Ingol a Better Place to Live
Haslam Park

 

Haslam Park is a particularly good example of a fine Victorian influenced town park, with many of the original features still in place.

Formally open pastureland, Haslam Park was donated to the Borough by Mary Haslam in 1910, who commissioned the Parks design and construction in memory of her father, John Haslam, who was the owner of a cotton mill on Parker Street Preston.

Haslam Park Facilities
Haslam Park has a large and diverse selection of facilities, including leisure amenities Multi Use Games Area (basket ball, football, hockey and cricket), 2 Crown Bowling Greens, Hard surface Tennis Courts, Artificial Cricket Pitch and a Children's Play Area.

 Miss Haslam main ambition for the park was to ensure that ample space was made for the children, and to this end she donated additional money for the development of the park. From this generous donation landscape designer (or 'garden architect' as he preferred) Thomas H Mawson was contacted. From his designs the park was finished and opened in 1912
The historic features from this design include wrought Iron Entrance Gates (these were restored in 1999 with a grant from the Hreitage Lottery Fund), Avenue of Limes, cast iron Drinking Fountain (does not work) and the Lake and Cascade fed from the Lancaster Canal, still a popular part of the park. Also included in the original design was an arboretum and grass lands to encourage wildlife and flowers.
In 1915, Mawson amended his plans to include swimming baths, but due to the lack of funds and the First World War the plans were shelved. The baths were constructed in 1932 when Mr J Ward donated money for the baths and an aviary. Sadly both of these features no longer exist with the baths closing in 1987, and were demolished.
One of the newer features on the park is the fine tree sculptures by Iain Cant and students of Tulketh High School and members of Intag, sculpted from a dead beech tree. This feature was commissioned by the Art in the Park Project in 2002 and is popular with local residents and park users. A bench sculpted in the same manor accompanies the tree, and was completed in 2003
 
Ingol a Better Place to Live
The Canal

The Lancaster Canal is unique, being a contour canal (built along the natuaral lie of the land

The Lancaster Canal is unique. Being a contour canal (built along the natural lie of the land), it has 41 miles without locks. This is the longest stretch in the country, and in fact the only locks on the main length are derelict! These are at Tewitfield, the southernmost point of the Northern Reaches, and as such are part of the £50 million restoration scheme to reopen the 14 miles of canal to Kendal.



Though the canal was once busy with cargoes from Kendal, Preston and Lancaster, it was never connected to the national waterway network - until the Millennium. Now, at last, boats can navigate the Millennium Ribble Link to reach another 2000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales.
The Lancaster Canal at Preston, which was shortened by half a mile some years ago, now begins on an embankment near the Ashton Basin. Arlen Hire Boats are based in Ashton basin where you can rent narrow boats and day boats. It then runs West towards bridge 12, through urban areas with Haslem Park to your right and a little further it borders the Ingol Estate.
You can join the canal at the Bexhill Road bridge or an easier way is along Barry Avenue turning into Cottam Lane. There you can admire the new millenium Locks
For the more ambitious walker, follow the canal passing the £12 million sports centre and on towards Salwick moorings, still administered by the Duchy of Lancaster. On one side of the canal is Salwick Hall, complete with moat. On the other side lies Salwick railway station. The canal then turns North, through a cutting passed a canal side public house at bridge 26, originally called The Clifton Arms but known as The Hand & Dagger, it was renamed following modernisation.
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