Victoria Park CA

The Victoria Park Conservation Area is situated predominantly in the Rusholme Ward, with sections to the north falling within the Ardwick Ward.

Victoria Park

Victoria Park is a unique example of an early town planning scheme and has a special place in the history of Manchester’s development. It was the city’s first estate designed for the newly rich industrialists who were beginning to move out of the inner city areas during the 1820’s and 30’s. The area comprises a low density residential park with a dignified assortment of dwellings arranged in a generous landscaped setting. The elegant dwellings, ranging from large detached mansions to short terraces, are of different architectural styles and are indicative of the best architectural work of the day. In an attempt to arrest the environmental decline which has been evident since the late 1940’s the city council designated the park a conservation area in March 1972.

History

The Victoria Park layout was designed by the architect, Richard Lane, in the 1830’s as a 180-acre private estate and the scheme was officially launched in 1837. About a dozen houses had been built (of which only 9 survive) by 1845 when the residents founded the Victoria Park Trust. The incorporation of Rusholme into Manchester County Borough in 1885 brought official recognition by the city council of the Trust. The park remained a private estate to which access could be gained only by payment at the toll gates erected at the entrances to the park. During the second half of the nineteenth century, the professional classes moved into the area and a number of the houses were associated with people prominent in the artistic and political life of the city. Both Charles Halle (founder of the Halle Orchestra) and Ford Madox Brown (the artist) lived in Addison Terrace, Richard Cobden lived at Crescent Gate and the Pankhurst Family lived at No 4 Buckingham Terrace in the 1890’s.

A steady deterioration of the environmental quality of the area became apparent in the 1920’s when Anson Road was constructed dividing the park into two. Changing economic and social circumstances since 1945 accelerated this decline.

The Area Today

Although now surrounded by densely developed residential areas, Victoria Park retains its more exclusive character and a surprising number of the original buildings remain, due largely to their occupation by institutional organisations. Twenty four individual and grouped buildings are listed as being of Special Architectural or Historic Interest in the List maintained by Historic England, the public body that looks after England’s historic environment – championing historic places, and helping people understand, value and care for them.

(Source of the above information: “Victoria Park Conservation Area” published by the City Planning Department.)

The locations of the listed buildings are shown in this document: VP Conservation Area.

Grade I Listed
Grade II Listed

On this page, we must mention the fantastic source of information on Rusholme and Victoria Park created by our Vice President, Bruce Anderson in his Rusholme & Victoria Park archive: http://rusholmearchive.org/. Here’s a link to the section in the archive on Victoria Park: http://rusholmearchive.org/victoria-park.

Victoria Park Conservation Area Consultations

The current situation regarding Victoria Park is described on the council’s website: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/511/conservation_areas/932/victoria_park_conservation_area.

Councillor Ahmed Ali is currently leading an activity, in liaison with the Council’s planning department, to update the Victoria Park conservation area character appraisal. To participate in this activity please contact Cllr Ali: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/councillors/264/ahmed_ali.

Friends of Victoria Park Conservation Area

If you would like to join a group of people who want to work together to protect and promote the Victoria Park conservation area, please contact Anne Tucker, Hon. Secretary, Rusholme & Fallowfield Civic Society: annetucker85@gmail.com, 07740 428629, 0161 613 3138. This group has been formed under the auspices of the civic society, as a sub-committee, to provide additional focus on this very important part of Manchester’s history.