Prospect Park, Reading
{{Short description|Park in Reading, Berkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Prospect Park
| alt_name =
| photo = Old trees in Prospect Park - geograph.org.uk - 648054.jpg
| photo_width = 250
| photo_alt =
| photo_caption = View across the park to the Mansion House on the hill
| type = Public park
| location = Reading, Berkshire, UK
| coords = {{coord|51.44791|N|1.00911|W|region:GB|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|50|hectare}}
| created =
| operator =
| visitation_num =
| status =
| open =
| map = United Kingdom Reading
| map_width =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location within Reading
}}
Prospect Park is a public park in the western suburbs of Reading situated north of the Bath Road in the English county of Berkshire. It is the largest park in Reading, and includes a large regency style house, now known as Prospect Park Mansion House and previously as Prospect House. There are also sporting facilities and the Prospect Park Miniature Railway within the {{convert|50|hectare}} of parkland, and a restaurant in the Mansion House.{{cite web |url=http://www.reading.gov.uk/article/7084/Prospect-Park |title=Prospect Park |publisher=Reading Borough Council |accessdate=25 June 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626125113/http://www.reading.gov.uk/article/7084/Prospect-Park |archivedate=26 June 2019 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.reading.gov.uk/media/2174/Prospect-Park-Management-Plan/pdf/Prospect_Park_Management_Plan.pdf |title=Prospect Park Management and Maintenance Plan |publisher=Reading Borough Council |date=January 2009 |accessdate=1 July 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701140648/http://www.reading.gov.uk/media/2174/Prospect-Park-Management-Plan/pdf/Prospect_Park_Management_Plan.pdf |archivedate=1 July 2019 |url-status=live}}
The park is listed as Grade II in the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens whilst the Mansion House is a Grade II listed building.{{cite web|title=Prospect House, Prospect Park, Reading|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-38758-prospect-house-prospect-park-reading|publisher=British Listed Buildings|accessdate=11 June 2011}}
History
= Origins =
Originally the site of Dirle's Farm, the land was part of the Calcot Park estate. By the middle of the 18th century, Calcot Park was the home of Frances Kendrick and her husband Benjamin Child, but after Frances's death Benjamin sold the bulk of the estate to John Blagrave, keeping only the eastern part that is now Prospect Park. In the 1760s, Benjamin turned the farmhouse of Dirle's Farm into a mansion. He named the park after its views over Reading; it was formerly known as Prospecthill Park.{{cite web|title=Sheet 268 - Reading (Outline)|url=http://maps.nls.uk/view/101168684|publisher=National Library of Scotland|accessdate=15 July 2014}}{{cite book|first=Daphne|last=Phillips|title=The Story of Reading|publisher=Countryside Books|year=1980|isbn=0-905392-07-8|page=141}}{{cite book|first=Daphne|last=Phillips|title=The Story of Reading|publisher=Countryside Books|year=1980|isbn=0-905392-07-8|page=95}}
= The Liebenrood family =
The present regency style house, known as The Mansion House (and originally named Prospect House), was built by John Liebenrood in the late 18th century. John Engelberts Liebenrood (1754-1821) was born in Germany in 1754. His birth name was John Engelberts Ziegenbein and he immigrated to England and obtained naturalisation in 1781.Letters of denization and acts of naturalization for aliens in England and Ireland , p. 187. [https://archive.org/stream/lettersofdenizat2717hugu#page/186/mode/2up Online reference] He lived with his great uncle John George Liebenrood, a very wealthy merchant in Purley. When his uncle died in 1795 he inherited his fortune and in accordance with the will changed his name to Liebenrood.Reading Mercury - Monday 02 February 1795, p. 3. In the following year he married Lucy Hancock whose brother was Rear Admiral John Hancock.
Soon after his marriage John commissioned James Wright Sanderson, a pupil of James Wyatt to substantially remodel and enlarge a smaller existing building.English Heritage List. “Prospect Park” [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000589 Online reference] The newspapers show that he and his wife Lucy were living in their new home by 1797.Reading Mercury - Monday 2 October 1797, p. 4. John became High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1806. Lucy was known to be a benefactor of the poor.Dearing, John 2013 “Reading Book of Days”. [https://books.google.com/books?id=t-g6AwAAQBAJ&dq=purley+liebenrood&pg=PT47 Online reference] He died in 1821 and Lucy continued to live at Prospect House until her death in 1829. They are both buried in St Mary's Church Purley.
Their son George and daughter Lucy inherited the property but they did not live there. Instead it was rented for many years to William Stephens (1783-1856) who at one time was the Mayor of Reading.Berkshire Chronicle - Saturday 26 April 1856, p. 4. He died in 1856 and it was then rented by William Banbury (1813-1893) who was a banker in the firm Fuller Banbury and Co of London.Berkshire Chronicle - Saturday 25 March 1893, p. 2. He was also an art collector and when he moved from Prospect Park in 1880 a sale of some of his paintings was held by Christie's at the House.Reading Mercury - Saturday 05 June 1880, p. 5.
