Hampden Park
Location
Just under three kilometres north of Eastbourne town centre and only 500 metres west of Hampden Park Railway Station via Rosebery Avenue.
History
Hampden Park opened on 12 August 1902. The land was formerly owned by Lord Willingdon and it was sold to Eastbourne Corporation in 1901 to create the first publicly owned park in Eastbourne.
The lake and surrounding woods were originally a wild fowl decoy for Lord Willingdon's country estate. The names Decoy Pond and Decoy Wood are still used and relate back to this time.
Main Attractions
The north side of the park is dominated by the Decoy Pond and semi-natural woodland with a wealth of native wildlife. There are also many fine specimen trees laid out across sunny lawns with picnic tables. During the spring there are large spreads of colourful Crocuses and Daffodils.
Near to the café a new Arboretum and History Garden opened on 31st July 2008. This was planned over the previous 18 months or so and was largely funded by the local Friends group. The trees and herbaceous border are laid out to show how plants have arrived in Britain throughout the centuries. Some have come by natural means and others have been discovered by explorers travelling to different parts of the world. A booklet and pocket guide are available to download.
The southern half of the park has pitches for various sports including football and rugby. Athletics facilities are situated at the far south of the site and form part of the Eastbourne Sports Park.
Facilities
- Lakeside Café (Normally open all year except Christmas Day)
- Toilets (Including disabled)
- Children's playground
- Bowls clubs
- Tennis courts
- Sports pitches (football and rugby marked according to the season)
- BMX and skate facility (To south by Cross Levels Way)
- Arboretum and History Garden (Open all year - free)
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