Milnrow Memorial Park (Green Flag Award), Rochdale

Milnrow Memorial Park was created in 1952 and was built on the site of Cliffe House. The purchase price was £300 and the stipulation was that the land was to be used as public pleasure and recreation grounds.

Friends of Milnrow Memorial Park

If you would like to become a volunteer member of Friends of Milnrow Memorial Park or for further information, please call the park warden on 07976 059550.

Wildlife, flora and fauna at Milnrow Memorial Park

Milnrow Memorial Park attracts a wide variety of wildlife both birds insects and small mammals. This is enhanced by the woodland, which acts as a wildlife oasis with its mature trees providing natural homes for birds and mammals. Nesting and roosting sites are being further enhanced by the inclusion of bird and bat boxes.

Nesting birds recorded in recent years include carrion crows, magpies, wood pigeons, blackbirds, mistle thrush, song thrush, robins, wagtails, tree creepers, nuthatches, starlings, bluetits and members of the finch family.

Close proximity to open farmland to the rear of the park attracts numerous animals and birds. Mammals including badgers, foxes, rabbits, hares, weasels, stoats, hedgehogs, grey squirrels, mice and voles are regularly seen and bats can be seen feeding in the tree canopy during the early evening.

Open every day

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There is free onsite parking at Milnrow Memorial Park.

There's a range of facilities at Milnrow Memorial Park, including:

• War Memorial
• Play area, including a teenage play area
• Skateboard park
• Mini cycle track for toddlers
• Mini assault course and multi-use games area
• The Milnrow Giant Sculpture
• Woodland walk, network of footpaths and landscape garden
• Bowls pavilion and crown bowling green
• Car park
• Guide dogs allowed

Council-run bowling greens close each year from 30 September until 1 April while we complete winter maintenance work.

• Accessible parking: the car park by the main gate has one accessible parking bay, but currently no drop kerbs from the car park.
• Toilets: there are general public toilets but no specific accessible toilets.
• Paths:
  • There are level tarmac paths around the park with access to the play area, kick pitch, bowling green and skate park.
  • There's a steep tarmac path up to the cenotaph.
  • There's a steep woodchip and gravel path through woodland.
  • There's steep grass banking with no path to the Milnrow Giant sculpture.
• Seating: there's limited seating in the easily accessible areas.
• Play equipment:
  • ​​​​​​​The play areas are easily wheelchair accessible.
  • There's a roundabout designed for wheelchair access.

The landscape of the Memorial Gardens has remained relatively unchanged since its opening. The gardens were already in existence as the grounds of Cliffe House.

With the demolition of the Cliffe House buildings and subsequent relocation of the War Memorial to Dale Street, the original design and integrity was enhanced by the placing of the memorial on the footprint of Cliffe House foundations.

The circular road and pathway have been retained and the slope to the lawns below is as originally laid out. Part of the original grounds (0,8 of an acre) were lost when the M62 Motorway was constructed. This remodelling of the park required the diversion of a bridleway, which still passes through the park on the footpaths adjacent to the motorway boundary.

The remainder of the park (4,9 acres) was purchased in 1961 from Mr Vernon Smith Whitworth, who was the last occupier and had inherited the estate from the former owner Mr Emanuel Clegg.

Contact the team