George and Lucy Liebenrood did not have any children, so when they died Prospect Park was inherited by their cousin Captain John Hancock. He changed his name to Liebenrood in 1865 as a condition of the inheritance.The London Gazette 17 January 1865, p. 214. [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22930/page/214/data.pdf online reference] John was born in 1813 near Dover.Baptismal records for St. Leonard's Church, Deal 7 November 1813. His father was Rear Admiral John Hancock. In 1847 he married Eliza Cambridge (1818–1888) the daughter of Lemuel Cambridge, a shipowner of Canada.Illustrated London News - Saturday 26 May 1883, p. 21. He entered the navy in 1827 and spent 35 years in the naval service, rising to the rank of captain. He died in 1883 and his wife Elizabeth died in 1888. Both are buried in the Church of St Michael, Tilehurst.
Their son Major George Engelberts Liebenrood (1847–1928) inherited the house after Elizabeth's death. George was born in 1847 on Prince Edward Island, Canada. At the age of 18 he went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.Kent & Sussex Courier - Friday 30 November 1928, p. 2. He had a distinguished military career and rose to the rank of Major. In 1881 he married Winifred Markham (1858–1930), the daughter of Arthur Bayley Markham of Glendon. The couple lived at Prospect Park for about fourteen years, and then in 1902 they sold it to the Reading Borough Council.
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=Murder=
The murder of Mary-Ann Leneghan occurred on 7 May 2005.
Macaws (Parrots)
[https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/22859278.missy-tilehurst-shot-dead-reading-owners-announce/ Missy] the free-flying macaw one of the beloved parrots known as [https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/20195845.readings-perfect-pet-revealed-hundreds-votes/ Reading's best pet'] and a resident of Tilehurst, was tragically shot and killed with an air rifle on Tuesday, September 20, 2022. She was one of two Blue and Gold Macaws that frequently soared over [https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/reading-owner-heartbroken-beloved-prospect-25147803.amp Prospect Park] and throughout Reading, alongside her companion, Cairo. The two birds, who have been inseparable for over five years, grew up together with just a four-month age difference.
Facilities
= Restaurant =
After a long period of dereliction, the Mansion House in the centre of the park has been restored and now houses a Harvester restaurant.{{cite web |url=https://www.harvester.co.uk/restaurants/southeast/themansionhousereading |title=The Mansion House |publisher=Mitchells & Butlers |accessdate=26 June 2019}}
= Parkland =
The area surrounding the Mansion House has broad sweeps of short cut grass, with areas of meadow grassland. A pond lies to the south of the house and attracts an assortment of wildlife, while 'The Rookery' can be found to the north - a mature oak woodland and Wildlife Heritage Site. In the south-eastern corner of the park, the Reading Society of Model Engineers runs a miniature railway, which is open to the public on certain days.{{cite web |url=http://rsme.co.uk/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109092934/http://rsme.co.uk/ |title=Reading Society of Model Engineers |publisher=Reading Society of Model Engineers |accessdate=1 July 2019 |archivedate=9 November 2016 |url-status=dead}}
= Sports =
The park has facilities for a number of sports, including rugby, tennis, bowls, basketball, and table tennis. It also hosts a weekly parkrun, held over a distance of {{convert|5|km}} every Saturday at 9:00 am.{{cite web |url=https://www.parkrun.org.uk/prospect/ |title=Prospect parkrun |publisher=parkrun Limited |accessdate=27 April 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427191446/https://www.parkrun.org.uk/prospect/ |archivedate=27 April 2019 |url-status=live}}
The first race in the Hampshire League Cross Country series in 2013 was held in the park.{{cite web |url=http://www.hampshireathletics.org.uk/events/hxcl_reading.html |title=Prospect Park, Reading |publisher=Hampshire Athletics |accessdate=17 September 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203145050/http://www.hampshireathletics.org.uk/events/hxcl_reading.html |archivedate=3 December 2013 |url-status=dead}} Other races in the park have included The Color Run{{cite web |title=READING Rainbow Run! |url=http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/events/341/reading-rainbow-run!/ |publisher=Helen and Douglas House |accessdate=15 July 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718155814/http://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/events/341/reading-rainbow-run!/ |archivedate=18 July 2014 |url-status=dead }} and Cancer Research UK's Race for Life.{{cite web |title=Reading Prospect Park |url=http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/choose-your-event/reading.html?event=1726 |publisher=Cancer Research UK |accessdate=15 July 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719151748/http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/choose-your-event/reading.html?event=1726 |archivedate=19 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}
References
File:George Engelberts Liebenrood.jpg
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110803200022/http://www.reading.gov.uk/leisureandculture/parksandopenspaces/prospectpark/ Reading Borough Council - Prospect Park]
- [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/legends/berkslady01.html Royal Berkshire History: The Legend of the 'Berkshire Lady'']
{{Listed buildings in Reading}}
Category:Country houses in Berkshire
Category:Grade II listed buildings in Reading
Category:Grade II listed parks and gardens in Berkshire