Vernon Park Offerton Stockport

Vernon Park, Offerton, Stockport

History | Plants | Access | Museums in Stockport

Vernon Park, adjacent to Woodbank Park in Stockport is a Grade II listed Victorian public park. It runs down from Turncroft Lane in Offerton to the Goyt Valley below.

Former Vernon Park Museum now housing the Pure Innovations Cafe

History

Whereas Woodbank Park is an open-style expanse of woods and grass, Vernon Park is a more formal and carefully tended strolling park. It was laid out in 1858 by Stockport Corporation on land donated to the town by George John Warren (Lord Vernon).

Local Stockport and Reddish mill workers helped in the construction of the park and to build some of the distinctive features of Vernon Park including the stone fountain made by the workers of Greg & Co at Albert Mill.

Vernon Park was given the early nickname of “Pinch Belly Park” due to this involvement of impoverished mill workers in its initial construction.

View down to the Goyt

Oldest Public Park in Stockport

Vernon Park is Stockport’s oldest public park. Things to see in the park include the Vernon Park Museum, a rose garden, the renovated bandstand (a copy of the original Victorian/Edwardian original), a lily pond as well as two crown bowling greens.

Ornamental Victorian statue

Plants

Plants to be enjoyed in Vernon Park include pine trees, rhododendrons and also a variety of ferns in the fernery. Fred Perry Way runs through the park, which is a short walk from the great tennis master’s birthplace. The park is also a haven for local birds. Information boards detail the animal and plants life that live in the park.

Nearby

Other places of interest in and around Stockport in Greater Manchester include Stockport Town Hall, Stockport Air Raid Shelters, and St Mary’s Church.

Additionally other places of interest in and around the town are Staircase House, Bramall Hall and Stockport Market.

Both Fred Perry’s birthplace and Woodbank Park are nearby in Offerton. In Stockport town centre don’t miss the Viaduct and also Stockport Hat Museum (Hat Works).

Bowling Green next to the former museum now Pure Innovations Cafe building

Access – Getting There

Vernon Park
Turncroft Lane
Offerton
Stockport
SK1 4AR

Map of Stockport

The circular 364 bus between Stockport (Stockport Interchange) and Heaton Moor stops outside Woodbank Park on Turncroft Lane.

The former museum, now cafe, at Vernon Park in Offerton, Stockport

The Cafe is housed in a fine brick building

Pure Innovations Cafe with view to Pear Mill

The park opened with a 21 gun salute fired from cannon captured at the Battle of Sebastopol during the Crimean War. These were taken away for scrap during World War II and have been replaced with two 24-pounder Blomfield cannon