Princes Park, Liverpool

Princes Park in Toxteth, Liverpool, England, is a 45 hectare municipal park, 2 miles south east of Liverpool city centre.

The park was originally a private development (though open to the public) by Richard Vaughan Yates, the cost of which was expected to be met through the development of grand Georgian-style housing around the park.

In 1918 the park was acquired by Liverpool City Council.

Prince's Park was designed by Joseph Paxton and James Pennethorne and opened in 1842. The plan was drawn by John Robertson and Edward Milner supervised the work. The original gates can still be seen. With its serpentine lake and a circular carriage drive, the park set a style which was to be widely emulated in Victorian urban development, most notably by Paxton himself on a larger scale at Birkenhead Park. Princes Park also influenced its near neighbour, Sefton Park.

An obelisk and former drinking fountain in the park bears the inscription: :"To the memory of Richard Vaughan Yates":"The enlightened & philanthropic founder of Princes Park":"Erected by public subscription 1858"

Within the park is also a gravestone, dated 1926, in memory of a donkey who gave "21 years of service", providing rides for children in the park.

External links

* [http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Parks_and_recreation/Parks_and_gardens/ Liverpool City Council Parks and Gardens]
* [http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/drinking/yates04.html Richard Vaughan Yates Obelisk Drinking Fountain]
*http://www.gardenvisit.com/g/pri3.htm
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=336922&Y=388156&width=700&height=410&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=GB&pc=&zm=0&scale=5000&left.x=4&left.y=144 Aerial Photo]