Places

As you enter the gardens you’ll see ahead of you a lake and to your right the bandstand which still has regular entertainment performing on it.

The gardens did not start out like this. Before the Earl of Scarborough turned them into The Pleasure Gardens they were a coal yard, and before that the area was used for storage by the Tyneside Cargo boats after the landed on Skegness sands.

During the Victorian years when a visit to a seaside resort was becoming fashionable it was essential for the visitor to enjoy a stroll around the gardens and listen to the band.

Inside the gardens

The beginnings of tourism

It was the Earl of Scarborough’s vision to turn Skegness into a popular resort for tourists as he increasingly saw the seaside becoming more and more popular.

It’s not just the gardens that were designed by him but he also employed an architect to help plan around the existing Skegness. As well as the gardens and the pier the Earl of Scarborough envisioned promenades with tree lined streets. In essence, he wanted to create the perfect coastal holiday destination on the East coast.

These days the sort of entertainment you might see in the park is not only brass bands but many other musicians performing different styles. There’s also storytelling, treasure hunts, gala days, art exhibitions and craft weekends.

Continue through the park and leave by another gate at the opposite to which you entered. You will find yourself on Rutland Road. From here turn left and head towards Lumley Road.