History

Earliest History

Nico Ditch

This runs across Platt Fields, on the fenceline between Manchester High School for Girls and the Park. At its end it is culverted underground and exits into the lake.

"Part of the Very Ancient Mickle or Great Ditch sometimes called Nico Ditch Well-known A.D.1200. Extending over Five Miles from here to Ashton Moss and Bounding Several Townships Described fully in Vol. xxiii. of Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society".

The above quote has been lifted from the inscribed stone placard situated beside Nico ditch, which runs through the park. The ditch is said to have formed a defensive line against Danish or Viking raiders attacking up the Mersey. The story is that it was dug in the space of one night - quite a feat in the ninth century-as it measures at five miles, 183 yards.

1225 Platt Family Estate

In 1225, the lands around the park became the property of the Platt family, who retained ownership until 1625, when it was bought by wealthy textile merchant Ralph Worsley. The existing manor house: Platt Hall, was built in 1764 to a classic Georgian design, is now a listed building and houses Manchester's Costume Museum. The grounds currently occupied by most of the park were originally the agricultural fields owned and cultivated by employees of the Platt family.

Ashfields

The south end of the park, known today as Ashfields, was the grounds of a further stately home, built around 1835. It was owned by a Mr Robinson 'a well-known Manchester merchant'. He had 'extensive pleasure grounds contain(ing) plantations, fishponds and every kind of garden' which include the Shakespearean Garden and the cathedral Arch which are now in Platt Fields Park.

The Cathedral Arch was originally a window from Manchester Cathedral, acquired as a folly by Mr Robinson, when the cathedral windows were replaced.

The Ashfields Estate was bought by Manchester Corporation in 1913, the house and stables demolished and the land added to the park.

Grangethorpe

This was a large family mansion built in 1882, on the site that is now Manchester High School for Girls. It was sold to the Red Cross in 1916 and turned into a war hospital for the thousands of injured servicemen returning from the carnage of the Western front (the Somme, and Flanders). In 1936 it was sold to Manchester High School for Girls, who demolished it and built a new school, which opened in 1940, just three months before it was almost entirely destroyed in the Manchester blitz. The new school overlooks Platt Fields Park. The original bandstand lay in this area of the park, off the Grangethorpe Road entrance and formed a central part of the park in the 1950's.

Lord Worseley of Platt

In 1901 and again in 1906, Lord Worseley put his house and lands up for sale by auction. On neither occasion was the reserve price reached. The estate was offered up in pieces and the Hall and land overlooking Wilmslow Rd were bought - the new owner planned to pull down the Hall and use the bricks to build new row of shops there. A fierce local campaign, however, led by local burgher Sir William Royle, pressed the owner to sell back the land to the Corporation for public use. This was done in 1907, at a cost of £59,975. In 1908/9, when there was high unemployment, over 700 men were given work to lay out the park and construct the lake with its island A further model boating lake and a paddling pool were constructed, along with walkways and plant banks with trees and shrubs.

Timeline

Platt Fields park was officially opened by the Lord Mayor on May 7th 1910. Since then it has remained in public ownership. Key dates of events and changes to the park are recorded here - but we are aware that there is much more research that could be done. If you have any additional information then do please get in touch!

1907	Platt Fields bought by Manchester Corporation from the Platt Hall estate, after a fierce campaign by local people led by William Royle.
1908/9	700 unemployed men laid out the park - trees, shrubs, construction of the lake and the island.
1913	Ashfield House and grounds added - making the park 90 acres. This included the cathedral arch 'folly' and the sunken Shakespearean Garden.
1919-25	Unemployed people built the bowling greens, tennis courts, yachting, paddling and swimming pools. Miniature railway built, maintained by enthusiasts. 1921 Bandstand erected. Statue of Abraham Lincoln erected near Platt Hall.
December 23rd 1940	Bombs were dropped in the Fallowfield area during the 'Manchester Blitz' (the story goes that the Germans were looking for the Manchester Ship Canal, saw some water (Platt Brook), dropped 3 bombs and then realised the water had ended!) One bomb landed in Platt Fields, one on Cawdor Rd, and one on the newly built Manchester High School for Girls. "Shakespeare in the Park" plays performed during wartime, for school children.
1960s	The yachting lake sprang a leak and was too costly to repair. The paddling pool was closed as a result of fears of polio and the start of vandalism (broken glass - a scourge that began when bottles were no longer returnable) The swimming pool was also closed. In 1969(?) the Pets Corner opened, using the open air swimming pool as the duckpond.
1980s	Many features closed or disbanded - flower borders, the bandstand, pitch and putt, some tennis courts. Park no longer locked at night; visitors allowed to 'walk on the grass'.
1993	Announcement of the impending closure of the Pets Corner (along with similar ones in two other parks) prompted an energetic campaign and the formation of the Pets Corner Action Group, to try and save the project. Following a very trying summer, in which the Council fed dishonest stories to the press about animals being harmed (in order to reduce popular support for the Pets Corner - to no avail!), one night in September they closed it and removed all the animals. The outcry resulting from this led to...
1994	...the formation of : The Friends of Platt Fields
1999	The Friends first major project completed - a teenage village constructed (along with a roller-hockey space and children's playground).
2000	The community orchard was planted.
2001/2	The Coronation Fountain from Piccadilly Gardens rescued and placed in Platt Fields, with a rose garden planted around it, for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
2003	Final edition of Manchester Flower Show. Start of Garden of Delights Festival, which heralded a huge new influx of visitors to the park and Lakeside area.
2004	Surestart Children's Playground created; the Roller Hockey pitch changed to a skatepark; the start of the Eco-Garden.
2005	Creation of Eric's Glade, a landscaped woodland and planted area, in memory of the Friends longest-serving Chair Eric Cooper.
2006	Destruction of the Edwardian Tennis Pavilion by arson.
2008	Creation of Olympic Standard BMX track.
2009	Comprehensive Refurbishment of the Boathouse. Development of greenhouse and food growing facility at the Lakeside centre. Installation of "Edible Space", a soft-fruit growing area. Re-installation of the Sri Chinmoy peace Mile (a mile-long run/walk round the park). Major refurbishment of Platt Hall.