Evington Park is a public park with garden beds, open spaces, a variety of recreational facilities and a nature area. It is a popular and much-used park sited just 2 minutes walk from the centre of Evington village. There are two active supporters’ groups who meet regularly – The Evington Park User Group and The Friends of Evington Park and Village Green.
- Brief History
The land on which Evington Park is now sited has a history dating back to Roman times. Evington House was built for the Burnaby family in 1836. Afterwards the house had several owners and during World War 2 was the base for Evington Home Guard Platoon. The house, its grounds and some neighbouring fields were bought by Leicester Corporation in 1947 and opened to the public at Whitsuntide in 1948.
- Visitor Facilities
This is a municipal park open daily for general public use.
- Terrain
The site is predominantly level apart from a slope alongside Ethel Road.
- Detailed Description
Evington Park is now a popular recreational facility for the surrounding suburban area and further afield. It has many sports areas which include six floodlit hard surface tennis courts, two bowling greens with pavilion, a rounders pitch, three cricket squares, six football pitches, changing rooms, a children's play area and ten pieces of free access outdoor exercise equipment for adults to use. There is also a programme of wide-ranging special events held across the year.
Evington House contains the offices of the Area Parks Services of Leicester City Council but also offers a room for hire and an information service. There are two active supporters' groups who meet regularly - The Evington Park User Group and The Friends of Evington Park & Village Green.
Trees are the main feature of the Park's planting including fine examples of the English Oak and Chestnut. There are also Gingko and mature beech trees. In Spring, rhododendron and azalea beds surrounded by fragrant shrubs are a particular delight. A Black Mulberry tree in the Burnaby Gardens is thought to have been planted in 1836, the year in which the house was built. These particular Gardens were first laid out by Leicester City Council in 1982 in memory of the Burnaby family. In 2009 alterations to them retained as much of the original sensory theme but also incorporated many suggestions from the local community. A formal rose garden and herbaceous border are surrounded by high hedges to give more peaceful areas within the Park. In addition there is a nature pond surrounded by an ecology area. There is another pond with a protected colony of great crested newts within the Cordery Road woodland area. Alongside Ethel Road is a meadow. By the Headland Road entrance is a woodland garden. There are plans to introduce a community orchard to the Park's planting in 2011.
- Features
Style
Formal
House (featured building)
Description: Evington House was initially built as a private home. It is a substantial building of Leicestershire white brick in the Georgian style with later additions.
Date: 1835Sculpture
Description: There are several attractive and imaginative wooden sculptures created from tree stumps.
Bowling Green Pavilion
Description: This is a wooden purpose-built structure.
Carpet Bed
Description: Carpet bedding is planted in several of the island beds.
Island Bed
Description: There are a number of island beds, some with carpet bedding and others with shrub and herbaceous planting.
Raised Bed
Description: These are sited within the sensory garden.
Herbaceous Border
Description: There is a wide herbaceous border adjacent to the formal rose garden.
Mixed Border
Description: There are several mixed borders across the site containing a wide variety of planting.
Shrub Border
Description: There are a number of shrub borders throughout the Park.
Rose Garden
Description: A modern rose garden has been planted on the site of the original rose garden adjacent to the House.
Pond
Description: There are 2 ponds. One is within the ecological area intended for nature study. The other is the home of a protected colony of great crested newts.
- Access & Directions
Evington Park is situated just a short walk from the centre of Evington village to the east of Leicester City. It is easy to reach by car, bus or bicycle from the City Centre and also from the A47 and A6.
- Photos
- Detailed History
Early Evington - The village of Evington dates back to Anglo-Saxon times and was originally known as Aefa's Tun; this later became Avintone and finally Evington. It is possible that there was a Roman cemetery on the Evington Park site, particularly as there were Roman settlements along the nearby Gartree Road. It is believed that the land on which Evington Park is now sited was once used as a deer park.
Evington House - Evington House was built by Colonel John Burnaby in 1836 as a retirement home for himself, his wife, and their unmarried daughters. He also developed the original gardens adjacent to the property. They are described in the Sales Brochure of 1931 as being "attractively designed pleasure grounds of a park-like character, with a delightful approach to the House along a winding woodland avenue drive". On the west front of the House was a wide expanse of turf providing space for tennis and croquet, ornamented by wide flower borders with a rhododendron screen and a rose garden within a stone surround. The herbaceous garden was enclosed by yew hedges with a central lawn walk. The immediate surroundings of the House were well screened by ornamental trees and shrubs. The grounds and avenue drive were also planted with the profusion of Spring flowers. In addition there were well-stocked kitchen gardens served by a 3/4 span greenhouse and a vinery of similar build, both of them heated. Fruit trees included apple, pear, plum, cherry and mulberry, and there was also a variety of fruit-bearing bushes.
The War Years - During World War I Evington House was used as an auxiliary hospital and during World War II it became the headquarters of the Evington Home Guard Platoon.
Recent History - The land was purchased by Leicester Corporation in 1947 and opened as a public park the following year. Since the 1960s the Park has continued to be developed by Leicester City Council according to the needs of its users as a popular recreational facility widely appreciated for both its planting and the sports/exercise areas.
- References
Wilshere, J {Old Evington} (Leicester: Chamberlain Music & Books, Leicester Research Section, 1983)Old Evington
Contributors
Barbara Lofthouse
Sue Blaxland
Felicity Hector
