Western Park
Selected Wild Place / Other Wild Places / Public Rights of Way / VC55 boundary
Access is from Hinckley Road, Leicester.
Total species seen at this site:
Western Park was once part of the Leicester Forest (mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1089) and was an important game preserve where the Earls of Leicester and their descendants hunted. An Oak tree still remains from this period and is affectionately known as ‘Old Major’. At the beginning of the 19th Century, Leicester Corporation purchased the land for £30,000, to create a park for the people of the West End. The park is extensive and includes many different habitats: meadow grassland, exposed rock, ponds, new woodland and a stream.
Parts of the park are managed for nature conservation, including large areas of grassland allowed to grow as meadow and several new woodland plantings. The large and mature trees scattered across the grassland bordering the main drive are good for birds, including Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jays and Tawny Owls.
In 2014 a bioblitz was held at Western Park, organised by the City Council. A list of the species found can be seen here.
The records and images below may include those from adjacent sites if the grid reference submitted with these records overlaps the boundary of this Wild Place.
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