Site record MDR9766 - Allestree Park, Allestree, Derby

Allestree wooded park of 100 acres. (1) The parkland surrounding Allestree Hall was laid out in the first decade of the 19th century for Bache Thornhill of Stanton, possibly by John Webb. Much of it was sold for development (halted by the war) and the creation of a golf course in 1928. In March 1950, 323 acres and the house became the property of Derby City, with the golf club occupying two thirds of the area and the remainder as public park. (2) In 1795 F N C Mundy sold about 130 acres of land in Allestree to Bache Thornhill of Stanton-in-Peak, who wanted a suburban villa within reach of Derby. The house was finished by John Charles Girardot, then sold to William Evans of the Darley Abbey mills family, who enlarged the park to about 300 acres. The pleasure grounds were re-ordered by William Barron & Son in 1917-23, and subsequently municipalised by Derby Council. In 1928 the house and about 400 acres were acquired by the Commercial Construction Company which built houses on parts of the park, but this work was interrupted by the outbreak of war. In 1946 the house and 323 acres were sold to Derby Borough Council, a deal finalised in 1950, by which time the golf club had re-opened occupying 260 acres of what was now public park. In 1990 the house was sold for development, but public access to the park and playing of golf continued. Park associated with Allestree Hall (SMR 18971), and containing an ice house (SMR 32490).