Bitts Park Geocache Traditional Cache
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Royal Oak
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Bitts Park is situated in the centre of Carlisle, at the foot of Carlisle Castle with the River Eden forming its northern boundary and the River Caldew to the west. The cache can be found near the Japanese pergola.
History of Bitts Park.
Carlisle Castle occupies a commanding position on a hill above the confluence of the River Caldew and the River Eden.
The area immediately to the north of the castle was known as the Sauceries, to the east was Hangman's Close and Battail Holme. The word holme has its origins in olde english and norse, meaning an area of dry land surrounded by water or wet land.
Both the Sorceries (Sauceries) and Battail Holme were regularly flooded by the Eden and the Caldew, and were probably marshy wetlands for most of the year.
The City grew as the canal and then the railways brought improved trade links and the population grew along with it. The flooding of the Eden began to affect the citizens of Carlisle more than ever before. Something had to be done.
The weavers of the City were made destitute and penniless by the Corn Laws of 1815, which drove up food prices to such an extent people could not afford clothing. To ease their plight, the weavers of Carlisle were set to work building the Weavers Bank in 1819.
Extending from the car park at Bitts Park and running due north towards the Eden, then east to Eden Bridge, Weavers Bank was the first of Carlisle's flood defences.
In 1892 a further embankment was created, running northwards along the Caldew to the confluence with the Eden, then turning east to meet Weavers Bank. A roadway was constructed on top of this bank and it became known as the Mayor's Drive.
The area once known as Hangman's Close and Battail Holme became known as the Bitts, supposedly in reference to the different parcels of land there. These were once owned by the Duke of Devonshire, who was known as Baron Hardwicke. The echoes of this heritage can be heard in the modern place names of Hardwicke Circus and Bitts Park.
In 1894 the bandstand which once stood near the junction of Weavers Bank and the Mayors Drive had its first concert. Sadly, the bandstand was demolished and removed in 1957.
The image is taken from a postcard, probably from around the early 1900's, showing the bandstand and the statue of Queen Victoria.
On the skyline is Carlisle Cathedral, and just below are the houses which once formed Solway Terrace. These were demolished in 1964 after being declared unfit for human habitation by public health inspectors.
Bitts Park was opened as Peoples Park in 1897, according to a plan drawn up by Henry Marks, Surveyor for the City of Carlisle. The trees, some of the flower beds and shrubberies are still as they were according to Marks' original design.
The 1902 Royal Agricultural Show saw Prince Christian of Schleswig Holstein, the president of the show unveil the Statue of Queen Victoria by Thomas Brock RA. The park was renamed Victoria Park in the honour of the Queen.
Since then, Victoria Park became Bitts Park and the Royal Agricultural Show was moved around the country before settling at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Gurer ner ab gebhoyrq jngref haqre urer. Whfg gur pnpur ohg lbh jvyy unir gb ernpu sbe vg!
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