Chalkwell Park
{{Short description|Park in Southend-on-Sea, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{coord|51|32|41.95|N|0|40|27.24|E|region:GB_source:enwiki|display=title}}
{{Infobox park|name=Chalkwell Park|map=Essex|relief=yes|location=Chalkwell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England|area={{Convert|27|ha}}|map_caption=Location in Essex|image=The Ponds, Chalkwell Park - geograph.org.uk - 232073.jpg}}
Chalkwell Park is a recreational park in Chalkwell, Southend-on-Sea, in Essex, England. It covers {{Convert|27|hectare}} and contains several flower gardens, two children's playgrounds, a skateboard/BMX park and football, cricket, basketball and tennis fields.{{Cite web|url=http://www.southend.gov.uk/directory_record/13/chalkwell_park|title=Chalkwell Park|last=Neal-Goddard|first=Sorrell|website=www.southend.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2017-05-12}} The cricket pitch was formerly used by Essex County Cricket Club.
The arts and music festival Village Green was held on the grounds of Chalkwell Park annually in the summer. The festival often received more than 25,000 visitors each year, but has not been run since 2019 due to the covid pandemic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.skiddle.com/festivals/village-green/|title=Village Green Festival|work=Skiddle.com|access-date=2017-05-12}} The park is also home to NetPark, which claims to be the world’s first digital art park.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/mar/22/an-arty-weekend-in-southend-on-sea-essex|title=An arty weekend in … Southend-on-Sea, Essex|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 March 2023}} The park is home to the annual fair that accompanies the Southend Carnival.{{cite news|url=https://www.maldonandburnhamstandard.co.uk/news/south_essex_news/11398050.join-in-the-fun-urges-southend-carnival-organiser-garry/|title=Join in the fun urges Southend carnival organiser Garry|newspaper=Maldon & Burnham Standard|date=11 August 2014}}
History
Chalkwell as a suburb started in the early 20th century as a housing development on the former farmland of the Chalkwell Hall estate. The name is believed to be derived from chalk pits dug by farmers to neutralise acid soil.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hwl1Tefe1q4C&dq=%22Chalkwell%22+essex&pg=PA214|title=Essex Coastline Then and Now|author=Matthew Fautley, James Garon|date=2004|isbn=9780954801007|page=214|publisher=Matthew Fautley }} The current hall stands on the site of previous halls and was built in 1830.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z3FN4VL5lEwC&dq=%22Chalkwell%22+essex&pg=PA716|title=Essex: The Buildings of England|author=Pevsner. N|date=2007|isbn=9780300116144|page=716|publisher=Yale University Press }} In 1903, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council purchased the land for £20,000 and opened a park.{{Cite web|url=http://www.francisfrith.com/uk/southend-on-sea/southend-on-sea-chalkwell-park-c1960_s155136|title=Southend On Sea, Chalkwell Park c.1960 - Francis Frith|website=www.francisfrith.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2017-05-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-584000-186000/page/16|title=SOUTHEND PARKS (NORTH)|website=domesday|access-date=2017-05-12|archive-date=2012-03-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322103538/http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-584000-186000/page/16|url-status=dead}}
A small garden of remembrance commemorating those who lost their lives during the Second World War was opened in the park on 30 April 1952.{{Cite web |title=Borough of Southend Garden of Remembrance - WW2 |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/22731 |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Imperial War Museums |language=en}}
In the 1950s or earlier, a small petting zoo was established in Chalkwell Hall containing at various points in time peacocks, monkeys and in the 1970s, a Himalayan black bear named Lulu. The last inhabitants were four peacocks in an enclosure which were eventually relocated to a private estate where there was more space.{{Cite web|url=http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/14608455.Peacock_petition_to_free_the___39_Chalkwell_four__39_/|title=Peacock petition to free the 'Chalkwell four'|website=Echo|date=11 July 2016 |language=en|access-date=2017-05-12}}{{Cite web |title=Animal attractions are remembered in south Essex |url=https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/16365819.animal-attractions-remembered-south-essex/ |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=Echo |date=22 July 2018 |language=en}} The hall also serves as a modern art house run by the charity, Metal.{{Cite web|url=http://www.southendtimeline.com/1830.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206113402/http://www.southendtimeline.com/1830.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=6 December 2010|title=Southend Timeline|website=Southend Timeline|access-date=2017-05-12}}
Chalkwell Hall was designated as a Grade II listed building in 1974.{{Cite web|title=CHALKWELL HALL, Non Civil Parish - 1112707 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1112707|access-date=2021-12-09|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}
Cricket ground
File:Chalkwell Park Cricket Ground.jpg
The cricket ground was first used by the Essex County Cricket Club, 1st XI in 1934 for County Championship matches and in 1970 for List A matches. The ground has not been used by the club 1st XI since 1976.{{Cite web|url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/england/content/ground/57400.html|title=Chalkwell Park {{!}} England {{!}} Cricket Grounds {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|website=Cricinfo|access-date=2017-05-12}}
The ground has hosted 69 first-class matches and eight List A matches:{{Cite web|url=http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/831.html|title=The Home of CricketArchive|date=2013-08-21|access-date=2017-05-12|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821011040/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/831.html|archive-date=2013-08-21}}
= Game information =
| class="wikitable" |
| Game Type
! No. of Games |
|---|
| County Championship Matches
| 65 |
| limited-over county matches
| 8 |
| Twenty20 matches
| 0 |
= Game statistics – first-class =
| class="wikitable" |
| Category
! Information |
|---|
| Highest team score
| There have been no team scores exceeding 500 scored at this ground |
| Lowest team score |
| Best batting performance
| Tom Pearce (211 Runs for Essex against Leicestershire) in 1948 |
| Best bowling performance
| Derek Underwood (9/37 for Kent against Essex) in 1966 |
= Game statistics – one-day matches =
| class="wikitable" |
| Category
! Information |
|---|
| Highest team score
| Essex (232/5 in 40 overs against Leicestershire) in 1976 |
| Lowest team score |
| Best batting performance
| Bob Cooke (83 Runs for Essex against Northamptonshire) in 1974 |
| Best bowling performance
| Allan Jones (6/34 for Somerset against Essex) in 1971 |
= Club cricket =
Chalkwell Park is home to Westcliff-on-Sea Cricket Club and Leigh-on-Sea Cricket Club. Westcliff-on-Sea have played there since 1907 and moved a pavilion to the ground in 1910.{{Cite web |title=Chalkwell Park - Westcliff Cricket Club |url=https://westcliffcricketclub.co.uk/history/ |access-date=2022-05-17 |website=Westcliff-on-Sea Cricket Club |language=en-GB}} Leigh-on-Sea started out as Chalkwell Park Cricket Club and played their first match here in 1907 against South Benfleet. They built their first pavilion for the 1922 season and a later replacement that forms the core of their current building opened at the start of the 1954 season.{{Cite web |last=Hands |first=Arthur |title=Club History |url=https://www.leighcricket.com/history/default.aspx |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=Leigh-on-Sea Cricket Club}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Essex CCC}}
Category:Cricket grounds in Essex
Category:Parks and nature reserves in Southend-on-Sea
Category:Grade II listed buildings in Essex
Category:Essex County Cricket Club
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{{England-cricket-ground-stub}}