Promenade Park Maldon

The vast majority of the courses are set in a park with a long and proud history. For your information here are few details...

Promenade Park is located in Maldon. Mentioned in the Doomsday Book, Maldon is one of the oldest recorded towns in Essex. The significance of being situated at the head of the Blackwater Estuary made it appealing to the Romans as a port and trading post, and the Saxons later established a town there. There was even a famous battle fought there! Over two days in August 991, The Battle of Maldon was fought against the Danes. It is thought that the battle took place near the causeway to Northey Island, (near the southeast edge of the park). Following a series of raids along the Essex coast to collect their Danegeld - a tax on land levied as a tribute to Danish invaders, the Vikings tried to land at Maldon. They were greeted by a large Anglo-Saxon force, led by Earl Byrhtnoth. Brithnoth (as his name is now often known), was killed during this brave stand leaving many to flee. However, against a far superior enemy the rest of his Essex force stood firm, making a stand to their deaths. In October 2006, to commemorate this bravery a Statue was erected at the end of the Park showing Byrhtnoth looking down the estuary towards the site of the battle. The statue was created by local sculptor John Doubleday.

The Park itself was first opened in 1895, "to provide the people of Maldon with a valuable Amenity". It covered 14 acres and was laid out with grass, trees and shrubs. The beach was then a busy barge building area. In 1905 it was decided the Park needed a lake. The project involved 8,000 tonnes of earth being moved by just 35 people - without JCB's! The new lake was 700 feet, (aprox. 230 meters) long by 200 feet, (aprox. 60 meters) wide and created by blocking an inlet creek. In 1910, during the August Bank Holiday, the Park attracted 10,000 visitors! During 1925 the lake area was extended and in 1926 the area of the Park was extended near to it's present size.

During the second half of the Twentieth Century the Park saw many changes and improvements. The October storm of 1987 brought with it an enforced change as over 50 mature trees were blown over.

Promenade Park now covers 59 acres, and has more facilities than any other park in the Maldon District. Coupled with its stunning location overlooking the River Blackwater, it is the most popular park in the district with over 300,000 visitors a year! At it's north end the park is adjacent to Hythe Quay.

The word 'Hythe' is an old Saxon word meaning landing place. Hythe Quay has been in existence for well over a thousand years, and was used as the gateway to Maldon for vessels arriving from the sea. During the last hundred years or so the importance of Hythe Quay as a place of trade for cargo carrying vessels has all but gone.
Nowadays, it is where the famous Thames Barges are moored and lovingly restored to their former glory. Today, the Barges carry people on excursions around the area... and they are well worth going on!