Boulder transported by ice from Eskdale Cumberland was found in the upper boulder clay 17ft below the surface of the ground 400 yards s.s.w. of this spot in the year 1902. 3 tons 19cwt). The boulder was so positioned as a memorial to the 'pole' victory in favour of a bridge, ultimately linking the island to the mainland. News of the public pole in favour of Walney Bridge as it was to become known resulted in a 'large' papier-m?ch? fish being placed on a bonfire at the site of the park in celebration, simply due to Mr Benjamin Fish being a major objector to the bridge.

 

A quite amazing view over James Dunn Park, depicting the old Church of St Mary and look, no bridge...

 

Tennis court/s circa 1957.

 

The picture below (centre) shows one of the parks most recent acquisitions, that of another large rock, which was placed during a clean up of the park after the completion of 'water treatment system' works during 2000 / 2001. 

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OTHER WALNEY PLACES

 

 

 

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