Norfolk Heritage Park is a public park

Park

A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...

 in Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

, South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...

, 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...

 surrounded by the Norfolk Park residential suburb.

Located to the south of Sheffield City Centre, the estate has grown up on part of the former deer park associated with Sheffield Manor

Sheffield Manor

Sheffield Manor, also known as the Manor Lodge or Manor Castle, is a lodge built about 1516 in what then was a large deer park east of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK, to provide a country retreat and further accommodate George Talbot, the 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, and his large family...

. Norfolk Heritage Park is formed out of part of the deer park and was donated to the city of Sheffield by the Duke of Norfolk

Duke of Norfolk

The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...

 in Victorian

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

 times and enjoyed its heyday during Queen Victoria's reign. Later, the park fell into neglect and disrepair, but was renovated late in the 20th century.

In 2002, Sheffield Fayre, a family event featuring horticulture

Horticulture

Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...

/wildlife

Wildlife

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....

, and multi-period re-enactment, was launched, and it is now an annual event during the late Summer Bank Holiday. With an attendance of over 25,000 people, the annual Sheffield Fayre at Norfolk Heritage Park is the largest free event in South Yorkshire. The various attractions include the popular Sheffield Horticultural Show and the largest multi-period Living History Camp and Battle Re-enactment in the North of England. Over 600 re-enactors in authentic costume enthusiastically recreate life through various eras from Roman times to the Second World War, encompassing live battles, fascinating displays, music and activities, which are educational and entertaining for the whole family. http://www.eventsheffield.com.

The Horticultural Show brings out Sheffield's green-fingered experts but also includes culinary, craft, art and photography classes, an all-embracing competition for amateurs and serious enthusiasts, for both adults and children. Other fantastic attractions include traditional 1950’s Sideshow Illusions (Sheffield University - National Fairground Archive) astonishing, bizarre, intriguing and humorous, these fun shows have to be seen to be believed! Also new for this year is an area of traditional woodland crafts and interactive activities.

History

Norfolk Park opened to the public in 1848, with work laying out the park having commenced in 1841 initiated by the 12th Duke of Norfolk

Duke of Norfolk

The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...

 who owned the land. Upon opening it was one of the first parks in Britain to be free to the general public. The Stone screen and entrance gates at Norfolk Park Road and Guildford Avenue were erected in 1851, and finally at Granville Road in 1876. The park soon became a popular location for walking, playing sport, and taking carriage rides.

Queen Victoria visited the park on 21 May 1897, during her Jubilee year, whilst visiting Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...

 to open the new Town Hall

Sheffield Town Hall

Sheffield Town Hall is a building in the City of Sheffield, England. The building is used by Sheffield City Council, and also contains a publicly displayed collection of silverware. The current building, Sheffield's fourth town hall, is located on Pinstone Street. It was designed by the...

. 50,000 schoolchildren sang patriotic songs and hymns to the queen and a reported 200,000 people gathered to see her in the park (over two-thirds the population of the city at the time.

In 1910 Norfolk Park was given as a gift from the Duke of Norfolk to the City of Sheffield. To commemorate a new Refreshment Pavilion was opened. In the years that followed a number of sporting facilities were constructed including bowling greens and tennis courts. A children's playground opened in the 1950s and in 1959 football pitches were created in the north of the park by creating a flat area from the toppings of the slum clearance of the city.

In 1956 Jervis Lum woodland on the west on the park was acquired by compulsory purchase from the Duke of Norfolk and added to the park.

During the 1980s the park went into decline. This downward trend would be turned round towards the end of the century; 1994 saw the park added to the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens (Grade II) and the establishment of the 'Friends of Norfolk Park' group. In the same year the park became more commonly known as Norfolk Heritage Park reflecting its heritage and cultural significance. 1995, the derelict Refreshment Pavilion was badly damaged by an arson

Arson

Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...

 attack and was demolished. The new refreshment pavilion, 'The Centre in the Park', a new community building with rooms available for hire, a community cafe and Creche, opened to the public in 2000 along with new children's play areas, thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund

Heritage Lottery Fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...

acquired to restore the park.

External links

• Sheffield City Council - Norfolk Heritage Park
• http://www.norfolk-park.com Friends of Norfolk Heritage Park