There are 3 grass football pitches in Thornes Park. Hire details can be found on the Wakefield Council website and by contacting Street Scene Services on 01924 307332 or by email: streetscenestates@wakefield.gov.uk
Park Facilities and Attractions
Gardener’s House
The ‘Gardener’s House’ also probably dates to the late 18th century. It is situated towards the south-west corner of the park, adjacent to the former kitchen gardens of Thornes House and is said to have been the home farm house. It is constructed of red brick with a grey slate roof. A small extension to the right (north) is single storey with two windows and a lean-to roof. A high brick wall runs north from the house to form the west side of the rose garden and enclosed greenhouse area (former walled gardens). John Wilson, the head gardener to the Gaskell family of Thornes House, lived in the Gardener’s House with his family in 1913. At that time, there was a pig sty, goathouse and stable behind the house. In 2020, a blue plaque to commemorate Lady Catherine Milnes Gaskell (1836-1935) was placed on the wall of the house.
Golf
There are two ways to play golf in Thornes Park. There is a small putting green adjacent to the ticket office and also a pitch and putt course. Fees apply and tickets are available from the ticket office in Thornes Park in the summer months.
Holmfield House
In 1833. The 14 acre Holme Field estate was acquired by Thomas Foljambe, a Wakefield lawyer, Clerk of the Barnsley Canal and land speculator, and Holmfield House was built in 1833-34 as a centrepiece of the estate. He lived there with his wife and family until his death in 1851 and his wife continued to live there until her death.
[Read more…] about Holmfield House
Lake
When the parkland of the Thornes estate was opened to the public in 1924 it included two lakes with a number of islands on them. There was a smaller lake upstream of the present lake which extended almost as far as the Gardener’s House and this was filled in around 1970. A boathouse stood at the lower end of the large lake until about 1960. Now Canada Geese, mallards, moorhens and swans are the main birds to be seen on the lake. On the larger island in the lake once stood a statue of Pandora in a small temple which was eventually destroyed in severe weather in 1970.
Lowe Hill / Cannon Ball Hill
Lowe Hill in Clarence Park is the site of a motte and bailey castle probably constructed around 1150. It has extensive areas of ridge and furrow on the slopes of the hill which are clearly visible. In 1953 excavations were carried out on the hill and medieval pottery was found. At the present, the Friends of CHaT Parks are applying for funding to carry out archaeological investigations on Lowe Hill. [Read more…] about Lowe Hill / Cannon Ball Hill
Miniature Railway
The miniature railway is situated by the children’s playground near the Athletics Stadium in Thornes Park. It is run by the Wakefield Society of Model and Experimental Engineers and was first operated in June 1958. The track runs for about half a mile and is open during the summer months. In 2020 a raised track was begun to be constructed for additional runs.
Music
The newly refurbished Bandstand, opened in 2014 is used for a whole range of performance events. This facility while owned by Wakefield MDC is managed by the Wakefield Music Collective and is the base for the annual Clarence Music Festival. [Read more…] about Music
Pet Cemetery
The pet cemetery in Thornes Park lies to the left of the path going behind the Aviary. This was where the Gaskell family laid their family pets to rest in the grounds of Thornes House. The largest of the headstones is engraved to “My Mouse” and [Read more…] about Pet Cemetery
Rhubarb Sculpture
The rhubarb sculpture was carved in locally grown oak by Handspring Design of Sheffield to mark the start of the Sustrans cycle route 69 to Horbury Junction, which opened in 2005. It was created from steel and oak and stands 3.6 metres tall. The artwork for the giant rhubarb came from two primary schools in Thornes and two in Horbury and their designs were developed by Graham Ritchie, of the Sheffield-based design company Re-animate. The second photo shows the rhubarb sculptures at the junction of Southfield Lane and Daw Lane on the Horbury bypass, with the rhubarb in its early stages of growth.
