Wicksteed Park has been a favourite part of life in Kettering for over 80 years. The earliest intended leisure park in the UK, the Park first opened its gates in 1921, at a time of economic and social uncertainty but of great optimism. Its inception and development was thanks to the philanthropic vision and financial investment of Charles Wicksteed, who planned '... to provide the people of Kettering with a place of recreation that should give them an object to their walks and to their children a safe and happy playground'. The Park contiunes to play a crucial role in the lives of local people today. It is an extremely popular family venue with in excess of a million visitors every year. The provision of possibly the largest free playground in the UK, free access for those on foot, and all kinds of amusements, recreation and educational opportunities, combined with the picturesque open parkland, creates the unique atmosphere of a traditional English family resort in an historic parkland setting.
As a site of importance to local and regional heritage, Wicksteed Park is Registered Grade II on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.
More information about the Park, including old photographs, can be found on the Wicksteed Park website - www.wicksteedpark.co.uk