One of Birmingham’s biggest parks will celebrate its 150th anniversary by stepping back into the Victorian era this month.
The massive park is made up of 80 acres of formal parkland and 120 acres of conservation and woodland plantation and is home to the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Centre and the mac theatre. The Green Flag Award-winning Cannon Hill Park was designed by Mr T J Gibson, who also designed Battersea Park in London.
It was turned into a park after philanthropist Louisa Ryland gifted 57 acres of meadowland to Birmingham. The park opened to visitors in 1873 and is home to a grade II listed bandstand that was part of the original layout. It is also home to a pub constructed around 1520 that was originally a Guild House that stood in Deritend High Street - on the opposite side of the road to The Old Crown.
It has been used for many purposes like a school, housing for the clergy, and later a tannery and a pub. It fell into disrepair and was under threat of demolition in 1910. It was bought by a local and relocated brick-by-brick to Cannon Hill Park in Moseley - where it now sits.
A massive celebration will take place on Saturday 9 September to celebrate the public space - which has been the site for the Olympic relay in 2012 to the Rover march and much more. Here are 20 photos of the historic park to celebrate the occasion:
1. Birmingham St Patrick’s Day Parade 2023
Birmingham St Patrick’s Day Parade 2023 at Cannon Hill Park
2. St Patrick (aka Len) joins the celebrations at his parade f
St Patrick (aka Len) joins the celebrations at his parade for 2023 in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham
3. St Patrick’s Parade in 2023 in Cannon Hill Park
St Patrick (aka Len) and an Irish piper lead the celebrations for the 49th Birmingham St Patrick’s Parade in 2023 in Cannon Hill Park (Photo - Chris Egan)
4. Zorbing at Big John Mela
Zorbing at Big John Mela at Cannon Hill Park in 2022