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13509

Bowls, Tennis, Rugby, Football

Walker Park

54.971651, -1.550854

Walker

Opened:

1891

Closed:

Open

Condition:

Home Teams/Clubs:

Last Updated:

17 Mar 2025

Walker Neptune (1890s), Walker Park (- 1930s), Walker Park Bowling Club

HER Description

Walker Park was opened in 1891 on land leased to Walker Board by Newcastle Corporation. The park was built for the large and growing community which developed alongside a colossal expanding industrial area. Facilities in the park included a promenade, bowling greens and pavilion, a lake, tennis courts, meandering walks through woodland overlooking the picturesque Walker Dene and Christ’s Church beyond. The park was enclosed by a band of trees and shrubs planted along the boundary. In 1901 a statue commemorating Rabbie Burns was erected by the local Burns Club supported by the numerous ship builders who moved to Walker from Clydesdale.

By the 1940s the layout had been altered with a new bandstand, additional tree and shrub planting and the relocation of the tennis courts. Following a design competition in 1988 parts of the park were renewed with a new entrance at the south west corner, a new play area, paths, shrub beds, an amphitheatre, five aside area, grassed dry lake, bowling pavilion, lighting and seating areas. Despite the changes to the layout the original boundary, some compartments, the majority of the original path routes and many trees have survived.

Many clubs played at the park in the 1890s and the first half of the 20th century - Walker Neptune Rugby Club, Walker Park Rovers Football Club, Walker Park FC at least but potentially also Walker Thistle and the Presbyterian team. There were also tennis courts and two bowling greens still in situ.

Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey, 1916

'Sketches of The Coal Mines in Northumberland and Durham' T.H.Hair, published in 1844

Walker Park in 2023

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'Sketches of The Coal Mines in Northumberland and Durham' T.H.Hair, published in 1844

Walker Park Bowling Greens and recreation ground in the early 20th century. Source: Newcastle Chronicle

Historic Environment Records

Durham/Northumberland: Keys to the Past

Tyne and Wear: Sitelines

HER information as described above is reproduced under the basis the resource is free of charge for education use. It is not altered unless there are grammatical errors. 

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