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From Council Website,
Mesnes Park: Interesting Facts -

• Mesnes Park opened to the public in 1927.
• It is the largest park in the town.
• The name Mesnes is derived from the Norman term ‘demesnes’, which refers to the ‘domain’ of the local landowner.
• The park’s football pitches are used by a number of local teams.
• In 1995 the park was extended to the west, creating a contrasting landscape of woodlands, wetlands and grasslands. Today the park has
further increased in area with the addition of the former school playing field.
• When passing through the wooded areas of the park you may spot holes in the tree trunks where woodpeckers have hammered as
they extract insects and create nesting holes.
• The grassland is a developing area, producing a variety of native flora
from May through to September. Species such as Ragged Robin,
Meadow Buttercup and Red Campion are usually the first flowers to
be seen in the early part of the summer.
• The centre houses the Ranger Service and the Pensioners
Association and is open to the public for toilet facilities and sport
changing rooms.
• The park has been awarded the prestigious Green Flag since 2002.
• Much of the woodland areas of the park were planted as part of the Mersey Forest initiative and mainly consist of
Birch, Alder, Willow and Rowan.
• Lying to the rear of the park is the world’s first passenger railway
line, opened in 1830 and linking Manchester and Liverpool.