Sherdley Park - Sutton, St.Helens

SHERDLEY PARK in west Sutton is the largest park in St.Helens with over 200 acres of parkland, grassy knolls, copses, woodland and lake. It's named after the Sherdley family who in 1303 were recorded as freeholders of Sherdley Old Hall, its orchard and gardens.

In 1543 the Sherdleys sold their estates to Richard Bold and Sir Henry Byrom of Parr later sold Sherdley Hall to Richard Roughley for £440, which was inherited by Thomas Roughley. On his death in 1613, an estate inventory encompassed Sherdley Hall, a garden, an orchard, 20 acres of land, 6 acres of meadow, 14 acres of pasture and 2 acres of woods. In 1798 industrialist Michael Hughes purchased it for £3150 (see Sutton's History). Much of the estate - which in 1873 was recorded at 1,207 acres - was farmland occupied by dozens of tenant farmers. However, the estate also included parkland which was referred to as Sherdley Park on an Ordnance Survey map of 1846-7. The public were allowed limited access but a high wall surrounded the perimeter and the park was kept locked at night. During 1910-40 the park gardens were celebrated in the region, with exhibits winning numerous prizes at Lancashire and Shropshire horticultural shows.

However, the Sherdley estate began to break up in the 1930s and Michael Hughes (III) died in 1938. Michael Hughes-Young inherited Sherdley Park and sold it to St.Helens Corporation on June 27th 1949 for £18,700. (Hughes-Young became Lord St.Helens in 1964.) 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 and said that "every effort will be made to retain the beauty of the parkland ". The surrounding wall was demolished and in the early 1950s it was opened as a public park 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.

Sherdley Park viewed from within Delph Wood

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 is being restyled as the 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 Sherdley Park than a golf course and the Sherdley Show, as it's locally known. The park offers much to visitors who appreciate beautiful surroundings. There are acres of well-kept fields that are perfect for sports activities or just walking the dog, plus a lake, ponds, formal gardens and open woodland.

Swans and heron in Sherdley Park in Sutton, St Helens

Wood Lake is invariably home to two resident mute swans and a seemingly resident grey heron! The latter is probably responsible for just two cygnets being hatched in 2006, 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 (see picture above with the heron on the right). 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!

The lake in Round Wood. Only 2 cygnets were hatched in 2006

Incubation of the eggs takes about 35 days before the cygnets are hatched. By the following January, however, the cob will have chased off the young swans as they will be too much competition for food.

Flowering cherry tree can looking quite spectacular in Autumn

There’s a very wide range of trees to be seen in Sherdley Park - especially in Delph Wood and Round Wood - including Turkey Oak, Field Maple, Flowering Cherry, Swamp Cypress, Silver Birch, Beech, Hawthorn and Horse Chestnut. They can be quite stunning in Spring.

The wild flowers which grow in abundance in the woods and meadows include Cuckoo Flower (aka Lady’s Smock), Lesser Celandine, Red Campion, Herb Bennett, Wild Garlic, Water Mint, Forget-me-not, Climbing Honeysuckle as well as Orchids and Bluebells.

Flower beds at the perimeter of the formal gardens

The formal gardens in the west of the park near Pets Corner are quite beautiful especially in Spring and it's no surprise that they are often used by photographers for wedding photographs. The St.Helens Rangers have an office on site and together with the council's parks and gardens personnel, they ensure that Sherdley Park is kept in impeccable condition.

Thanks to St Helens Rangers for providing some of the above information - Header picture: Rex in the bluebell fields in Round Wood

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