Map 23 – Roundhay Park 150
Exploring the past, present and future
A Quiet Word was invited to be part of the celebrations marking the 150 years Roundhay Park has been open to the public. Contemplating John Barran’s vision of the park as a place of rest and play, we collected memories and current thoughts about the park from local people through writing, film, radio and memories.
Meet you at the Mansion?
‘Meet you at the Mansion?’ is a familiar phrase to many people who know and love Roundhay Park in Leeds. You might also have arranged to meet at Barran’s Fountain, Hill 60, or maybe Waterloo Lake? In September 2022, we invited people to meet us at the mansion for a performance walk exploring the past, present and future of the park.
Meet you at the Mansion? was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and Arts@Leeds
Meet You At The Mansion? performance. Photos by Lizzie Coombes.
As part of the project, A Quiet Word worked with local primary school children to produce the following films about the park.
Blondin’s Visit, 1896 – Beechwood Primary School
Madonna in Concert, 1987 – Seacroft Grange Primary School
Children’s Day, 1957 – Beechwood Primary School
Camerawork and editing by Andy Mills.
Writing and dramaturgy by Alison Andrews, Matthew Bellwood and Peter Spafford.
Special thanks to Ellie Harrison for help with costuming
A Walk in the Park
A Quiet Word invites you to take part in an audio walk celebrating the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Park to the public. Listen to personal recollections, stories from the past, and hopes for the future.
A Walk in the Park was created as part of Meet you at the Mansion, a site-specific performance event presented in association with Friends of Roundhay Park and Roundhay 150 in September 2022.
Using the audio walk
All you need to enjoy the walk is a smartphone and a pair of headphones. There are twenty-six stops marked on this map. Each one corresponds to an audio track numbered below. You can visit the stops in any order and at your own pace. Visit one or two, or all of them, walking in the park alone, with friends, family, dogs… or sit at home and take a virtual walk.
Download a pdf map to print at home:
Stop 1 (Download file)
Stop 2 (Download file)
Stop 3 (Download file)
Stop 4 (Download file)
Stop 5 (Download file)
Stop 6 (Download file)
Stop 7 (Download file)
Stop 8 (Download file)
Stop 9 (Download file)
Stop 10 (Download file)
Stop 11 (Download file)
Stop 12 (Download file)
Stop 13 (Download file)
Stop 14 (Download file)
Stop 15 (Download file)
Stop 16 (Download file)
Stop 17 (Download file)
Stop 18 (Download file)
Stop 19 (Download file)
Stop 20 ( Download file)
Stop 21 (Download file)
Stop 22 (Download file)
Stop 23 (Download file)
Stop 24 ( Download file)
Stop 25 ( Download file)
Stop 26 ( Download file)
Project credits
Research and Writing: Matthew Bellwood, Peter Spafford
Narration: Matthew Bellwood, Peter Spafford, Pam Wilson
Historian: Rachel Unsworth
Field Recordings: Lucy Smickersgill, Peter Spafford
Creative Writing: Anne Philip Collins, Belinda Connolly, Mark Hibbert, Jaimes Moran, Gail Mosley, Susie Newham, Debbie Samuel
Additional Writing (Stop 26): Ross Horsley
Sound Design and Music: Nick Lewis
Graphic Design: Amy Levene
With thanks to Chapel FM, Mafwa Theatre
Produced by www.aquietword.co.uk
This project was enabled by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and Arts@Leeds
