Worden Park
As well as offering more than 60 hectares of meadows, woodlands and playing fields, Worden Park also includes a range of attractions in its historic grounds.
Situated on the outskirts of Leyland, the park is less than a quarter of a mile from the town centre.
The park has held the Green Flag Award since the scheme began in 1997, the only site north of London to have done so.
Works are soon to begin to refurbish the historic centrepiece of the park, Worden Hall. See Worden Hall for details and photos of the hall's refurbishment plans.
Opening times
8am - 5.30pm in winter through to 10pm in summer
Date from | Park closing time | Overflow Car Park closing time |
---|---|---|
26 October 2020 | 5.30pm | 5.30pm |
8 February 2021 | 6pm | 6pm |
22 February | 6.30pm | 6.30pm |
8 March | 7pm | 7pm |
29 March | 8.30pm | 7pm |
12 April | 9pm | 7pm |
26 April | 9.30pm | 7pm |
10 May | 10pm | 7pm |
9 August | 9.30pm | 7pm |
23 August | 9pm | 7pm |
13 September | 8pm | 7pm |
27 September | 7.30pm | 7pm |
11 October | 7pm | 7pm |
1 November | 5.30pm | 5.30pm |
Car Parking
- Free car park (restrictions apply)
- Cycle parking available
Worden Hall car park (small car park near the hall itself) is closed for duration of Hall refurbishment works
Park facilities
- Children's playground
- Model railway (Opening times apply. During Worden Hall refurbishment works, Railway will open only when safe to do so)
- Café
- Craft Centre
- Worden Hall
- Historic gardens and hedge maze
- Walled kitchen garden
- Orienteering course
- Mini golf
- Public toilets (20p charge applies)
- Sports pitches
- Arboretum
- Woodlands, wildflower meadows and ponds
- Dog wash
Park Improvement Works
A range of improvement works have been proposed for the park over the next few years. The project to refurbish Worden Hall began in summer 2021 to provide a larger café, community space, and a venue for a range of events and activities.
Works are also planned to improve the surfacing of the path network throughout the park and also the planting in and around the formal gardens including the rockery.
See Worden Hall for details and photos of the hall's refurbishment plans.
History of Worden Park
Worden Park was formerly the estate of the Farington Family with records suggesting a house has existed in the centre of the site as far back as 1230. The estate was developed and modernised a number of times through the years with new landscaping and buildings added reflecting the fashions and technological innovations of the time.
The formal gardens and maze in the centre of the park were laid out in the 1850s to the design of notable landscape architect William Andrews Nesfield to replace a previous design. The work to the gardens took place at a similar time to the remodelling of the main house building by architect Anthony Salvin to give it a more modern appearance.
In 1941 a fire broke out in Worden Hall destroying the interior and roof of the main building leaving just the walls standing. These remained standing until 1960 when the deteriorating structure was demolished leaving just the Derby Wing, outbuildings and walled kitchen garden that can be seen today.
The estate was purchased by the then Leyland Urban District Council in 1950 and opened to the public as a park in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. Due the park's historic landscapes and building it is listed Grade II on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Worden Park address
Worden Lane, Leyland, PR25 3DH.