History
The park was formerly the grounds of Sir Isaac Holden's house (Oakworth House) and garden. Oakworth house was a large Italianate villa built from 1864-1874 by architect George Smith at a cost of £80,000 for Sir Isaac Holden. The house replaced a smaller house on the site built by Joseph Sugden. In 1907, ten years after Sir Isaac's death in 1897, the house was partially destroyed in a fire and was demolished.
Holden Park was opened by Francis Illingworth in 1925 and was given to the people of Oakworth by the family of Sir Isaac Holden in 1927.
The stone portico to the house still remains to this day but the glasshouses or winter gardens have been removed and all that remains of the winter gardens are the caves and grotto created by Holden. A bowls or bowling green was constructed on the site of the house.
In April 2004 the Friends of Holden Park group was formed, consisting mostly of local people, with the aim of preserving and protecting the remaining features of the park with support from the local community. In 2011 the summerhouse known locally as 'bear house' was restored by The Friends of Holden Park with monies from CNet's grassroots fund. In 2012 a new blue plaque to Sir Isaac Holden was unveilled on the portico by Sir Paul Holden (Bart.)—Sir Isaac's great grandson at a fun day to celebrate the Queen's diamond jubilee.
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