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Located in the heart of Lisburn and covering 25 acres of mature parkland, Wallace Park is ideal for families, with a children’s play area and a variety of gentle tree-lined walks.
Lisburn was redeveloped after a disastrous fire in 1707 under the ownership of Lord Hertford. His successors took less interest in the town: the 4th Marquess of Hertford, who died in 1870, only visited the town once but built up in Paris the enormous collection of art and furniture that forms the present-day Wallace Collection in London. However his successor Sir Richard Wallace (probably an illegitimate son) devoted much of his energy to the town between 1873 and his death in 1890, building many fine houses and developing new estates of villas.
In 1885 Wallace gave the ground now known as Wallace Park to the town commissioners as a 'Public Park and Recreation Ground for the Inhabitants of the said Town of Lisburn'. The two lodges, one at each end of the park, were built at that time to designs by John McHenry, and later sympathetically extended, probably by GP & RH Bell. The park is linear in form with an avenue of trees linking the two lodges.
The Wallace Park was originally named 'The People's Park' when it was given to the residents of Lisburn in 1885 by Sir Richard Wallace.
Following his death in 1890, it was renamed the Wallace Park.
Sir Richard Wallace, who was a local benefactor and a Conservative MP for the Lisburn area from 1873-1885. was also famed as a collector of art.
Sir Richard's name lives on today as, Wallace High, was founded in 1880 by a bequest from the estate of Sir Richard Wallace, as the Lisburn Intermediate and University School.
It was renamed in 1942 in memory of its founder, and they adopted the word 'Esperance' as the school's motto from the Wallace coat of arms.
In 1884 Sir Richard Wallace donated the sum of £4,000 to convert a 26-acre meadow into a Park for the people of Lisburn.
Two of the most striking features of the Park are the gates at the two main entrances. Cast in wrought iron, the traditional Victorian style is reflected in the architecture of buildings around the City, most notably the Town Hall.
The two gate-houses in the park were lived in by the Park Keepers until relatively recently, and are original to the gift of the Park to the town.
The 1890's saw the Safety Bicycle become a popular pursuit, after the first cars were introduced in the same decade. So to facilitate the growing trend, a cycle track was developed in the Park.
This track quickly became popular with local cyclists, and the Lisburn Wheeler's Club of 1897 held their races at the track.
Later on, in 1955, this track was improved with banks to become the Park's Velodrome, but due to the expansion of the Cricket Club the banks of it are now only just visible.
The Park also played host to the many tennis and football matches of the time.
One or two tennis courts were built in the 1880's, and the first tennis club, which was connected to the Cricket Club, was founded in 1883.
Football was very much the sport of the time, and before the First World War, all districts had their own football teams.
Because Barbour Memorial Playing Fields weren't given to the town until the 1930's, Wallace Park quickly became the top ground due to the luxury of having two pitches.
The Mayor's Parade in the City has become one of the most popular Civic events of recent years, but annual events such as the Scouts and Guides parade days were just as popular in days gone by.
The two groups, along with other local youth organisations, held their parade days in Wallace Park.
In fact in 1945 the Queen, then a teenage Princess Elizabeth, spent the day in Wallace Park reviewing all of the town's Youth Organisations.
Wallace Park's Pond had been a feature of the land long before Sir Richard gave the ground for the Park to be built, and over 100 years later, it remains as one of the best-known features.
The Bandstand is another Victorian feature which is quite typical of that, era and was used regularly. The original Victorian styles of the building remain as they were when it was built.
Despite the many traditional Victorian features of the Park, the additions of more recent times have proved extremely popular.
The children's play area has proved invaluable to families and the upgrading of the concrete to a softer surface, has been welcomed by parents and children alike.
The container blends with it's natural background.
The Cache is almost wheel chair accessible except for the last 3 meters.
Parking is available at the East (Belsize Road) Entrance
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
[Cryptic] H H