Sankey Valley Park

Infobox park
park= Sankey Valley Park


image size= 275px
caption= Part of the Sankey Canal within Sankey Valley Park
type= Public park/Nature reserve
location= Warrington, UK
coordinates= coord|53.402207|-2.614114|display=inline,title
size=
opened=
operator= Warrington Borough Council
visitors=
status= Open all year

Sankey Valley Park is a public park in Warrington, Cheshire. It occupies part of the Sankey Valley and the main park itself covers over 1½ miles between Sankey Bridges in the south and Callands in the north. The valley follows the course of Sankey Brook and the now disused Sankey Canal. The park is enjoyed by walkers, cyclists and anglers and the central section of the park is family orientated with children's play features, a maze and lawned areas. Bewsey Old Hall sits on the edge of the central section of the park and RAF Burtonwood lies one mile (1.6 km) to the west. The Trans Pennine Trail passes around convert|500|yd|m from the southern tip of the park.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13]

History

Sankey Valley follows the course of England's first canal, Sankey Canal, and stretches for convert|15|mi|km from St. Helens through Warrington to Widnes.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] The canal was opened in 1757 to carry coal from the mines around the St. Helens area to the markets of Liverpool and Cheshire, it pioneered the canal age.The canal was responsible for shaping the valley, its environment and development from the late 18th century to the early 20th century.cite web|title=History of the Sankey Valley Park Area |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/parks/Sankey.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] Location map|Cheshire
align=left
background=white
lat=53.402207
long=-2.614114
caption=Sankey Valley Park shown within Cheshire
float=right
width=350

With the advent of the railways began the long decline of the canals but the stretch of the Sankey canal that now occupies Sankey Valley Park remained open until 1963. Today the local authorities of Warrington, St. Helens and Halton along with the Sankey Canal Restoration Society, are developing the Sankey Canal Trail as a convert|15|mi|km|sing=on greenway either side of the park, whilst working towards the restoration of a navigation route.cite web|title=History of the Sankey Valley Park Area |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/parks/Sankey.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13]

On the western side of the park lies Bewsey Old Hall. Prior to the Hall being built, a monastic grange existed on the site.cite web|title=History of the Sankey Valley Park Area |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/parks/Sankey.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] A hall was first built on the site by William Fitz Almeric le Boteler. The Hall and estate was home to the Lords of Warrington from the 13th century for many generations.cite web|title=History of the Sankey Valley Park Area |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/parks/Sankey.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] The current hall is a three storey, mostly Jacobean building. It has distinctive chimneys and stone mullion windows which are most likely the work of Sir Thomas Ireland and date back to around 1600. Sir Thomas was knighted at Bewsey by King James I in 1617.cite web|title=History of the Sankey Valley Park Area |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/parks/Sankey.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] Later additions to the Hall include a farmhouse and kitchen, dating from the 18th century and 19th century with earlier foundations. The original 14th century moat only partly holds water today.cite web|title=History of the Sankey Valley Park Area |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/parks/Sankey.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13]

The park

The park is largely linear, following a stretch of Sankey Brook and the old Sankey Canal. In several places the park opens up into open, lawned areas and features such as a hedge maze, a meadow, mature woodland and a wetland nature reserve. One main asphalt footpath stretches the length of the park whilst several narrower paths split from the main path in the wider spaces of the park. The central section of the park is family orientated with children's play features and picnic areas. The park is also patrolled by park rangers and a rangers' office is located in the central section of the park close to Bewsey Old Hall.

Angling is permitted in certain parts of the park; for "Stanners Pool" and St Helens Canal fishing rights are reserved to "Dallam and District Community Angling Group". The Sankey Canal is available for day fishing. "Mary Ann's", "Brownlees" and "Whitegate" ponds are leased to "Penketh and Old Hall Angling Club" for members fishing.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13]

Wildlife and nature

An array of wildlife can be found in the park. Diurnal creatures include squirrels, swans, butterflies and woodland birds. Nocturnal inhabitants include foxes, owls, mice, hedgehogs and bats. More rarely seen species such as stoats and weasels, treecreepers, kingfishers, water voles and reed bunting have all been spotted in the park.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13]

In late spring, orchids can be found in the meadow, whilst a wealth of butterflies visit during the summer.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] Most of the mature woodlands within the Valley are owned by the Woodland Trust who safeguard woods within the landscape, protect habitats for the benefit of wildlife and encourage public access and enjoyment. The woods are particularly picturesque around spring, when an assortment of wild flowers can be seen, and during the autumn leaf falls.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13] A variety of water plants, animals and birds can be seen on or around the park's many ponds, Sankey Brook, the Wetland Nature Reserve or the Canal.cite web|title=Sankey Valley Park |publisher=Warrington Borough Council|url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Parksandopenspaces/parks/Sankey_Valley_Park.aspx|accessdate=2008-01-13]

ee also

* List of parks in Warrington
* Sankey Canal
* RAF Burtonwood

References