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Lightwoods Park, Bearwood

Photo update of Lightwoods House from January and September 2016.

First of January 2016.







And from this morning during September 2016 - scaffolding has been taken down.





 
Other park objects being restored.

Bandstand.

January 2016



September 2016



Didn't know about this one before, as only went beyond the Galton Road part of Lightwoods Park this morning.

Drinking fountain near Galton Road.



Ornate lamppost in the field part of the park



Saw this object at the back of The Dog pub

 
Thanks for the update Ell. All looks very promising.

Anyone know what the mystery object is in Ell's last photo? Viv.
 
Could it be a signpost which has lost its "arms"? I don't know exactly where it is and where it might have pointed.
 
I wondered if it was a gatepost. There's a piece of metal mid-way down the post which looks like it would stop a gate swinging past it. Maybe there was once another similar post holding the gate? Viv.
 

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It's a disused fence post, there are a couple on Galton Road, the one still has fencing attached.
 
The area beyond Galton Road is know as Lightwoods Park Extension. This was added to the park as a donation, I believe from Lord Calthorpe, after the main part of the park was purchased by public subscription.
 
It could do with more paths in the extension part. Seeing that they are laying new paths in the original park now. The grass was a bit thick to walk through (in the field part).

Hopefully Sandwell's park renovations won't take too long to complete.
 
There are paths around three sides of the Park Extension and on the fourth side there is the pavement for Hagley Road West. When I was little there were football pitches in this area. At the back of the Dog pub there were public air raid concrete shelters which were used as changing rooms for the foot ball. At the far end of the park were grass tennis courts and the terracing down the slope of the ground can still be seen.

Also at the far end is a pathway which was left between the houses through to Lightwoods Hill giving a continuos walk through from Warley Woods
 
This is the view from Galton Road.



Tall trees to the left of the drinking fountain.



A new sign has been installed in the far corner on the existing path. But nothing is in it yet.

 
I spent hours and hours of my life in Lightwoods Park as a teenager, our favourite spots used to be the bandstand looking out for the parkie who was a really miserable so and so, I remember one of my mates was on his bike going down the steep path between the bandstand and the playground, skidded on some ice and hit the parkie, who was on his way to move us on as usual. Don't really know why, because we didn't graffiti anything on there, just think he didn't like teenagers!

I remember the wooden boat in the playground, we used to squeeze about 6 of us in there and sing at the tops out of our voices, the swings were good as well, the lads in our "gang" pushing us as high as they could and us girls doing lots of girlie screaming!!

We used to have water fights in the Shakespeare Garden, taking the water from the fish pond in the middle, used to get absolutely soaked, and told off by our moms, didn't stop us though.

We used to go to the Bus drivers cafe on the bus station if any of had some money and have a beefburger or hotdog, they used to taste great, or we would walk to the Lightwoods Chippy on Bearwood Road and get a portion of their yummy orange chips.

It was a great park growing up and I'm glad that Sandwell Council are spending some money in tidying it up.
 
A few years ago I saw a big sign at Lightwoods Chippy saying that the orange chips were back but I don't think that lasted very long. Never did find out what they were.
 
DavidGrain said:
A few years ago I saw a big sign at Lightwoods Chippy saying that the orange chips were back but I don't think that lasted very long. Never did find out what they were.
Click to expand...

They were orange coloured chips, I have no idea how they were cooked, whether it was something to do with the fat used, but they were yummy! And very popular amongst Bearwood teenagers in the late '70's/early '80's.

It's strange to think now that we would get up during the school holidays, call for our mates after breakfast and be out of the house until tea time, yet our moms knew we were either in the Woods or the park, certainly very different times from nowadays although I guess the majority of teenagers are just mischievous as we were, you only hear about the bad ones, it's a shame really as most kids are great, but get tarred with the same brush.
 
Kids these days don't seem to have the freedom that we had. Last time I walked in Warley Woods, there no kids playing football with their coats on the ground for goalposts. And this goes back to before they were busy playing with their computers and smart phones.

