Park Piece - Holme-next-the-Sea - Holme-next-the-Sea

Park Piece and the Fields in Trust plaque

Photos Tony Foster

An area of 5.02 acres of pasture, being part of a field known as Park Piece, bordered to the north by Westgate and to the east by Peddars Way with some properties along the east margin, became available for sale in 2008 and Holme-next-the-Sea Parish Council, after consultation with the parishioners, decided to purchase it with the intention of maintaining an open space within the centre of the village.

After consultation with several ecologists and others, the Parish Council have adopted and largely implemented the following scheme:

To allow access to the public at all times.
To identify and protect areas of special interest by a regime of mowing, maintenance, and information boards.
To excavate and landscape a "scrape" in the area of a silted pond near the southern boundary, thus encouraging wildlife and plant diversity.
To provide pathways enabling disabled access around this area from the main entrance and seating in suitable locations.
To create a second access to the field on the northern boundary from Westgate. (Where there is a dog poo bin already conveniently located!)
To plant fruit and nut trees as local resources to be freely available to parishioners.
To plant, in commemoration of Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee, an oak sapling which was a gift from the Royal Estate at Sandringham.

The Parish Council subsequently voted to nominate the greater part of the land to be protected through the Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust challenge. The nomination was accepted, and the resulting Deed of Dedication was signed in December, 2012. The very smart plaque shown above will be placed on Park Piece (here coloured green on the map) to commemorate the fact.

The Fields in Trust's mission is to ensure that everyone - young or old, able or disabled and wherever they live - should have access to free, local outdoor space for sport, play and recreation. These spaces are vital to building happy and healthy communities.

Fields in Trust has permanently safeguarded outdoor recreational spaces, in perpetuity, in many ways since 1925. The present preferred method is by a Deed of Dedication. This legal instrument was specifically designed for FIT and approved by The Charity Commission. It ensures that before there is any opportunity for disposal of the land for development the owner, who in this case is Holme-next-the-Sea Parish Council, requires the permission of Fields in Trust.

This particular initiative by the Holme-next-the-Sea Parish Council was undertaken as part of The Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge, the flagship UK-wide programme to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and London Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as the 2014 Commonwealth Games, by permanently protecting as many outdoor recreational spaces as possible by the end of 2012.

Photo Gallery

Please browse through these photos of Park Piece. Most recent at the top - more will be added in the future. Click any photo to enlarge it and use your keyboard arrows to move backwards and forwards through the pictures.

A new 'trod' enabling wheelchair access installed by the Parish Council in the Spring of 2025. 11th April, 2025. Photo - Tony Foster

Easy access to a seating area around the QEII Fields in Trust Memorial. 11th April, 2025. Photo - Tony Foster

The new trod included replacing both of the access 'bridges'. 11th April, 2025. Photo - Tony Foster

One of two sets of a picnic table and seats installed by the Parish Council in March, 2017. 31st May, 2017. Photo - Tony Foster

The project is finished! An excellent commemorative memorial recording the fact that this field, Park Piece, is permanently protected as an outdoor recreational space. Our thanks to the Parish Council for undertaking the work. 27th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

A job well done... Soon the grass will grow up to the edging setts. 27th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The salmon pink granite chippings arrive on site. 26th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

Filling in with the new granite chippings. 26th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The second phase complete - the seats are fixed in position. 13th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

Looking good! 13th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

One of the new seats. Made by Coastal Architectural Joinery Ltd. 13th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The new seats are cemented into position. 11th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

Work starts to install the new seats. 11th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The commemorative plaque in position. 6th June, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The first phase is complete. 20th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The outer circle of setts completed. 18th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

Looking good... 17th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The outer circle of setts being laid. 17th May, 2014. Photo - David Myles

Marked up and ready for the outer circle of setts. 16th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The hole for the obelisk now has a concrete base and the surrounding setts are in place. 16th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

A levelling layer of sand aggregate. 16th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

Hardcore/hoggin base laid and the hole for the obelisk is dug out. 15th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The area is levelled. 14th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

Gary Driver starts work - the circle is marked... 14th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The obelisk becoming overgrown with weeds awaiting installation! 14th May, 2014. Photo - Tony Foster

The Cumberland Slate obelisk which will display the commemorative plaque arrives on site. 14th December, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. One of the new fruit trees. 30th June, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. The new orchard of various fruit and nuts planted along the west fence. 30th June, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. Looking towards the gate in the south-east corner. 30th June, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. Scrape recently excavated close to the south hedge. 30th June, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. From Westgate, looking south-east. 30th June, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. Sign placed by Parish Council. 30th June, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. From Westgate, looking south. 19th January, 2013. Photo - Tony Foster

Park Piece, Holme-next-the-Sea. From Westgate, looking south. Natural pond that forms each winter. 14th January, 2010. Photo - Tony Foster