CONTEXT 180 : JUNE 2024 27 WHERE HERITAGE AND NATURE MEET When Birkenhead Park officially opened in 1847, it was widely regarded as social evolution of the first order. Its designer, Joseph Paxton, was acclaimed for having devised a high-quality landscape, combining ‘natural’ features and architectural components, where citizens could escape the busy urban environment. The creation of Birkenhead Park symbolised the start of a new era when ordinary people would be able to enjoy free access to public parks. Its historic significance spread when the landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, on visiting the park, was inspired to design Central Park in New York. Today, historic urban public parks can be difficult to classify. They are human-made, designed landscapes, but essentially made of natural features which would have a life of their own if not carefully maintained. At the same time, they usually integrate architectural components in their landscape, requiring very different kinds of maintenance and conservation. Birkenhead Park is a Grade I-listed historic landscape. The park and its immediate surroundings are a designated conservation area that contains 42 listed buildings. Encompassing nearly 140 acres of historic parkland, it has much more to offer than heritage. Its environmental benefits are too little celebrated. Endowed with a variety of vegetation, biodiversity and flood management virtues, the park is a multifunctional blue-green infrastructure asset. Situated on the Wirral Peninsula, the park welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors a year. Beyond the exceptional character of its landscape, this ‘people’s park’ embodies unprecedented social and political values. Located in a disadvantaged community, it plays an important role in building community cohesiveness. As the forerunner of public parks across the world, the park represents ‘an important interchange of human values’, and its landscape ‘illustrates a significant stage in human history’ – both being ‘outstanding universal values’ of Unesco world heritage sites. Since its contribution to history transcends national boundaries, it is not surprising that in April 2023 Birkenhead Park was included on the UK’s tentative list for potential nomination as a Unesco world heritage site. ICOMOS-IFLA define ‘historic urban public parks’ as being freely accessible and in public ownership. Fundamental to their identity is ‘their composition and dependency on such elements as vegetation, architectural elements, water features, paths, or topography. These elements contribute to their character, seasonal 1844 plan of the new park by Joseph Paxton (Image: Williamson Art Gallery and Museum) The entrance to the park on opening day in April 1847 (Image: Illustrated London News)
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