Sherdley Park in Sutton, St.Helens

300 Acres Of Heritage And Heaven In Sutton!

A view of the centre of Sherdley Park taken from within a small wood with pond

However, the Sherdley estate began to break up in the 1930s and Colonel Michael Hughes (III) died in 1938. His nephew Michael Hughes-Young - who became Lord St.Helens in 1964 - inherited Sherdley Park and sold it to St.Helens Corporation on June 27th, 1949 for £18,700. At the time of the sale, local newspapers reported that the council intended to develop the estate along the lines of a cultural centre for sport and recreation, stating that "every effort will be made to retain the beauty of the parkland". The surrounding wall, which had been known locally as "Long Wall", was demolished and during the early 1950s a public park was opened for the enjoyment of the citizens of Sutton and St.Helens.

In 1953 the formal gardens were opened to the public and later extended to include a rhododendron wall. It has been said that Sherdley was the first park in England outside of London to grow the famous Kew Gardens rhododendrons. Can anyone confirm this? Athletics events, which had taken place occasionally under the Hughes's stewardship, were encouraged and the Lancashire Cross-Country championships were held in Sherdley Park in 1961, 1963 and again in 1969.

Fluffy cygnets on the lake in Sherdley Park in 2006 - the lake was enlarged by Michael Hughes III around 1900

From 1968 the park became the home of the annual three day St.Helens Show, renowned as the largest free show in Europe, which in 2007 was reinvented as the two day St.Helens Festival. In 1974 an 18 hole municipal golf course was opened in Sherdley Park and a driving range was added later.

However, there's much more to the park than the golf course and the Sherdley Show, as it's often known in Sutton. The park offers much to visitors who appreciate beautiful surroundings. There are acres of well-kept grassland and a wildflower meadow that are perfect for sports activities or just walking the dog, plus a lake, ponds, formal gardens and two areas of open woodland.

A cherry tree in Sherdley Park which can look quite spectacular in Autumn - pictured November 2006

Wood Lake is often home to two resident mute swans and a seemingly resident grey heron, constantly on the look-out for prey. The herons were probably responsible for just two cygnets being hatched in 2006 (pictured below), much less than in previous years. Around April the female swan (pen) can be seen sat or sleeping on her nest incubating her eggs with the male cob on guard duty.

The small lake in Dam Wood - reflections from surrounding woodland can make the water look green

The nest is a huge mound of dried grasses, sticks and rushes, constructed at the water’s edge. It’s fascinating to watch the nest being built by the female, while the male cob hunts for materials and aggressively fends off inquisitive ducks. Dogs who decide to bathe in the lake are given similarly short treatment by the territorial cob! Incubation of the eggs takes 35 days before the cygnets are hatched but by the following January, the cob will have chased off the young swans as they are competition for food.

Canada goose on the Sherdley Park lake in May 2008 being protective of its young from an out of shot dog

Canada Geese are occasional visitors to the lake which is also home to a range of other wildfowl, including moorhens and mallard ducks. In March 2010 a pair of gorgeous mandarins took up residency on the Sherdley Park lake, rumoured to have gone AWOL from Pets Corner! Much more common in the south and east of England, mandarins were introduced to the UK from China before escaping from captivity. Like a lot of other wildfowl, the male boasts the most striking features with ornate plumage, long orange feathers (or whiskers) on the side of its reddish face and orange 'sails' on its back.

A pair of Mandarins on the Sherdley Park lake in Dam Wood - photographed in April 2010

The female at first glance looks more like a mallard but has a distinctive grey head and white stripe behind the eye, mottled flanks and brown back. They were introduced to the UK from China where they are regularly depicted in Oriental art as a symbol of fidelity. This is because most Mandarin drakes reunite with their original mates and are very protective of their young, unlike most other male wildfowl. They have become established in England following escapes from captivity and have a particular liking for lakes with overhanging trees and bushes for nesting in. So the Sherdley Park lake is an ideal venue for them.

A mandarin duckling on the Sherdley Park lake in Dam Wood - photographed on May 25th, 2010

During much of May, the Mandarins were absent from the lake as the hen was incubating her eggs. Then on May 25th they reappeared on the water with eleven fluffy ducklings in tow. The youngsters would have been coaxed to jump down from their tree nest by their mother, prior to entering the lake. With many predators including grey herons and dogs, only a few of the ducklings are likely to make it to adulthood.

The play areas for children are always popular attractions in Sherdley Park and are near to Pets Corner

Sherdley Park's own Pets Corner - locally known as the children's zoo - is a popular visitor attraction

Sherdley Park hit the headlines during February 2009 after eight local teenagers were given custodial sentences of over 40 years for a sickening attack in the park that left an 18-year-old lad from Widnes with horrific injuries. However, this was a one-off incident and in reality Sherdley Park is a safe and beautiful environment. It's much appreciated by locals as well as visitors from further afield, who attend the many events in the park or simply use the well-kept open space and woodland for relaxation and exercise.

Other pages and articles on Sherdley Park in Sutton Beauty & Heritage:

Sherdley Estate;  Michael Hughes;  Enjoying the Parks of Sutton;  Sherdley & Ell Bess;
Being Sick in Sherdley Park & Walisdale Cottage;  The Last To Live in Sherdley Park;