A Gift to the People of Lisburn: 130 Years of Wallace Park
Gifted to Lisburn by its landlord Sir Richard Wallace in 1884 as ‘a public park and recreation ground’, the grounds that make up today’s Wallace Park have a rich history that can be traced back to the 17th century. The duck pond, built in the 1600s, was once the town’s reservoir, and was used to supply brewers on Bow Street, while the grounds of Lisburn Cricket Club are one of the oldest in Ireland (established in 1836). Locals witnessed the first train to ever run in Ulster from the southern embankment of the park in 1839 and today, from the same spot, walkers can glimpse Castle House, a reminder that the park’s 26-acres were once part of the vast private Wallace Estate.
This temporary exhibition celebrates the rich history of Wallace Park, and marks the recent erection of the Wallace Park Heritage Trail, a series of information panels dotted throughout the park.
Submit your picture of Wallace Park for inclusion in our exhibition here.