Alvaston Park covers 85 acres in the south of Derby, about two miles from the city centre, off the A6 London Road and backs on to the river Derwent. There is a river path/cycle route. It leads both into the city centre (past Pride Park) and onwards towards Elvaston Country Park in one direction. Another route, along the filled in Derby Canal, goes to Chellaston, Swarkestone, Melbourne and on into Leicestershire.

To access the car park you have to use Meadow Lane, which is off the main A6 London Road, half a mile towards Alvaston from the Pride Park/Ascot Drive roundabout. The Alvaston bus from the city centre stops outside the pedestrian entrance to the park. View a Map of the Area -

History

In 1910 William Curzon of Breedon Hall made available 30 acres of land (formerly part of his Villa, now long vanished) which was subsequently opened to the public in August 1913, having been landscaped by William Barron & Son of Borrowash, a firm founded by the young Scotsman who laid out Elvaston (Castle) Park for Lord Harrington in 1830.

In 1923 a five acre lake was added and after the second world war 61.8 acres of land to the south was added as sports playing fields.

Modern housing is currently being built to the west of the Park on the former site of Wilmorton College, which was itself built in the 1960s on land that used to belong to Osmaston Hall and up until then had been one of the city’s refuse tips. Osmaston Hall was the home of the Fox and Wilmot-Horton family from which this part of the city gets its name.

Facilities

• children's playground
• BMX track and Skateboard park with 'half-pipe' and ramps
• cricket pitch
• full size football pitches
• five-a-side football pitches
• 2 basketball courts with rubber surfaces
• tennis courts - 8 grass and 2 tarmac
• fishing lake, featuring swans and numerous other wild birds
• Riverlife Way - from city centre to Elvaston Castle Country Park
• cycle routes as part of Riverlife Way
• cycle route along disused Derby Canal via Chellaston to Melbourne
• newly planted or established, native and non-native trees
• tree trail leaflet currently being revised.

Events

Alvaston was one of four parks which had a Detective trail  - 241kb, during the 2008 Love Parks week, see the trail answers  - 863kb.

You might also like to visit the Park Events page.

Pictures

Click on the thumbnails below to see larger images.

 

Alvaston park has its own site where you can find out about events and become a member of the park at - Alvaston Park Friends -

Contact Information

Telephone 01332 715507 during office hours

Park Rangers 01332 367800 every day, including weekends, from 9am until 9.30pm.

Fax 01332 716512

Minicom 01332 256666

email parksadmin@derby.gov.uk