Located by the seafront of Weston-Super-Mare by Upper Kewstoke Road, Prince Consort Gardens dates back to the Victorian era.
Before 1862, the area was known as Flag Staff Hill, was owned by the Smyth-Pigott family, was used as a point of navigation for passing ships, and was enjoyed by locals for walks.
In 1862, John Hugh Smyth-Pigott enclosed the hill and created Prince Consort Gardens, named after Prince Albert, and charged for entry amid much public protest. The meandering footpaths, ornamental planting and ponds which can be seen today were created during the re-design.
In 1882, the gardens were offered to the town by Cecil Hugh Smyth-Pigott after the family's estate had stagnated, with the provision that the Smyth-Pigott estate would retain the rights to the sand from the seafront during the Seafront Improvement Scheme. The band shelter was added, the transfer to the Town was completed on the 31st of May 1893, and the park was opened to the public by 1895.
Nowadays, the park is tended by the Friends of Prince Consort Gardens in collaboration with the North Somerset Council.
Here are 20 photos from our visit to Prince Consort Gardens:
1. Accessible Paths
The entrance by Upper Kewstoke Road is wheelchair accessible and a tarmac path runs throughout the park, although there are a few stairs, most of the main attractions can be accessed from the flat path.
2. Friends of Prince Consort Garden
The Friends of Prince Consort Garden was formed in 2012 to tend the park in collaboration with the North Somerset Council. Anyone is welcome to volunteer, there is an optional £10 voluntary membership fee and meetings are held on Saturdays at 10am. There is an information board about the Friends of Prince Consort Garden next to the entrance by Upper Kewstoke Road.
3. Flag Pole
A flag pole has always been a prominent feature of the area, including when the area was known as Flag Staff Hill and was used as a point of navigation for passing ships, in the 1860s when it was upgraded into a commercial pleasure ground and in 1893 when it became a public garden. The current pole was installed in 2016 in memory of the legacy.
4. Information Board and Map
The information board by Upper Kewstoke Road includes a map of the park as well as background to its history as a park with an entry charge into a public garden in 1893.