Heaton Park...

Located 4 miles north of the city centre, Heaton Park is Manchester’s largest and one of the biggest municipal parks in Europe. Ownership of the Heaton estate dates back to the mid 14th century and up to the beginning of the 20th century just two families owned the estate. Generations of the Holland family were owners until the last member of the family line married Sir John Egerton in 1684. In 1772 Sir Thomas Egerton built a new home in the park and employed the best, most fashionable architect of the time – James Wyatt. Heaton Hall – and the other magnificent buildings that Wyatt and his family designed can still be seen around the park. Heaton Park is Grade II listed on the English Heritage Register of Parks and there are nine listed structures in the park. The building of Grand Lodge at the southernmost end of the park was carried out in 1807. Built of ashlar sandstone as a large, impressive, triumphal arch entrance to the park with west and east wings of two floors of accommodation for the lodge keeper of the day, there are cellars under the west wing and an attic over the arch. Heaton Park remained in the Egerton family until 1902 when it was sold to Manchester Corporation.The Corporation provided many public facilities and it quickly became a popular people's park. The park is a live event venue with both Oasis and Stone Roses headlining concerts over the years, live Shakespeare productions have been staged here and in May 1982 Pope John Paul II made history when he became the first pope to visit Britain and a crowd of 250,000 people gathered in the park to hear mass in a specially constructed open air altar. This winter there are plans for an ice rink and a festive market.