The Shakespeare Garden at Lightwoods House & Park

I've only managed to go into the Shakespeare Garden once at Lightwoods House & Park. That was during November 2017, after the house and other structures in the park were fully restored. It was usually open daily from 10am until 4pm. But on my last visit to the park in June 2020 it was closed (probably due to the pandemic and lockdown). Would be nice to go into it again soon

The Shakespeare Garden at Lightwoods Park & House

Some history about The Shakespeare Garden from the official Lightwoods Park & House website.

The garden was established in 1915 within the house's former walled gardens. The restored gardens was named after the bard William Shakespeare, and the shrubs were named after the playwrights works. The garden was designed on an Elizabethan theme. The garden is open to the public and is a fantastic venue for a variety of events. The idea for a Shakespeare Garden was conceived by Councillor G. Johnson, who was then Chairman of the Parks Committee, and was opened by the Lord Mayor, Alderman W. Bowater on the 22nd July 1915. The Elizabethan themed garden has a "knot garden", herb and fruit garden, containing many of the plants mentioned in Shakespeare's plays.

The garden was formerly the kitchen garden to Lightwoods Hall which at one point was the residence of Sir Francis Galton.

2011

My first glimpse of the Shakespeare Garden was from outside the gate during March 2011. It was not open on the day of my visit, and was before it was restored. So could only have a look through the locked gate at the time.

Shakespeare Garden sign on the wall from the outside.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (March 2011) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The ornate gate to the garden was padlocked, so couldn't go in (might have been the weekend so would have been closed any way).

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (March 2011) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Flower bed outside the Shakespeare Garden to the left of the gate. Lots of yellows and some pinks and reds here.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (March 2011) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

A look through the gate. Was some daffodils growing on the left near the big tree.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Trying to get the view of the garden to the left of the big tree.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (March 2011) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

2017

A visit to Lightwoods Park in November 2017. The house was restored, and the Shakespeare Garden was open, so I went in and had a look (was probably a weekday).

Being that it was late autumn, and almost winter at the time, the trees were mostly bare of leaves.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A main path down the middle of the garden towards those trellises.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (10).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In the middle was the Knot Garden with the box hedges. You can see Lightwoods House from here which is to the left.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (11).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In 2012 during the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II this green plaque was unveiled about John Tradescant (1608 - 1662) who was a Royal Gardener. There was also a stone sculpture of him to the left of the plaque. From the Smethwick Local History Society.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (12).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A lot of bright sunshine under the trellises towards the fountain in the centre.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (13).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A close up look at the fountain. Was some benches around it to sit on.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (14).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The far end of the garden down the main path. Lightwoods House to the right.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (15).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Another part of the box hedges in the Knot Garden.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (16).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

2020

Early June 2020, and my first time back in Lightwoods Park for almost 3 years. While there, went past Lightwoods House and the Shakespeare Garden. But the gate was locked. Probably due to the pandemic / lockdown (I would assume that it has since reopened since my last visit).

Looks like they had installed a new gate here. I must have walked through it in 2017, so what happened to the old gate?

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (June 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

With the new gate being locked, I again had to look at the garden through it. The grass was looking a bit long.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (June 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Long grass on the border to the right. Flowers of pink and red colours.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (June 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I couldn't see many more flowers to the left, just all looking green towards the box hedges to the far left.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (June 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Outside was this sign with the opening hours of 10am to 4pm daily. No dogs are allowed in the garden, nor is bikes, scooters or skateboards. Children must be supervised.

dndimg alt="Shakespeare Garden" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Shakespeare Garden Lightwoods House (June 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Hopefully the garden was allowed to reopen as of July 2020. I look forward to going into it again in the future.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Thanks for all the followers.

The Bandstand and Drinking Fountains at Lightwoods Park

It wasn't just Lightwoods House that was restored in Lightwoods Park. Other historic monuments were restored including the bandstand and two drinking fountains. They look as good as new now. In this post we will look at them from before restoration, during restoration and what they are like after restoration. A new Rest House was built in 2016-17.

Bandstand

The Bandstand at Lightwoods Park is Grade II listed and dates to the late 19th century. In an Octagonal plan. It was made of Cast Iron on a brick base with a sheet iron roof. The Bandstand was presented to the City of Birmingham by Rowland Mason Esq. J.P. of West Mount, Edgbaston. It was erected in April 1903. It is now in the care of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (since they took over the running of the park from Birmingham City Council in November 2010). The Bandstand was restored between 2016 and 2017.

The first time I saw the Bandstand in Lightwoods Park was in March 2011. So it was about 4 months after Sandwell took over the running of the park from Birmingham. It would be another 5 years before restoration work began on it (same time as Lightwoods House).

