- Wilton Park is the main park serving the bustling town of Batley in North Kirklees. There are two main areas to the park which are divided by a steeply sloping wooded area. At the top of the slope is
Bagshaw Museum, which was built in 1875-76.
The house, together with the grounds were auctioned in 1909 and sold to Batley Corporation for the princely sum of £5 and Wilton Park was born.
The larger and more formal park can be found at the bottom of the slope alongside Bradford Road. This area is home to most of the main attractions in the park including the large lake, which is more accurately a dam across the small beck which flows through the park and is home to hundreds of water birds throughout the year. The new park saw the construction of the bowling greens and tennis courts, together with a paddling pool and lots of new planting around the site. There was once a railway line through the site, parallel to the main road. This was closed many years ago, but its path is evident, as is the bridge which is directly in front of the main entrance.
New developments:
• 2011-12 was Bagshaw Museums and Wilton park's centenary year with a number of heritage Lottery funded celebratory events and physical works taking place including:
• the refurbishment of the cascade, when once again water will flow into the lake over a series of steps. To be completed Spring 2012.
• Spring 2012 will also see the creation of a history trail linking the museum with the lower park and an end of centenary year celebratory event.
Other recent developments include:
• The main gates at Bradford Road have been refurbished.
• The island in the lake has been strengthened and improved, and a project is underway to provide brand new homes for the ducks and geese that live on the lake.
• The planting areas around the museum and butterfly house has been improved and made more colourful in design with perennial planting.
• The main entrance to the park has been resurfaced and the planting improved.
