The Greater Manchester Victorian park and boating lake that's like stepping back in time

Located on the edge of Oldham town centre is a park which is like stepping back in time. Take a walk around Alexandra Park and you’ll notice details you wouldn’t find in modern green spaces - and which hint at the park’s origins.

There’s an impressive green house made up of three conservatories, housing a range of plants inside. Overlooking the calm waters of the boating lake is a stunning boat house, which today serves as a café.

Another architectural delight is the ‘Lion’s Den’, an ornate public shelter. It’s the kind of place where you can imagine people wearing fancy dresses and smart suits walking around in a different era.

READ MORE: Best parks in Manchester to enjoy the glorious sunshine

These stunning features reflect the park’s beginnings over 150 years ago. The idea of creating a park in Oldham came about during the early 1860s when the textile industry suffered during the Lancashire Cotton Famine.

Supplies of cotton were cut off from the USA and as a result unemployment soared in the town as mills were unable to operate. One of the schemes launched responding to the crisis was the creation of Alexandra Park.

Unemployed mill workers were hired to construct the park which officially opened in august 1865. It was named to commemorate the marriage of Albert, Prince of Wales to Alexandra of Denmark.

Although it had fallen into disrepair by the 1990s, it was refurbished after Oldham Council secured funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Today the park boasts numerous facilities, appealing to all age groups.

As well as the magnificent Victorian buildings, the park features seven free tennis courts, three bowling greens, a children’s play area and a sand pit. There is also playground equipment for disabled