Ryelands Park

The park is open dawn to dusk.

About the Park

Ryelands Park is situated in the city of Lancaster, just north of the River Lune. It is 46.5 acres with a mixture of open grassed areas including five football pitches, a car park and contains a large grade II listed historic house in the centre with a couple of other smaller buildings including an old coach house and purpose built children’s’ centre on the site.

Site history

Ryelands House, (now a grade 2 listed building) at the centre of Ryelands Park was built in 1836 for Jonathan Dunn, twice Lancaster’s mayor. It was bought in 1874 and considerably extended by Lancaster’s linoleum magnate, Lord Ashton.  What is now the Park was the house’s private grounds behind high walls. Lord Ashton died here in 1930 and the house and grounds subsequently became a municipal park, the walls taken down to open it up to the communities north of the river. The park has remained the public open space it is today.

Event hire area

11,420m² at the south end of the park is available to hire for events, both of a commercial and community nature.

Ryelands Park regularly hosts funfairs and car boot sales here. There is a weekly Junior Parkrun and other regular running events.

If you are interested in hiring Ryelands Park for an event, please contact publicrealm@lancaster.gov.uk for more information or visit our 'Events on Council Land' page.

Football pitches

There are currently three adult sized, and two junior sized pitches available for hire. Changing facilities are available around the side of Ryelands House in the old coach house. If you would like to hire a football pitch, please contact publicrealm@lancaster.gov.uk.

Play Area

An accessible play area for under 12s

Outdoor Gym

An outdoor gym was installed in April 2019, following funding received from LEF and the Friends of Ryelands Park. In June 2022, a further piece of equipment was introduced following a successful funding bid.

Ryelands Park has a well established Friends group, which formed in 2012. They work with the aim of delivering the masterplan for the park, assisting with volunteering tasks and helping to deliver improvement projects around the park. Without their hard work and time put into the projects they have supported, the park wouldn’t be where it is today.

Each year the group also get involved in the ‘Great British Spring Clean’ through the Keep Britain Tidy scheme by hosting regular litter picks on their work days.

---

Friends of Ryelands Park

Recently the Friends of Ryelands Park received a donation from Friends of Skerton School to plant a lovely range of bulbs which should provide a great display from early spring to early summer and develop and multiply over the years. There are Camassias (tall white flowers), Alliums (purple pom-poms), English bluebells, Tete a tete (small white scented daffodils), plus two lots of crocuses (white and blue).

Friends achievements to date

• Secured funding and delivered a fully accessible play area
• Purchased two new noticeboards for the park
• Established a Friends’ room with a library of equipment for the friends to use.
• Worked with other community groups to develop the former formal garden which has involved:
  • Clearing the embankment of various trees and shrubs enhancing the sight lines
  • Planting bulbs on the embankment
  • Funding new benches
  • Developing and maintaining wildflower areas
  • Planting a small orchard
• Planted bulbs and split snow drops round the edge of the park
• Funded and delivered ‘This Side of the River’ festival working with local schools and groups
• Improved seating around the perimeter of the park
• Enhanced general maintenance and cleanliness of the park though monthly work session
• Secured funding and delivered Outdoor Gym equipment

Grassland Management Strategy

Ryelands Park is often used to demonstrate Lancaster City Council's Grassland Management Strategy as all nine cutting pallets have been used in the park. 

Butterfly Conservation 

We carried out workshops with Butterfly Conservation in the park to explain the benefits of long grasses and wildflowers for moths and butterflies to the local school.

Tree Planting

Working with the Tree Council and with funding from National Rail we were able to create new hedgerows. These are fantastic for the wildlife by providing food, shelter and a crucial link between habitats. This was done with the help of Lancaster Tree Wardens and the Friends of Ryelands Park.

 

Last updated: 17 May 2024