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The area of Roundhay, Leeds in the thirteenth century was a three square mile hunting park for the DeLacy family of Pontefract Castle.

The entire estate was purchased by the City of Leeds in 1872 and opened as a public park by His Royal Highness Prince Arthur on the 19th of September 1872.

At the time, the then Lord Mayor of Leeds John Barran was ridiculed for buying a 'White Elephant' - in that the park was too far out of the city for the majority of the population to enjoy, and in any event the park had just one access road - an old 'turnpike' road dating from 1808.

The park was seen as a reckless waste of ratepayers money - critics even published a booklet under the title: 'The Big White Elephant' in 1879.

In June 1907 an open air swimming pool 'lido' opened, at a cost of just over £1,600, it was built mainly by unemployed citizens. During the 1950's and 1960's about 100,000 people a year visited the Roundhay 'swimming baths'.

Roundhay Park comprises over 700 acres of parkland, lakes and woodland. The Park includes scented gardens for the blind, National Plant Collections, Canal Gardens , the Monet and Alhambra Gardens, plus Tropical World which attracts visitors all year round. Newly opened for 2005 is the Friends Garden , located alongside Canal Gardens and the Rainbow Garden.

Woodpeckers, common warblers in spring and summer, mute swans, visiting whooper swans, great-crested grebes and herons can all be found at the park.

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