Collingtree Park

Collingtree Park is a district in the Borough of Northampton in the East Midlands of England.

Collingtree Grange, by the architect 1879

Location

Collingtree Park is located at the extreme south of the urban area, due north of the village of Collingtree, which itself is in the Northampton borough. It is currently a small part of the East Hunsbury area of the town.

History

Part of the area is the site of the former Collingtree Grange and park demolished in the 1960s^[1] but the many old trees from the original park grounds have been retained. The Grange was constructed in 1875 by a local architect, E F Law, for Mr Pickering Phipps, a local brewer^[2]. The house was immediately north of the church of St Columba, with the front facing north to north-east^[1]. The Sears family, a local boot and shoe manufacturer, purchased the house in 1911 and completely re-planning Glebe Farm^[1]. Only the entrance lodges and gateway remain on the A45 road close to an old bridge which carried the main road. The bridge crosses Wootton brook which flows west to join the River Nene on the west side of Northampton. The park still retains a number of tall sequoia trees from the original landscaping but some have been lost by the encroachment of their roots on modern houses built too close.

Facilities

There is an Esporta Health Club in the park, a Care Home and Collingtree Park Golf Club^[3]. A number of large modern houses are an integral part of the golf course. The course was designed by US and British Open champion Johnny Miller. The area is close to other facilities in East Hunsbury and near to the A45 road (re-numbered from the A508 road in the early 21st century) and within a mile of M1 junction 15.

Expansion

In July 2008 a proposal^[4]. for a major urban extension of housing was being planned by Bovis Homes to the east of the golf course with some remodelling of the course. The extension includes some 2,000 houses of which around 35% will be affordable housing. Access to the site for residents is proposed from Rowtree Road and Windingbrook Lane in East Hunsbury.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Northampton Borough Council: Collingtree Conservation area appraisal - May 2008". http://www.northampton.gov.uk/downloads/CollingtreeAppraisal-Final.pdf. Retrieved 7 March 2010. 
2. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1961). The Buildings of England – Northamptonshire. London and New Haven: Yale University Press. pp. pp154–155. ISBN 978-0-300-09632-3. 
3. ^ "Collingtree Park Golf Club". http://www.collingtreeparkgolf.com/. Retrieved 20 July 2008. 
4. ^ "Collingtree Park extension proposal of 2008 by Bovis Homes". http://collingtreeparkextension.info. Retrieved 19 July 2008. 

External links

• Collingtree Park Golf Club
• Map sources for Collingtree Park

Coordinates: 52°12′09″N 0°54′04″W / 52.20251°N 0.90106°W / 52.20251; -0.90106