Friends of Doxford Park
The charity in action!
Friends of Doxford Park was set up as a community group in 2016. Over the years, many wonderful volunteers and organisations have helped to support the work of Sunderland County Council park rangers in maintaining the park and making it a safe and enjoyable place for all. The day to day management of the park is carried out solely by volunteers, co-ordinated and overseen by us. Work requiring the use of larger machinery is completed by the council.
In 2022, Friends of Doxford Park applied for, and was awarded, charitable status and now has plans to further develop the park – making it an even more enjoyable place to be.
If you are interested in supporting us on our journey, there are a few ways you can do this:
Your ideas
Your time
Your money
Come along to one of friendly meetings to share your thoughts and ideas. If you can’t make it to a meeting, you can always email, or call us.
Become a Friends of Doxford Park volunteer – we have all sorts of jobs you can choose from.
If you would like to make a regular or one-off donation then please get in touch and we can talk you through it.
If you can support us in any way at all, please contact us either on Facebook or by using the contact form.
Doxford Secret Garden
Doxford Secret Garden, also known as Doxford Park, or Doxy Park, was once the gardens of the fabulous Doxford House (then known as Silksworth House) – built around 1780 by William Johnson. The Estate was passed down between friends and through families until it was bequeathed to Sunderland City Council by Aline Sylvia Doxford in 1968. The house was renamed Doxford House in honour of the Doxford family. The house has had a variety of uses over the years, finally returning to a family home in 2001. The gardens were opened up to the public in 1973.
Some of the features include:
The Gardeners Cottage
The cottage at the main entrance was reserved for the head gardener. The most famous of the early head gardeners was Mr Mark Henry Whiteley, followed by Mr Henry Samuel Whiteley. The son was mainly responsible for the present layout of the park.
The walled garden was established during the time of General Beckwith in the 1830s. It contained an underground boilerhouse which heated the main wall through individual flue chambers that could regulate the heat within the large glasshouses. Many exotic fruits were grown including peaches,melons and a variety of soft fruits which nowadays we take for granted.
The Walled or Kitchen Garden
The Wheelbarrow Path
This lies behind the walled garden, and extends down to the stream at the lower end of the park. This was installed by the Beckwith family, and originally there were bricks laid end-on-end. This layout was because the owners didn’t want any tracks from the gardeners wheelbarrows leaving marks in the gravel pathways on either side.
The large top paddock was believed to be named after Major Beckwith, as he was a major in the Light Dragoons. He had a colourful and distinguished military career. He had a number of horses stabled at Doxford House, which he would regularly ride out.
The Majors Gallop (or Top Paddock)
The Orchard
This area was, and still is, the main area that contained fruit trees that would supply the kitchens in Doxford house. This area contains apple, plum and pear trees, and is gradually being extended over time
This is an area which is dedicated to shade loving plants such as bluebells, and it still retains the feel of the original park layout. Original pathways have been discovered which had been overgrown for many years.
Dingley Dell
The Cascade & Rockery
The cascade as it stands today is just a shadow of its former glory, when water cascaded down two main areas and then flowed into the lake. It was designed and built in the early 1900s by Charles Doxford, with the stones being brought all the way from Yorkshire.
The lake was stocked with fish in the early 1900s, and was used for fishing by the owners, but when the lake flooded the fish were washed away and not replaced.
The Lake
Lower Lawn & Picnic Area
The terrace lawns in front of Doxford house have always been a favourite area for summer picnics, even in the early 1900s. They were an extension of the original house gardens and flowed majestically down to the lake.
Click the map to see a larger version.
