Historic parks and gardens

Since the 1980s, English Heritage has maintained a national record of historic parks and gardens. This record, known as the Register of Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England, contains nearly 1,450 sites of national importance. There are currently three entries within High Peak. These are:

Glossop - Howard Park
Buxton - Pavilion Gardens (including Serpentine Walks)
Buxton - The Slopes

The Adopted Local Plan contains the Council’s policies for the protection of these sites when considering development proposals. The Council has also prepared management plans for both Howard Park and Pavilion Gardens.

Glossop - Howard Park

Architect Henry Ernest Milner (1845-1906) designed Howard Park in Glossop, which opened in 1888. The park is registered as a Grade II* historic park and garden. Howard Park, with its integral baths and hospital, was laid out on land offered by Lord Howard of Glossop, to help realise the proposal made by the Wood family - cotton industrialists and prominent employers in the town - to provide a hospital, baths and public park on the one site. The gift from the Wood family included an endowment of £20,000 for the maintenance of the five hectare site, which lies half a kilometre to the north-west of Glossop town centre.The park has gained the prestigious Green Flag Award, which recognises excellence in the management of parks and open spaces.

View register description and map: Howard Park

Buxton - Pavilion Gardens

The Pavilion Gardens were laid out, in 1871, to designs by landscape gardener and park designer Edward Milner (1819-1894) - former apprentice of Victorian architect, Sir Joseph Paxton, who created the Crystal Palace. Milner's design incorporated part of an existing layout, of early to mid 19th century, by Sir Joseph Paxton, for the sixth Duke of Devonshire.
Pavilion Gardens is a Grade II* registered historic park and garden. It was subjected to a seven-year restoration project, under the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Urban Parks Programme, with works being completed in 2004.

View register description and map: Pavilion Gardens
Visit the Pavilion Gardens web site.

Buxton - The Slopes

The Slopes form the landscape setting for the Crescent and attached buildings, relating to Buxton’s Georgian Spa. Architect and garden designer Jeffry Wyatville (formerly Wyatt, 1766-1840) - who made alterations and extensions to Chatsworth House and Windsor Castle - laid out the Pleasure Grounds for the sixth Duke of Devonshire around 1818. The Slopes is registered as a Grade II Historic Park and Garden. It was the subject of a comprehensive restoration project in 1994.

View register description and map: The Slopes