Coventry's Parks (other than War Memorial Park)

It has been told to me that the Naul family are part of our family history, I am looking into this and would like to know the history of the Naul family and Nauls Mill Park, can anyone help

I wish you luck on that one Annie, I used to love seeing the model boats on the lake, it would be nice to get some feedback on that. Colin.

Hi Annie From British History Online "NAUL'S CHARITY. Thomas Naul, by will dated 1703, left £5 to the poor of Stivichall from which the interest was to be spent on bread. This money was paid to Arthur Gregory of Stivichall who, in 1707, entered into a bond for repayment with interest at 5 per cent. In 1833 his descendants had for many years made a large distribution of bread and meat which was considered to include Naul's Charity, but in 1875 the charity was said to have been lost." Thomas may or may not have been a one-time tenant of Hill Mill which we now know as Naul's Mill.

The Naul's Mill has always been a favourite place for me although I almost lost my life there when I was young. It was a hot summers day, my older brother was charged with looking after me during school holidays, I was about 8 years old. We decided to go to the Naul's Mill Park and watch the men sailing their model boats, I used to love that. Anyway we were walking round the side of the pool. In the corner there were two men making adjustments to their boats (the end of the pool I refer to was near the road opposite the entrance). My brother was now to other side of the pool and chatting to his mates. As I walked near the edge of the pool the ground opened up and swallowed me. It is so lucky the two men saw what happened. In the corner I referred to was an overflow sluice gate, it was there to keep the level of the pool constant. The gate was covered by two metal plates just laid in a box. As I stepped on one end of the lid it fulcrumed at one end like a trapdoor. I dropped into the pit below and the lid came down closing the box. It made a bang which alerted the modellers. When I realised what had happened and I was not hurt I looked around to see how to get out. I then noticed I was waste high in water and I was looking out across the pool through the overflow slots at my eye level - now I was real frightened. In a flash without time to contemplate my outcome the metal plates were thrown open, two hands grabbed me and I was hoisted back out of the hole - the two modellers had saved me. When the other people had seen the commotion they all came running to see what had gone on, well all but my brother who was still chatting to his mates. Now it was not my brother's fault but poor ol' Jim got the blame and was punished for not keeping an eye on me. When it was over we thanked the men and as I was very wet we went home. The most frightening thing was the fact, if the two men had not been there, not too sure what may have happened - I was down the hole, steel plate covers were back in place and my brother was out of earshot. Someone was watching down on me that day. Colin

Scary or what? I would have had nightmares for the rest of my life!

Living locally we spent a lot of our time in the park, fishing for sticklebacks, playing on the bandstand, and spying on the girls at Barrs Hill and Art schools from the swings area over the bridge across the steam. At the end of the war the pond was drained and cleaned out by Italian POWs. The mud was thick and there was numerous model boats which had been scuttled (?) since the last prewar cleaning of the pond. One incident I recall was riding down the slope on the side of the pond, misjudging my speed, and hitting the small wall. Both bike and me finished up in the pond.

This topic has not been covered before I dont think. I noticed on G**gle E**th that a bandstand once stood in Nauls Mill Park and that it also had a skating ring back in 1911, This may have been the frozen pond. This made me think of any other parks we had that had bandstands and alike. The War Memorial Park had one, but I have not been there for a while to see if it's still there. Does any one know of any more? We have covered paddling pools in past topics I know. But how about the other things found in parks? Allesley Park still has a crazy golf course, and Coundon Park used to have changing rooms for the football players. Just over the railway bridge on Sandy Lane used to be a building next to the park on the left. I think it may have been a toilet block. Ho, and Canley ford had the Milk Bar, Found the sign of it also on G**gle E**th.

Cally Park with the ruin

Not one in the Memorial Park anymore. Allesley Park still has its crazy golf course. There's a kids playground but it's moved from its original location where the paddling pool was. It also has its Walled Garden from the old Hall days which has a 'Friends' Association that looks after it.

As did Hearsall Common and Prior Deram Walk Baz. Have the playing fields and childrens play area at PDW been turned over for housing development?

Baz you are correct re the toilet block in Sandy Lane, It used to service the Daimler Halt railway station and the Radford recreation ground.

Gosford Green had a bandstand when I was little; the new road layout has altered the shape of the green, trimming the corner and replacing it with a radius. The bandstand was not, I think, in use, and was in poor condition. The corner that is now missing had some bus stops and a public convenience.

My local (Coundon Park) to look at is mainly football pitches and a small play area. But look closer and you find a great deal more. Not only is it a nice place to walk around and take in the fresh air, but the council have added extra areas and have planted a large number of trees. The old Long Lane allotments have been turned into a woodland walk, with trees now replacing veg. And the rear of the Old Hall (that is now awaiting a re-build after a fire) where once was soggy ground, has now also been planted with trees. Some of the new trees have 'in memory of signs' on them and in the old allotment site, you can find wooden stumps with 'in memory signs' on them as well. Not only people but animals that were once walked over there have been remembered. There was even a memory tree where people would leave little things like a dog collar, or a bit of silver paper, a small toy or teddy as a reminder of those they have lost. I just wish my local park was a little like Allesley Park, in the way it has a good path system. You are mainly walking on wet or waterlogged grass in Coundon apart from the new woodland area.

Years ago in Longford Park there was tennis courts, also a bowling green, I don't recall a band stand, even though I have seen one on the net but not sure if it's Longford Coventry. I know Riversley Park in Nuneaton still has one. At Coundon Park by the entrance in Waste Lane on the corner just before you approach where the playground is, there used to be a long shed for the cricketers use to change and there was a toilet inside which public could use too. Nauls Mill Park bandstand Nauls Mill Park

I was a football referee for many years and over that time probably officiated at just about every Coventry parks venue. Many of the pitches were routinely poor. They were not properly maintained, and for many years lines were marked in black creosote! But my enduring memories are of some of the quite terrible changing accommodation. It was poor for the players, but usually far worse for referees. Particular hell-holes were Prior Deram Walk, where up to 6 referees would cram into a tiny room with no facilities whatsoever, save for an old car seat and a few hooks on the wall. Even worse was the ramshackle hut at Foleshill Park, where I seem to recall the park-keeper huddled next to an old coke stove to keep warm. It was always a relief to receive the month's fixtures and find that you had some games at private grounds where there were at least basic facilities.