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Bandstand" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

There was scaffolding all over the Bandstand at Lightwoods Park during January 2016. Also some hoardings, so couldn't get too close to it at the time.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Bandstand" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In September 2016, restoration of the Bandstand in Lightwoods Park was almost complete. But was still barriers around it at the time.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Bandstand" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Sept 2016) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Bandstand in November 2017 after restoration was completed.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Bandstand" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park Bearwood 11 Outer Circle.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

At the beginning of June 2020 I was back at Lightwoods Park for a lockdown walk around the park. Saw a man doing press ups to the left of the Bandstand.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Bandstand" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Drinking Fountain

There is at least two drinking fountains in Lightwoods Park. There is one near Lightwoods House, that was given to the City of Birmingham, by Sydney Edwards of Moorfield Beech Lanes, on behalf of the Subscribers in December 1903. The other drinking fountain is near the entrance to the second half of the park from Galton Road. Both are of an identical design. There is a third drinking fountain of this design in Warley Woods.

I originally saw the first drinking fountain when I first visited Lightwoods Park in March 2011. And it was in a state of disrepair. It was about 4 months after Sandwell took over the running of the park from Birmingham. It would be another 5 years before Sandwell Council started to work on restoring it, and the other drinking fountains.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park drinking fountain" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Scaffolding around the drinking fountain close to Lightwoods House during January 2016. The old tiles on the roof had been removed. There was also hoardings around the area as Lightwoods House was also being fully restored at the time.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park drinking fountain" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I first found the second drinking fountain, near the Galton Road entrance during September 2016, when I walked around the rest of the park for the first time. You could see the tiles in the original colour, and it was missing the tip that was added after the restoration was completed.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park drinking fountain" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Sept 2016) (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The second drinking fountain near the Galton Road entrance to the second half of Lightwoods Park, seen during early June 2020. We were heading to the Warley Woods from here. There is a quote on here (a bit unreadble) from William Shakespeare's Timon of Athens Act I, Scene II.

Those healths will make thee and thy state
look ill, Timon. Here's that which is too weak to
be a sinner, honest water, which ne'er left man i' the mire

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park drinking fountain" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (11).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

In comparison to the two Lightwoods Park drinking fountains, a look at the drinking fountain in the nearby Warley Woods. It was made in 1906-07, and was restored in 2009.

The first time I saw the Warley Woods drinking fountain was during July 2017, while I was on the Big Sleuth bear hunt. Bentley the Bearwood Bear was close by (it is now outside of Lightwoods House).

dndimg alt="Warley Woods drinking fountain" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Warley Woods (July 2017) (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Warley Woods drinking fountain seen during early June 2020 on a full lockdown walk around the woods.

dndimg alt="Warley Woods drinking fountain" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Warley Woods (June 2020) (19).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Rest House

I first saw The Rest House in November 2017, not far from Bearwood Bus Station. It looks relatively new. But the roof looked like it was from the 1900s. It had benches around a central area with noticeboards. It's possible that they reused the roof from another building. It was a completely new build. 

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Rest House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Rest House seen in early June 2020, as I was looking towards a view towards Bearwood Bus Station. There used to be a section in the middle with benches and notice boards, but it seems to have been removed due to vandalism. 

dndimg alt="Lightwoods Park Rest House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I'll probably next cover the Shakespeare Garden at Lightwoods House. So watch this space!

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Thanks for all the followers.

NHS Angel by Luke Perry at Lightwoods Park

Recently had a chance to return to Lightwoods Park in Bearwood (in the car, not allowed to travel on the bus at the moment). And while on my walk I found Luke Perry's temporary NHS Angel sculpture. It is near Hagley Road West. It has a message "Thank You NHS & Care Workers". It is called Wings and Scrubs.

The Winged sculpture was unveiled early in May 2020. It was a tribute to the NHS and Care Workers 'angels' who have been treated people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Black Country sculptor Luke Perry created it using steel and other metals in his factory in Cradley Heath.

He worked with Sandwell Council and it was installed at Lightwoods Park near the Hagley Road West in Bearwood. It is a temporary installation called Wings and Scrubs. It has the inscription THANK YOU NHS & CARE WORKERS.

More details at the link above from Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

You can see it on your daily walk around Lightwoods Park and the Warley Woods.

Saw it myself on the 2nd June 2020.

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="NHS Angel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/NHS Angel Lightwoods Park (June 2020) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

I will do a proper Lightwoods Park post soon, from my various visits over the years from 2011 to 2020.

My post on Lightwoods House is here: The restoration of Lightwoods House in Lightwoods Park.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Thanks for all the followers.

The restoration of Lightwoods House in Lightwoods Park

Over the years from 2011 to 2017, I travelled to Lightwoods Park in Bearwood, Sandwell to check on the progress of the restoration of Lightwoods House. In the early years it was covered in scaffolding. The house was built in the late 18th century and re-fronted in the mid 19th century. Birmingham City Council handed the park over to Sandwell MBC in November 2010.The house reopened in 2017.

