Join us for a talk by local historian Alan Green

Oaklands Park is Chichester’s largest open space, famous for housing the annual Sloe Fair, the Festival Theatre, rugby and a large mansion hidden in the trees, now used by the University. However, it did not become a public park until 1938 when it was acquired by Chichester Corporation from the Henty family, prior to which its history is curious, complex and hitherto unexplored. Oaklands Park as we know it was the 19th century creation of one man, James Bennett Freeland, a wealthy lawyer who started acquiring the necessary closes of land in 1819 to create his own private park and finally completed it in 1850.

This talk tells for the first time how Freeland went about his creation and what happened to it after his death in 1852 as it morphed into what it is today.
We hope you’ll join us, either in person (advance booking essential) or online.