Connect to the History of the Park

Highbury is steeped in history, from the Chamberlains to the Cadburys. When walking through the park, parts of Highbury stand out for their profound history.

Monday

Today, on a walk, I came across a giant wall, built out of giant vats, at least five metres high. After my walk, I accessed the Chamberlain Highbury website and learnt that this wall is called the ‘Crucible Wall’. Now in minor disrepair, I learnt of the connection to Highbury’s industrial history and the influence of Joseph Chamberlain on Birmingham as it is today.

Tuesday

Today, I went on a walk again after looking through the Chamberlain Highbury website. Feeling intrigued by all the amazing places in the park, I decided to go to the pond where the ducks lived. They were very and I felt relaxed spending time in nature at the pond. It felt peaceful. I can’t wait to explore the other beautiful places in the park.

Wednesday

Today I volunteered to cut some growth off the bottom of trees, planted as part of the ‘Lime Avenue’, a row of trees that were planted by Joseph Chamberlain. The trees line a path, adding to the beauty of the area. When they were planted, they would have been saplings, but now they are huge and are a significant reminder of the time that has passed since they were planted by the Chamberlains.

Thursday

Today I did another day of volunteering. I am going to learn about the history of the park, as well as helping to secure it. I helped to clean the paved floor of an old house, which was important to the Chamberlain family. They would often relax in the building, as it used to be very pretty and the family liked to show it off to their aristocratic friends. It was mainly used by Mary Endicott Chamberlain, who would use it with her friends, mainly in the summer.

Friday

I helped to move logs from a fallen down tree into a log circle, repurposing something to make it better. Trees planted by Joseph Chamberlain are not wasted and are turned into something better. The floor looks great today after yesterdays cleaning, we exposed a pattern that I did not know was previously there. Overall, my Highbury experience was awesome and I recommend the sense of achievement to everyone.