Hanley Park is a Grade II* designated late Victorian urban park located on Cleveland Road in Hanley and is one of the city's heritage parks.
The park occupies about 63 acres (25 ha) of land and was developed on a large area of waste ground that was cut in two by the Caldon Canal and known as 'Stoke Fields'. (
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The land was purchased from the estate of Shelton Hall which stood a third of a mile to the north between Cemetery Road and Caledonian Road.
Hanley Town Council developed the park, under the supervision of the landscape architect Thomas Hayton Mawson of Windermere. The first sod was cut in May 1892 and took five years to complete, at a cost of approximately £70,000. It was officially opened on Jubilee day 20th June 1897.
The Grade II* designated listing described by Historic England can be seen at the following link: (
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The Grade II* listed historic landscape, includes a bandstand, terrace garden, pavilion, lake with fishing (the park is classed as community water, where you are welcome to fish responsibly with a valid Environment Agency rod licence), the Caldon Canal, and views across the park towards Stoke Minster.
The children's playground is located on the western side of the park. There are three separate play areas;
*a fenced toddlers playground with slide,swings, rocking apparatus, roundabout and climbing frame.
*a large sensory play area with a wide variety of apparatus that stimulates a child's senses. This is the first fully accessible play area of its type in the City, and assists able-bodied and children with disabilities to play without limitation.
*an adventure area with climbing apparatus and an aerial slide.
All areas have soft safety ground cover. There is a shelter and benches are located around the play areas.
"Hanley Park's 'innovative' play area 'first for Stoke'
A new £200,000 play area in Hanley Park is the first of its kind for the city, Stoke-on-Trent council has said.
The facilities, created by the council, were designed for all children, including those with learning difficulties and physical disabilities.
The park's play equipment includes a wheelchair-adapted activity unit, a sensory walk and a wheelchair accessible roundabout.
A Big Lottery Fund grant of £188,768 was used to complete the work.
'Play side-by-side'
Stoke-on-Trent City Council said the play area, which took five months to complete, followed consultation with the public.
Jane Blizzard, from the Aiming High Parent Forum, said: "It has been fantastic that parents have been involved in the design of the park.
"The designers have listened and really taken on board the issues that arise when you are the parent of a child with a disability."
The city council said Hanley Park was chosen for its central location.
Sharon Menghini, director of children and young people's services, added: "The new play area links in well with existing facilities, so that able-bodied children and those with disabilities can play side-by-side." SOURCE: (
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The park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Other facilities include;
Toilets, tennis courts, a multi- sports court, all-weather court, cricket wicket and nets, basketball hoops, crown green bowling green and picnic area.
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"The park has undergone a multi-million pound restoration following a successful bid for £4.5 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund in 2015 to restore the park’s historic features and attract more park users of all ages. The 60-acre park, which opened in 1897, has had its bandstand restored, the main pavilion reinstated as a café and its boathouse brought back to life along with a whole raft of other improvements. In October 2020, the park was awarded Green Flag status and recognised nationally as a quality green public space by the charity Keep Britain Tidy."
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