The Crescent Villas

In 1860 the Gardens were much smaller in area than they are now. The photograph above was taken from the new bridge in the late 1860's. To the left are three large houses - Wood End, Crescent House and Warwick House. At this time the gardens to these houses ran almost down to Valley Road and were in private hands.

Woodend was built in 1835 but is best remembered as the home of the Sitwell Family from 1870 until 1934 when Scarborough Council bought the building and turned it into a Natural History Museum. In 2006 it became the Woodend Creative Workspace.

Crescent House was built in 1845 for local solicitor and town clerk John Uppelby. It was bought by the Council in 1942 and became the Art Gallery in 1947.

Warwick House was also built in the 1830's, however it is better known as Londesborough Lodge, the seaside retreat of Lord Londesborough from 1853. Edward VII stayed at the lodge on at least two occasions and famously caught typhoid fever on his second visit. The Council bought the building in 1925 and it has had many uses over the years - Tourist office, Museum, Radio Station and Municipal Turkish Baths. It is now a Buddhist Centre.

As the council took over the buildings the gardens were incorporated into the park.