Stanley Park

Stanley Park is a 45-hectare park in Liverpool designed by Edward Kemp and opened in 1870 by the mayor Joseph Hubback. It stands out among Liverpool’s parks for its grand terrace, formal gardens and lakes, and once had fountains along its bedding schemes. The park also features the 1899 Isla Gladstone Conservatory, a Grade II listed building restored by Mackenzie & Moncur of Edinburgh. About half the park is open grass for sport, with the rest laid out as formal gardens and lakes. Kemp originally designed a horse-riding track called Rotten Row, later turned into a cycle track around 1907. The park divides the home grounds of Everton and Liverpool football clubs, two rival Merseyside teams. Everton began playing in the park in 1879 before moving to Priory Road and then Anfield. Plans to build a new stadium for Liverpool FC in the park were announced in 2000 but scrapped in 2012 after a change in club ownership. The park also contains Stanley Park Church, an Evangelical church over 100 years old, located between the two football grounds. The park is named after Lord Stanley of Preston. Visitors find a grand terrace with expansive flower beds and a restored conservatory. Open grass areas allow for sport, while formal gardens and lakes offer peaceful walks. A cycle track runs through the park, replacing the old horse-riding track. The park’s layout and architecture reflect its Victorian design. It has appeared in Alexei Sayle’s short story and film, adding to its cultural presence. The park remains a green space between two major football clubs, with a historic church on its edge.