Ashley Park

Audio Transcript

You are standing in Ashley Park, a place with a remarkably colourful history. For centuries, this was part of a large private estate owned by the Crown and leased to wealthy and influential families. The grand house that once stood here attracted royalty, politicians and military leaders, while the surrounding parkland provided space for recreation and sport.

One of Ashley Park’s most unusual claims to fame is its connection to the earliest recorded game of baseball. In September 1749, a game known as “bass-ball” was played here by Frederick, Prince of Wales, the son of King George II and the father of the future King George III.

The game was very different from modern baseball. Players used their hands rather than bats, the ball was much softer, and the bases were much closer together. Nevertheless, this match is believed to be the earliest documented reference to baseball anywhere in the world.

Ashley Park also played a part in Walton’s film history. During the 1950s, parts of the estate were used as locations for the television series The Adventures of Robin Hood, linking the park to the nearby film studios that once made Walton one of the centres of British filmmaking.

Although the great house has long since disappeared, the park remains a peaceful green space where visitors can still enjoy the landscape that once entertained royalty and helped create sporting history.

When you’re ready, continue to your final stop on the short route, Walton Cricket Club.