Личфилд қаласының Бикон паркі

Public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom

Beacon Park is a public park in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in the United Kingdom. The park was created in 1859 when the Museum Gardens were laid out adjacent to the newly built Free Museum and Library. The park has since been extended in stages and now forms of open parkland in the city centre. The park is in the northwest of the city centre and to the west of the Cathedral Close across the road from the Garden of Remembrance. The majority of the park was originally waterlogged marshland and a lake covered the area of what is now the Museum Gardens. The land was drained in the early 19th century and the Museum Gardens were raised with silt dredged from Minster Pool. The large northern area of the park once formed the land and gardens of Beacon House. This land was incorporated into the park when the owner of Beacon House, Colonel Swinfen Broun, donated the land after his death. The park has many sporting and recreational facilities for use by the public, including an 18 hole golf course, football pitches, tennis courts and bowling greens. The park also hosts a wide range of events throughout the year including the Lichfield Bower and The Lichfield Festival. The park is home to many monuments, most notably a large bronze statue of Captain Smith of the RMS Titanic.

Beacon Park stands on land which was originally low lying, poorly drained pasture alongside the Leamonsley Brook. The Museum Gardens and Recreation Grounds were the site of Bishops Fish Pool (sometimes known as Upper Pool). The pool was created when a causeway was built on Beacon Street in the 14th century separating it from Minster Pool. The waterlogged marshland surrounding Bishops Fish Pool became known as 'The Moggs' from the 15th century and later 'Swan Moggs'. Swans were kept by the Bishops of Lichfield on Bishops Fish Pool from the early 14th century. Special pens and nesting areas were constructed. Ownership of the birds passed to the Lichfield Corporation from 1548. In 1704 the lease owner of 'Swan Moggs' was required to allow the swans make their nests there. The two streams across it were diverted into underground culverts; the land was raised with silt and mud dredged from Minster Pool. The area was subsequently developed into the formal gardens of Beacon Park by the Lichfield Corporation, but paid for by the Conduit Lands Trust. The Museum Gardens were opened in 1859 to complement the new Italianate Free Library and Museum. The transformation started in 2010 and was completed in 2012 with works including a new café, refreshment kiosk, bowls and education pavilion, toilets, and new and improved play areas for children of all ages. Conservation work was carried out on the listed structures, including the statues, railings and fountain. In the Museum Gardens, the bowling green was relocated to the Recreation Grounds and in its previous location beds of flowers were planted to recreate the Victorian geometric landscaping to the gardens. In 2011 the fountain was restored with funding from Lichfield Conduit Lands Trust. King Edward VII – Unveiled in September 1908 the statue was sculpted by local stonemason George Lowther of Robert Bridgeman & Sons of Lichfield. The pedestal is made of Hoptonwood stone and the figure from Portland stone. Edward is portrayed in full coronation robes with a sceptre in his right hand. The arms of the City of Lichfield are on the front of the pedestal. The statue was erected during Edward's reign as a gesture of the city's loyalty to the King. The statue is located on the eastern end of the Museum Gardens. The statue was rededicated on 24 April 2013 by The Princess Royal. Captain Edward Smith – Unveiled in July 1914 at the western end of the Museum Gardens, the statue was sculpted by Kathleen Scott, wife of Antarctic explorer Robert Scott. The pedestal is made from Cornish granite and the figure is bronze. In 2011 an unsuccessful campaign was started to get the statue moved back to Captain Smith's home town of Hanley. Colonel Swinfen Broun – Unveiled in September 1972, the memorial is a 1.9m high sandstone brick with two bronze plaques located on each side. Erasmus Darwin – Unveiled on 12 December 2012, a high bronze statue of Erasmus Darwin sculpted by Peter Walker. The statue was estimated to cost £61,500 with 30% of the funds to come from Section 106 funding. The statue is located near to the Bird Street entrance to the Museum Gardens.

The park has many sporting facilities including flat and crown bowling greens in the recreation grounds. The Lichfield Museum Bowling Club has been playing on the greens since 1922 and is one of the oldest bowling clubs in the country. There are four asphalt surfaced tennis courts built in 1932, six football pitches (seasonal), a basketball court, a cricket pitch (seasonal) and an eighteen hole public golf course. In addition to sports, other recreational facilities are available. These include a crazy golf course, a young children's playground and an older children's playground. During the summer season activities such as canoeing on Beacon Pool, donkey rides, giant board games and a bouncy castle are available in the park.

The park is used as a venue for many entertainment events throughout the year. The Lichfield bower and the Lichfield Festival hold events in the park annually, during the summer. 'Cars in the Park' takes place annually at the end of June. First held in 1997, 'Cars in the Park' showcases more than 1,000 vintage and modern cars and 62 car clubs took part in the 2011 event. Lichfield Proms in the Park, an open air classical music event, takes place annually on the first Saturday of September. A big top Circus also comes to the park annually in Spring.