• Park Opening Times
• Site Facilities
• Cafe and Toilets
• The Grange
• The Nursery
• The Tropical House
• Pitch & Putt
• Orienteering
• Wildflower/Conservation Areas
• Park History
• Events
• Map

Within the park lies The Grange, a 19th century Grade II listed manor house which sits amidst a mix of landscapes and includes formal gardens, green houses, grassland and small wooded areas. An 18 hole pitch and putt course and two football pitches attracts sports enthusiasts whilst the Tropical House, 'sunken garden' with water feature and innovative train sculpture at the entrance to the old railway bridge appeals to visitors from both the city and wider surrounding area.

Park Opening Times 

All year 7.00am, Click here to view Park Closing Times

Site Facilities

• Disability Access
• Café and Toilets
• Events
• Football Pitches
• Formal Gardens
• On Site Parking
• New Play Area 
• Public Transport
• Pitch & Putt
• Sunken Garden
• Tropical House Wildlife & Conservation Areas  

Cafe, Toilets and Playground

£70,000 has been spent on the playground at Woodthorpe Grange Park.  The existing equipment has been removed and the site was landscaped before new equipment was installed.

A further £200,000 of Council funding has been invested at Woodthorpe to rebuild the pitch and putt office and provide toilets and a cafe. In October 2012, homelessness charity Framework, working in partnership with Nottingham City Council, opened its second Barista outlet in the park.

Freshly-made, espresso-based coffee will be supplied by fully-trained baristas, and all food will be supplied by Framework's Bitesize catering company - a professional catering company which provides training and employment opportunities to vulnerable adults.

The kiosk has been designed to complement its park surroundings and is very environmentally friendly. The building has a 'green' roof made of sedum, a perennial which forms blue-green rosettes of succulent foliage throughout summer. This will encourage plants to grow and wildlife to visit. Light tubes allow the building to be lit using natural daylight, movement sensors minimise waste on electric lighting and push-taps automatically shut off to avoid water wastage.

Cafe opening times are 8am - 8pm, subject to weather.

The Grange

Currently home to part of the Sport, Culture and Parks Service of Nottingham City Council and not open to the public.

Green Flag Award 

 Woodthorpe Grange Park has successfully been awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award for 2012/2013.

 For more information on the Green Flag Award click here.

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The Nursery

Greenhouses have been part of the park's make-up since its conception in the late 19th century, rebuilt in 1994 they now provide the vast majority of flowers and plants used for Nottingham in Bloom. Tours of the Greenhouse can be arranged with the Nursery Manager on 0115 915 0074.

The Tropical House

Dating back to the redevelopment of the greenhouses, the Tropical House now holds a variety of plants and trees, including a banana tree.

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Opening Times for the Tropical House

• Monday: closed all day
• Tuesday to Friday: September - February 9.00am- 3.30pm.  March to August 9.00am - 4.00pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 9am -12 noon

Pitch & Putt

Occupying about a quarter of the park space, the 18 hole course plays on a hill slope around the old railway line and provides a challenging but fun alternative to a full course. Open to all, with or without clubs, the course has seen a dramatic turn-around in fortunes since maintenance was received in 2000. The Pitch and Putt is open daily from 10:00am up until around an hour before dusk. Prices can be found on the outdoor activities webpage

Wildflower/Conservation Areas

New wildflower areas were created in 2010 to improve the conservation value of the park and help provide an important resource for butterflies, insects and associated fauna. Upwards of 1ha of wildflower area has now been created, largely on banked areas that have little or no recreational value.

Park History

For those familiar with local history, the name 'Woodthorpe' does have Saxon overtones, but the site has never seen a settlement of any size other than The Grange itself and a couple of farms.

Records show that The Grange was not built until 1874 after the land was bought by Henry Ashwell which was where his family lived until the mid 1890's when it was sold. Following a generous donation from Sir Jesse Boot, the founder of Boots and Co Limited, the house was then bought by Nottingham City Council in 1921.

Woodthorpe Grange has now been in the ownership of Nottingham City Council for over eighty years and today is home to Nottingham City's Sport, Culture and Parks Service, the maintenance depot for the local area's ground maintenance team and the City's nursery section.

Formal Gardens

Clearly visible from the maps of 1883 the gardens have been lovingly restored to their former glory with traditional designs being mixed with current planting features.

Sunken Gardens

Clearly illustrated on maps dating back from the 1900's, steep sided features, possibly containing water, can be clearly seen. These features were redeveloped in 2000 and now contain a water feature to mimic the original characteristics.

Old Train Line

Opened in 1889 the railway line was created as part of the Nottingham Suburban Railway (NSR) and included Sherwood Station. The last train ran in 1951 following the decline of NSR, now the only remains of the line are in the tunnels throughout the park. The Northern most tunnel has a train sculpture at its entrance to interpret the short lived past of this line.

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Events

Please click here for further information on forthcoming events at Woodthorpe Park

Map

 Click here to download a map of Woodthorpe Park [4Mb]

Address:
Woodthorpe Grange Park
Woodthorpe Drive
NG5 4HA

Located on the main A60 Nottingham to Mansfield 2 miles north of the City Centre, Woodthorpe Park sits just within the city boundary. The park is bounded by Mansfield Road to the west and Woodthorpe Drive to the north with residential housing on three sides. Accessed by a local bus network, the park lies in the Mapperley Ward and is at the gateway to the Sherwood Shopping Area and the city as a whole.

If you would like to comment on how well you feel your park or open space is being managed and maintained then please click here and record your opinion using GreenSTAT.

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