Lightwoods Park and House

This will be the first of several posts relating to Lightwoods Park in Bearwood. In this post we will be looking at Lightwoods House.

First off some history from the Wikipedia page (link above). Lightwoods House was built in the late 18th century and was altered in the 19th century. It is a Grade II listed building. The house was built for Jonathan Grundy in 1780 who lived in the house until his death in 1803. The house was later bought by soap manufacturer George Adkins in 1865 who passed it to his son Caleb. In 1902 the grounds and the house were up for sale after the death of Caleb Adkins. A committee purchased the estate and handed it to the Birmingham Corporation who opened the grounds as a park. More land was purchased in 1905 for the park. In 1971 Lightwoods House was converted into studios for Hardman company who vacated the building in 2008. In 2010, Birmingham City Council handed Lightwoods Park over to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

In the following years Lightwoods House was decaying, and it was only announced in 2015 that the house would be restored. Restoration work was completed in 2016, including the restored Shakespeare Garden, and also includes and Edwardian Tea Room. Other structures around the park were also restored.

2011

My first views of Lightwoods House from my first ever visit to Lightwoods Park back in March 2011.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (9).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Scaffolding was all over the house, and all the windows were boarded up.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Close up it looked like there was a P & M Demolition sign around the house. I didn't look very safe or good at this point in time. And was only months after Sandwell Council took over the running of the park.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (11).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The side view of the house close to the Shakespeare Garden.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (March 2011) (12).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

In December 2011 I went back to Lightwoods Park. When there was an event on at the time called Bearwood on Ice. Which was the only outdoor ice rink in the West Midlands that Christmas. So only passed the park to see this event, and not really Lightwoods House (which you can see in the background on the right).

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Dec 2011) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

There was artwork in the boarded up windows of Lightwoods House. Which aren't too visible from this distance.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Dec 2011) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

On these ice rink zoom ins you can see the pictures on the windows. They look like old photos or drawings of what the rooms in Lightwoods House used to look like.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Dec 2011) (10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Would assume that Lightwoods House was stabalised by this point and no longer in danger of being demolished. After all it is Grade II listed (not that that stops other old listed buildings getting knocked down. There was a small Christmas market here and an inflatable bear.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Dec 2011) (11).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

2014

Another visit to Lightwoods Park in July 2014. Nothing much to update about it at this point other than the fences around it, and the Lottery Funded sign (with the National Lottery, Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund).

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (July 2014) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Saw this view of Lightwoods House from the back on Adkins Lane through this gate.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (July 2014) (7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Windows at the time were still all boarded up. This is the area that would later become the car park for Lightwoods House. The Shakespeare Garden to the left. The old gates and fences would be replaced. The metal railings on the left was later replaced with a period style brick wall. The old surface of this area was also replaced for the car park that was later built here.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (July 2014) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

2016

In January 2016 there was fences and hoarding all around Lightwoods House and green sheets around the scaffolding. Evidence that the restoration had begun.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The fences outside of the house at the time meant that visitors to the park couldn't walk past it, but at least the restoration was under way.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

So you had to walk near the wall close to Hagley Road West for views like this.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Was a bit hard to see what was going on behind the scaffolding. Looks like they were doing the roof and tiles.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This view from Hagley Road West. They were also restoring the Bandstand.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Jan 2016) (9).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

An update from September 2016. The scaffolding had come down and the house was looking as good as new.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Sept 2016) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The fences was still in front of the house and path, so saw again from the same views as earlier in 2016.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Sept 2016) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

I also got this view through the fence of the left side of Lightwoods House. Into 2017 and it would be fully restored.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Sept 2016) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

2017

By November 2017, Lightwoods House and all the other old structures in Lightwoods Park were fully restored and reopened. This is the best the house has looked in more than a decade. The Drinking Fountain is close to the entrance of the Shakespeare Garden.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The footpath has been re-tarmaced and the brickwork looking fresh and clean.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Close up of Lightwoods House. Compared to my old March 2011 views, this looks much better. Taking it back to 1780.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

There is a new Edwardian Tea Room on the left. Although I didn't go in there. It is called Jonathan's in the Park.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Further back from Lightwoods House, they installed some picnic benches. Car park entrance to the left.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The Big Sleuth bear that was in Warley Woods in the summer of 2017 is now directly in front of the Edwardian Tea Room. Bentley the Bearwood Bear by the artist Rebecca Cresswell working with PAID (Positive Activities Innovative Development) and it was funded by PAID and Sandwell Council. It wasn't part of The Big Sleuth charity auction, it was paid for independently.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The back of Bentley the Bearwood Bear as he observes his new surroundings after the summer spent in the Warley Woods.

dndimg alt="Lightwoods House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lightwoods Park (Nov 2017) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

More Lightswoods Park posts coming soon, including one on the Shakespeare Garden.

Follow Lightwoods House on Twitter.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown. Now at more than 1,120 followers. Thank you.

Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020