You have probably heard of the Calthorpe Estates which manages the land and what can be built in Edgbaston. They gave their name to Calthorpe Park which opened on the Pershore Road in Edgbaston in 1857. The park is between Speedwell Road and Edward Road. The River Rea is to the back of the park. The statue of Robert Peel used to be here, but just the plinth survives here now.

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Calthorpe Park: the park named after the Calthorpe Family





You have probably heard of the Calthorpe Estates which manages the land and what can be built in Edgbaston. They gave their name to Calthorpe Park which opened on the Pershore Road in Edgbaston in 1857. The park is between Speedwell Road and Edward Road. The River Rea is to the back of the park. The statue of Robert Peel used to be here, but just the plinth survives here now.


First up the information taken from the Wikipedia page: Calthorpe Park.

The park opened in 1857 on the Pershore Road in Edgbaston. The parks name comes from the Calthorpe family whose Frederick Gough, 4th Baron Calthorpe  provided the land for it's creation in 1857. His son Augustus Gough-Calthorpe, 6th Baron Calthorpe signed over the freehold of the land in 1894. The park was formally opened by Prince George, Duke of Cambridge on the 1st June 1857.

An 1855 statue of Robert Peel used to stand in the park, but all that remains here is the original plinth. The statue was moved further down the Pershore Road to outside of Tally Ho! (now the West Midlands Police Training HQ).

 

December 2010

I've not been into Calthorpe Park much with my camera, but the first time was during December 2010.

A look at the empty plinth that used to have the statue of Robert Peel above it.  Like many old statues / plinths this plinth had graffiti on it (at the time) and the pair of L's were damaged. (You should see the old plinths at the Birmingham Museums Collection Centre for more examples).

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The statue of Robert Peel seen in front of Tally Ho! on the Pershore Road in Edgbaston during November 2009 (it is still at this location). The statue used to be on Congreve Street, then it was moved to Council House Square in 1873 (now Victoria Square). In 1926 a gas lamp knocked it off it's pedestal (it was hit by a lorry) and it was moved to Calthorpe Park. In 1963 the statue was moved to the Pershore Road on top of a new plinth, leaving the old plinth where it was. The Victorian Society had opened to move the plinth and statue to a suitable location in the city centre, but that never happened. The statue was erected to commemorate the Repeal of the Corn Laws and not his involvement in setting up the Metropolitan Police.

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Trees in Calthorpe Park seen from the Pershore Road side. There is football pitches behind with many goalposts.

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One of the paths and a line of trees.

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Looking back to the Pershore Road. Towards Birmingham Central Synagogue (the 1960s building was demolished in 2013 when the congreation moved into their refurbished building on Speedwell Road). That is now the site of a retirement home (Gracewell of Edgbaston).

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The paths were looking a bit tired in late 2010. Edward Road seen to the far right.

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I think the paths have been done up in the following years.

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A plant close to the Pershore Road. The gatehouse lodge to the left on the corner of Speedwell Road.

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From the Pershore Road looking at the path in the middle.

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Close up look at the gatehouse. I don't think anyone has lived there in decades.

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This column used to have council advertising around it. Now it is bare, but has plants growing out the top of it.

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October 2019

I returned to Calthorpe Park with my camera while the Great Birmingham Run was on, up the Pershore Road. Trees looking very autumnal and the paths looking as good as new.

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The tree lined path to the centre of the park (well heading along the path towards Speedwell Road / Alexandra Road).

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Now near Speedwell Road. There are bollards close to here which separates Speedwell Road from Alexandra Road, as well as Princess Road in the middle.

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The path alongside Alexandra Road leads to a bridge over the River Rea.

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One of the goalposts on the football fields as well as a view of Edgbaston Cricket Ground with it's floodlights. The cricket stadium was redeveloped in 2011.

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Looking to a spire in Moseley. It is of St Anne's Church, which is located on Park Hill in Moseley. Below a small brick building with graffiti all over it.

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Looking to the football field with Edgbaston Cricket Ground in the distance.

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Some of my photos from the Great Birmingham Run 2019 on the Pershore Road in Edgbaston. For more photos follow this link Great Birmingham Run 2019: runners on the Pershore Road in Edgbaston.

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This is close to the corner of Edward Road and Pershore Road (where I entered the park this time around).

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The runners continue to head up the Pershore Road and back into the city centre. Heading past Gracewell of Edgbaston and the Edgbaston Dental Centre.

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Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.