Victoria Park, Leicester
Encyclopedia
Victoria Park in Leicester
, England
is a public park of 69 acres (279,000 m²). It is in the south-east, just outside the city centre, backing on to the University of Leicester
and close to the Leicester railway station
.
It has facilities for various sports, including tennis, basketball, ultimate frisbeehttp://www.jestersultimate.co.uk/http://www.leicesterfrisbee.co.uk/, bowls, croquethttp://www.leicestercroquetclub.org.uk, football and cricket. A skate park has been recently added. The park is sometimes used as a venue for outdoor events - in recent years these have included BBC Radio 1
's One Big Sunday, the Leicester Caribbean Carnival
, and Leicester Pride
. A pavilion provides changing facilities, and also the site of a cafe.
The park was historically part of the South Fields
of Leicester, and was used from 1806 to 1883 as a racecourse - a function that was then transferred as to the purpose-built Leicester Racecourse
in Oadby
. It was opened as a park in 1882. A Victorian
grandstand stood in the park until the mid-20th century, and was used a pavilion after racing moved to Oadby. It was damaged by a German parachute bomb in 1940 and later demolished, with the new pavilion built on the same site and opened in 1958. Leicester Fosse (who later became Leicester City Football Club) played here on various occasions between 1884 and 1890.
The park is home to two memorials. The War Memorial, a quadrifrons
arch, was designed by Edwin Lutyens
and built in 1923, to commemorate the dead of the First World War
. The memorial, a Grade I listed building, stands at the top of an ornamental walkway ("Peace Walk") with gates (also by Lutyens) opening on to University Road. A smaller memorial near the cafe commemorates the American 82nd Airborne Division, stationed in Leicester prior to D-Day
.
The gates and lodges on the London Road side of the park were also designed by Lutyens and built in 1930.
The park has gained a reputation for being relatively dangerous at night, mainly due to a small number of attacks on students walking across the park at night. In 2006, a group of University of Leicester
students unhappy with this situation started the Student society
Torchlight which is currently working with the council, the police and the University of Leicester Students' Union
on ways to make the park safer. It was announced in March 2008 that £50,000 had been spent by the council on better lighting in the park, together with other safety measures. Even before this lighting was introduced there had been a fall in reported crimes in the area. Victoria Park and Leicester University have a dedicated beat officer supported by PCSOs based at Welford Road police station. The police will also have a base at the pavilion.
Victoria Park is also home to Aylestone Athletic Rugby Union Football Club
.
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, 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...
is a public park of 69 acres (279,000 m²). It is in the south-east, just outside the city centre, backing on to the University of Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
and close to the Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station
Leicester railway station serves the City of Leicester in Leicestershire, England.As of late 2009 Leicester is a Penalty fare station, a valid ticket or Permit to travel must be shown when requested.-Background:...
.
It has facilities for various sports, including tennis, basketball, ultimate frisbeehttp://www.jestersultimate.co.uk/http://www.leicesterfrisbee.co.uk/, bowls, croquethttp://www.leicestercroquetclub.org.uk, football and cricket. A skate park has been recently added. The park is sometimes used as a venue for outdoor events - in recent years these have included BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's One Big Sunday, the Leicester Caribbean Carnival
Leicester Caribbean Carnival
Leicester Caribbean Carnival is an annual event, held in early August in Leicester, England.The community-organised carnival has been held annually since 1985 on the first Saturday in August, with a parade around the city of Leicester , culminating in an event on Victoria Park...
, and Leicester Pride
Leicester Pride
Leicester Pride is an annual gay pride event in Victoria Park, in Leicester, England.The event is free, and starts with a parade from High Street to Victoria Park....
. A pavilion provides changing facilities, and also the site of a cafe.
The park was historically part of the South Fields
Southfields, Leicestershire
The Southfields of Leicester, England consisted of common land south of the city, and now refers to the mostly-developed area immediately south of the city centre....
of Leicester, and was used from 1806 to 1883 as a racecourse - a function that was then transferred as to the purpose-built Leicester Racecourse
Leicester Racecourse
Leicester Racecourse is a horse-racing course in Oadby, Leicestershire, England.The course is oval shaped and nearly 2 miles in extent. It was opened ante 1773....
in Oadby
Oadby
Oadby is a town within the borough of Oadby and Wigston, in Leicestershire, England. It is to the east of Wigston Magna, and to the southeast of Leicester. Oadby forms part of the Leicester Urban Area, and is situated on the A6 road....
. It was opened as a park in 1882. A Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
grandstand stood in the park until the mid-20th century, and was used a pavilion after racing moved to Oadby. It was damaged by a German parachute bomb in 1940 and later demolished, with the new pavilion built on the same site and opened in 1958. Leicester Fosse (who later became Leicester City Football Club) played here on various occasions between 1884 and 1890.
The park is home to two memorials. The War Memorial, a quadrifrons
Quadrifrons
Quadrifrons is a Latin word, meaning four-fronted or four-faced, particularly:*Form of triumphal arch with four arches and hence with barrel vaulted passageway in the form of a cross.*Aspect of Janus, god.Quadrifrons is believed to be the fourth face of...
arch, was designed by Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
and built in 1923, to commemorate the dead of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The memorial, a Grade I listed building, stands at the top of an ornamental walkway ("Peace Walk") with gates (also by Lutyens) opening on to University Road. A smaller memorial near the cafe commemorates the American 82nd Airborne Division, stationed in Leicester prior to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
.
The gates and lodges on the London Road side of the park were also designed by Lutyens and built in 1930.
The park has gained a reputation for being relatively dangerous at night, mainly due to a small number of attacks on students walking across the park at night. In 2006, a group of University of Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
students unhappy with this situation started the Student society
Student society
A student society or student organization is an organization, operated by students at a university, whose membership normally consists only of students. They are often affiliated with a university's students' union...
Torchlight which is currently working with the council, the police and the University of Leicester Students' Union
University of Leicester Students' Union
The University of Leicester Students' Union is the students' union of the University of Leicester. It is situated in the Percy Gee Building on the university campus. The union offers a wide range of facilities for students.-History:...
on ways to make the park safer. It was announced in March 2008 that £50,000 had been spent by the council on better lighting in the park, together with other safety measures. Even before this lighting was introduced there had been a fall in reported crimes in the area. Victoria Park and Leicester University have a dedicated beat officer supported by PCSOs based at Welford Road police station. The police will also have a base at the pavilion.
Victoria Park is also home to Aylestone Athletic Rugby Union Football Club
Aylestone Athletic Rugby Union Football Club
Aylestone Athletic RFC is an English rugby union club that plays in the Midlands 5 East .-History:The club was founded in 1919. The founding members were mainly members of St.James' Church in Lansdowne Road, Leicester. The minister of the Church, B.E.Owen, was the first Club President...
.