An easy cache located in the biggest park in the UK. Be careful of the stinging nettles!
Some historic information about Roundhay Park -
In the 11th century, William the Conqueror granted the lands on which the park stands to Ilbert de Lacy for his support in the Harrying of the North in winter 1069–70. De Lacy, who founded Pontefract Castle, was a knight from Normandy. During the 13th century, the area was used as a hunting park for the de Lacys, who were the Lords of Bowland on the Yorkshire-Lancaster border. Ownership of Roundhay passed through succession to John of Gaunt and then to his son, Henry IV. In the 16th century, Henry VIII gave the park (though not the manor) to Thomas Darcy. Through succession and marriage, it was acquired by Charles Stourton, XV Baron Stourton (1702–1753) in the 18th century.
In 1803, Charles Stourton's nephew, another Charles Stourton, XVII Baron Stourton (1752–1816), sold the estate to Thomas Nicholson and Samuel Elam. Nicholson took the northern part which became Roundhay Park.[2] Thomas Nicholson's land had the remains of quarries and coal mines. He disguised these former industrial areas by flooding them to the Upper Lake and Waterloo Lake. The work was spread over 10 years at a cost of £15,000.[3] What became known as the Mansion House was built between 1811 and 1826 with a view over the Upper Lake. Nicholson constructed a castle folly.[2] The Nicholson family was responsible for building the Church of St John, almshouses and a school on the south side of the park.[2]
After Thomas Nicholson's death in 1821, the estate passed to his half-brother Stephen. In 1858, his nephew William Nicholson Nicholson inherited the land after the death of his uncle. In 1871 Roundhay Park was put up for sale. John Atkinson Grimshaw was commissioned to paint three pictures of the park to help lobby parliament to buy it.[4] The Mayor of Leeds, John Barran, recommended its acquisition by Leeds as a park. As the council was not permitted to spend more than £40,000 on such large tracts of land, it was purchased for £139,000 by a group including Barran. Leeds City Council subsequently reimbursed them after obtaining an Act of Parliament, though it did not clear the relevant House of Lords committee until 1872.[2][5]
Leeds architect, George Corson, won the competition for landscaping Roundhay Park. Some parts of the estate were then sold for building plots of around an acre or so, such as those on Park Avenue, to offset the cost to the council and Barran. Prince Arthur officially re-opened the park in 1872 in front of 100,000 people.[5] In 1891 the first public electric tram with overhead power (trolley system) in Britain was inaugurated linking Oakwood near Roundhay Park with Sheepscar for access to the horse and steam trams to Leeds city centre. 3 miles (4.8 km) away.[2][6] What appears to be a tram terminus was in fact a bus terminus and is now a car park. Some re-sited tram poles remain.
A record crowd of 80,000 watched a rugby league sevens match between England and Australia in the park in 1933, won 29–11 by Australia. At the south end of Waterloo Lake is a dam, in 1907 an open-air swimming pool was constructed below it, it was known as a lido and was particularly popular in the 1950s but was closed and filled in during the 1980s.[2] The area is now a car park, still signposted 'Lido'.
In June 2005, two teenagers drowned in Waterloo Lake: a memorial stone on the lakeside footpath recalls their memory.[7] In January 2007, the Lakeside Café was extensively damaged by fire.[8] Following complete renovation including a new roof, it reopened in June 2008.[9]
Now playing fields, the space between the park and Oakwood used to be a small airport that WW1 soldiers used as a meeting point. The airport hosted flights to London and Amsterdam - but nowadays it's home to the famous fireworks display held every Bonfire Night.