Orangefield Park
Orangefield Park was the family home of the Houston family in the 18th century. The head of the family, John Holmes Houston, was a partner in the Belfast Banking Company and lived on the Orangefield estate with his wife, Eliza, and his cousin. The family home was situated at the end of what is now Houston Park and the estate itself extended to almost 300 acres. John and Eliza's daughter, Mary Isabella, was born in 1793 and later married Richard Bayly Blakiston. The two families joined names, leaving J Blakiston-Houston in charge of the Orangefield estate from 1857.
In 1934, the Blakiston-Houston family offered Belfast Corporation (now the Belfast City Council) part of the Orangefield estate to develop as a public park. The corporation, although keen to buy the land, felt that the price was too high. After lengthy negotiations, they bought part of the site in 1938 for £20,000.
Development work was put on hold due to World War II and plans for the park were only drawn up in 1947. Original ideas included football, hockey and cricket pitches, a polo pitch, a bowling green, a quoits and marbles pitch, a cycle track and pitch and putt course, tennis courts, pavilions and store buildings.
The park is now home to Orangefield Park Playing Fields which contain a bowling green, tennis courts and soccer pitches. There is also a well-equipped playground for young children.
Orangefield Park has a number of mature trees including oak trees and many nesting birds.
Orangefield Hollow
Keep an eye out for the friendly robin and the grey squirrels in the nearby Orangefield Hollow conservation area.
I have been told (by regular visitors to the park) that it is not uncommon to see buzzards circling overhead and occasionally even peregrine falcons make an appearance!