Lever Park, Abandoned Gardens

base74 · Sep 4, 2010

Enjoyable visit to the abandoned Lever Park, Rivington. Brief history:

'Lever Park on the east bank of the Lower Rivington reservoir is named after William Lever, Lord Leverhulme,who bought the estate in 1899 and gifted 360 acres land to the people of his native Bolton as a public park. The park opened in 1904 and contained a boating lake, a zoo, tree lined avenues and a network of footpaths a Japanese lake and pagoda, Italian-style gardens, a seven arched bridge and various buildings and structures. The site has been left abandoned since the 1920s, and now lies derelict covered in overgrown trees and shrubbery.

Remains of 'Roynton Cottage' floor

Well worth a visit if your in the area

night crawler · Sep 4, 2010

Awsome place what a place to explore. Nice one.

Labb · Sep 4, 2010

Awesome place. Good fine. Sorry it is quite a long way from where I am staying.

UrbeX · Sep 4, 2010

You know, I think I saw the first building up there briefly on a nature walks programme last night! It certainly looks interesting, I'd love to check this site out sometime!

scribble · Sep 4, 2010

There's a "Friends of" website. I can't make up my mind whether somewhere like this should be restored to its original condition or left to its wonderful, desolate glory.

festcu · Sep 4, 2010

It was one of the bits on that Secret Britain program on Sunday, might still be on the i-player

base74 · Sep 4, 2010

Yes, your right, it was featured on the BBC's 'Secret Britain', this is one of the reasons I decided to visit, and i'm glad i did, I have absolutley fallen in love with the place. It is simply beautiful. Thanks for your comments

devonian42 · Sep 4, 2010

I've not seen Secret Britain episode yet, but nice pics.

I remember going past this place when I went to watch the cross country cycling at the Commonwealth games. I never thought it had all those structures still intact.

Thanks for enlightening us on what's there. It's a pity its rather isolated from any towns as I'm sure it would have remained open otherwise. Were there any pictures taken in its full glory at all and are they published on the web somewhere?

Keep up the good work.

Foxylady · Sep 4, 2010

What a fantastic find. Just the kind of place I could happily wander around all day.
How sad that it closed just 16yrs after opening. Amazing to see what's still there though...absolutely love the bridge and I love it's abandoned state.

chaoticreason · Sep 5, 2010

Firstly great shots and great find.
What I can't understand is why the place fell into a state of dereliction in the first place?
I would happily go see the follies of a generous rich man 'god lord that sounds awful' but you get what I mean when I ask 'why?'
Non comprende?

djrich · Sep 5, 2010

Great pics, that bridge is amazing.

base74 · Sep 5, 2010

Thanks for the interest guys. I've been researching this place quite a bit, but am struggling to come up with much in the way of archive pictures from when the park was in its heyday. However, theres a couple below that i've come across:

This is 'Roynton Cottage' that was built in the middle of the park and used by Lord Leverhulme as a holiday home. The only remaining features of which are various floor tiles (see below)

This is the cottage garden and sundial

The remains of the sundial base

A couple more pics whilst im at it

On top of the amazing bridge

Japenese Gardens grotto and fountain pedestal

Japanese Gardens Boating Lake

Hope you enjoy. Thanks again

Judderman62 · Sep 5, 2010

Oooh I'm liking that

devonian42 · Sep 5, 2010

Thanks for the update, that's just what I was seeking.

For those who don't know the area, the park itself is much bigger than just this derelict garden, which is in a more remote location.

See this site on Rivington, which shows pictures of the area of the park lower down which include buildings that are still used by the public today.

chaoticreason · Sep 6, 2010

It is all very Romanesque. the arches? the arches,they give it all away.Those flattened looking bricks that the Romans did so well.
Very nice to see some original photos of the place as well as the addition of some more contemporary shots.
Wished I lived closer or petrol was cheaper.Preferably the later,as miles are nothing short of the steps of adventure.

klempner69 · Sep 6, 2010

Excellant report and shots..I wondered if this man was anything to do with Lever brothers the soapsuds folk who built a village on the Wirral for their workers to live in

base74 · Sep 6, 2010

klempner69 said:
Excellant report and shots..I wondered if this man was anything to do with Lever brothers the soapsuds folk who built a village on the Wirral for their workers to live in

Spot on, This was built by William Lever (Lord Leverhulme) who originally found Lever bros, a soap manufacturing company in 1886 , which eventually became Unilever, and amassed him his great fortune. He went on to build the village of Port Sunlight on the Wirral for the workers of the Lever Borthers Soap Factory.

klempner69 · Sep 6, 2010

Thanks for that one,I passed through Port Sunlight way back in the late 80`s on the train to Liverpool..it was and probably still is a very nicely kept place.

base74 · Sep 6, 2010

klempner69 said:
Thanks for that one,I passed through Port Sunlight way back in the late 80`s on the train to Liverpool..it was and probably still is a very nicely kept place.

Yeah, think i'm going to take a visit as its only half an hour away, maybe post some pics up if I can find anything interesting. Thanks

fluffy5518 · Sep 6, 2010

Absolutely fantastic report !! Great photo's too.Like almost everybody else i saw this on Secret Britain too and will definately be taking a trip up North to view it.Thanks for the info on the place.Great work keep it up !!

Lever Park, Abandoned Gardens

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