I think back to the freedom I had. During school holidays I would go into the Midland Red office in Bearwood and buy a 5 shilling child's Day Anywhere ticket and travel on the Midland Red buses to places like Stafford, Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton with just a packet of sandwiches.
 
DavidGrain said:
Kids these days don't seem to have the freedom that we had. Last time I walked in Warley Woods, there no kids playing football with their coats on the ground for goalposts. And this goes back to before they were busy playing with their computers and smart phones.

I think back to the freedom I had. During school holidays I would go into the Midland Red office in Bearwood and buy a 5 shilling child's Day Anywhere ticket and travel on the Midland Red buses to places like Stafford, Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton with just a packet of sandwiches.
Click to expand...

yes those were the days david when it cost very little to occupy ourselves..

lyn
 
Last Thursday I was able to go on a conducted tour of Lightwoods House. This is post restoration but there is still some snaging to be done. The house is expected to open in July. I think I have mentioned that I went round the house a few years ago when it was being used by Hardman's Studio. The interior has been completely renovated using surviving features as patterns and reference to photographs of the time it was a family home. We were allowed to take photos but not to publish them as they did not wish the interiors to be shown before the official reopening.

However I can show a photo I took from the park.
DSCN2677 Small.jpg

What is not clear from the front of the house is that there is a second floor behind the pediment. The clock is not showing the correct time yet. The Tea Room will be on the left as you look at the house with its own entrance door. The stable block to the right has been let out to a children's nursery which will probably open in September.
 
I used to go in that entrance to fetch ice-cream as a special treat when I was very young!
I've mentioned before that Dad had a small remote control boat and we sailed it on the pond. It's a skateboard park now, but they have made a new little pond with a bridge and a few ducks.
Hopefully it will all be finished soon, and will be more enjoyable, the noise of the workers and their loud radios isn't very peaceful!!
rosie.
 
I have just received this information from Julia Morris about the opening of Lightwoods House. Please note that the area will be in lockdown on the morning of Sunday 24th September for a cycle race.

A message from the Friends of Lightwoods Park:

The Friends of Lightwoods Park will be officially opening Lightwoods House on Sunday 24th September 2017 at 1345, the house and gardens will be open to view from then on. We will be showing 2 films on a large screen out the front of the house on the events lawn from 2pm till 6pm , street food will be served by Jonathan's in the Park and they will also have a bar open serving hot drinks.

Kind regards

Julia Morris
Lightwoods Park and House
Community Engagement Officer

Sandwell Council…working for you
 
Thank you David, does this mean the Shakespeare Garden? The rest of the Park is not laid out with flower beds yet, as it used to be.
Also the grass on the farther end is in a very poor state with mud and ruts with several fairs and a circus recently!!
The "Events lawn" is what used to be the bowling green but it's been brought up to the level of the path.
rosie.
 
Sorry Rosie for the delay in replying. The Shakespeare Garden is still work in progress and I believe work will not be completed until next year depending on suitable times of the year for planting.

Yes the Events Lawn is the former bowling green. I understand a conscious decision was taken not to restore the bowling green as we know, many pubs have lost their bowling greens over the years. It was thought that the park ought not to compete with those bowling greens which still remain.
 
I'm not into bowling, and personally am not so bothered as to the green, but can see some avaricious pub owner wanting to utilise their green as a car park using the same argument of not wanting to compromise other pub bowling green's existence
 
Thanks David, I did call in there for a look and it is laid out beautifully . I hoped it would be restored and not forgotten.
The hut for the bowling green was burnt down several years ago so I suppose they thought it was time to give up!

Mike, there is a green behind a nearby pub and the players get quite "rowdy" some Sundays! It used to be peaceful!
rosie.
 
The bandstand is open to the public once again.



I saw this rest house or hut close to the Bearwood Bus Station entrance.

 
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The fully restored and open Lightwoods House.

Drinking fountain is also fully restored.







Edwardian Tea Room to the left.



 
Thanks Ell, beautiful photos.
That little "rest house" is a good place to sit out of the wind and rain. I remember the original little building was a sort of aviary with pheasants etc!
rosie.
 
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