Worden Park

As well as offering more than 60 hectares of meadows, woodlands and playing fields, Worden Park also includes a range of attractions in its historic grounds.

Situated on the outskirts of Leyland, the park is less than a quarter of a mile from the town centre.

The park has held the Green Flag Award since the scheme began in 1997, the only site north of London to have done so.

Opening times

8am - 5.30pm in winter through to 10pm in summer

Car Parking

Free car park (restrictions apply)
Cycle parking available

Park facilities

Children's playground
Model railway (Opening times apply. During Worden Hall refurbishment works, Railway will open only when safe to do so)
Café
Craft Centre
Worden Hall
Historic gardens and hedge maze
Walled kitchen garden
Orienteering course
Mini golf
Public toilets (20p charge applies)
Sports pitches
Arboretum
Woodlands, wildflower meadows and ponds
Dog wash

Park Improvement Works

Following the completion of Worden Hall, works to improve pathways, landscaping and lighting across the park will get underway from Wednesday 31 May and should last up to 14 weeks.

Full access to all areas of the park, Hall, and businesses, including the Folly Café will be in place throughout the duration of the works, but visitors should expect some diversions to usual pathways while works are being completed.

The works will see:

Improvements to the surface of the existing paths and drives
Reduction of conflict between vehicles and pedestrians on the route between the main car park and Worden Hall car parks, providing a pedestrian route to Worden Hall independent from the vehicle route
New pathway lighting
New path links between key locations on the park such as the main car park, fishpond and playground
Reinstatement of paths that once ran through the area south of the formal gardens as part of William Andrews Nesfield's original landscape design for the site
The removal modern additions that are not an enhancement of the original design, including the removal of the modern rose garden and returning the area to grass and specimen trees.

History of Worden Park

Worden Park was formerly the estate of the Farington Family with records suggesting a house has existed in the centre of the site as far back as 1230. The estate was developed and modernised a number of times through the years with new landscaping and buildings added reflecting the fashions and technological innovations of the time.

The formal gardens and maze in the centre of the park were laid out in the 1850s to the design of notable landscape architect William Andrews Nesfield to replace a previous design. The work to the gardens took place at a similar time to the remodelling of the main house building by architect Anthony Salvin to give it a more modern appearance.

In 1941 a fire broke out in Worden Hall destroying the interior and roof of the main building leaving just the walls standing. These remained standing until 1960 when the deteriorating structure was demolished leaving just the Derby Wing, outbuildings and walled kitchen garden that can be seen today.

The estate was purchased by the then Leyland Urban District Council in 1950 and opened to the public as a park in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. Due the park's historic landscapes and building it is listed Grade II on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

Worden Park address

Worden Lane, Leyland, PR25 3DH.