The Boating Lake
Boats are still available through the Spring and Summer months and can be hired from the Boathouse. A selection of Pedal and Rowing boats are available to hire for 30 minutes at a time.
Laid out on the north and south-facing slopes of a shallow valley in which the Grove Brook and Handsworth Brook are dammed to form a wide, approximately oval-shaped lake with an island towards the centre. The lake was created to the design of Edwin Kenworthy as a boating pond in 1897, submerging the remains of a medieval moat; much of the former pleasure grounds associated with the rectory were also flooded. A half-timbered and gabled boathouse, also designed by Kenworthy in 1897, which stood at the south-west end of the lake, does not survive; neither do the late 19th Century low railings shown surrounding the lake in early 20th century photographs. Source
The path as you walk in between the lake and the Victoria Jubilee Allotments is adjoined by a level lawn terraced into the north-facing slope and partly enclosed by holly hedges. This was a late 19th Century bowling green and was created on the site of the walled garden associated with the original rectory. Source
 The Lake in 1959The Boating Lake in 1959. Taken by John Ball and shared by This Is Birmingham on Facebook. |  Boating Lake in April 2015A photo taken by Anthony Sartin and shared on Facebook. |  Black and White Boating LakeAn old photo of the lake shared on Birmingham History Forum on Facebook. |
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 The View From The LakeLooking towards St. Mary's church from one of the pedal boats. Shared by John Hayes on Twitter. |  The View From The BoathouseTaken by John Hayes and shared on Twitter. |  Looking Down At The LakeThanks to Leonard Price on Birmingham History Forum for sharing. |
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 Very Early Spring LakeThank you to Linda Baddeley for sharing on Facebook. |  The View From The Railway BridgeThank you to Rob Kewley for sharing on Twitter. |  April 2015Another picture taken and shared by Anthony Sartin on Facebook. |
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 View across lake and uphill |  Promenade by the Lake |  View of Lake and Boathouse |
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 Boats out on the Lake |  View across the lake to the Church |  Lined up boats |
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 |  1913 |  Boat CanopyDoes anyone know anything else about this 1930s look? |
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 Frozen LakeA rare Tinted postcard, and a rare freeze up of the Lake. |  1913 |  1913 |
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 1962 Frozen LakeIt was a very cold winter, and the ice was well over 4 inches thick. The event attracted the attention of the Birmingham Mail, and I have it in the back of mind, that supervised Ice Skating took place. The Lake is less than 3 foot deep, and that thickness of Ice would have rendered it very safe to skate on. - Dennis Neale |  1962 Frozen LakeIt was a very cold winter, and the ice was well over 4 inches thick. The event attracted the attention of the Birmingham Mail, and I have it in the back of mind, that supervised Ice Skating took place. The Lake is less than 3 foot deep, and that thickness of Ice would have rendered it very safe to skate on. - Dennis Neale |  Early PhotoOne of the very early, and rare, photographs of the Lake in the Park, dated from the 1890s. Not a bad picture either, given the equipment that was availiable at the time. |
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 Lake to Boathouse |  1912 |  Lake ImprovementsThe Boating Lake hasn't always been the shape it is now. There were some extensive improvements in 1955, and more work was undertaken in 2006 as well. |
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 Another Frozen lake1970s |  April 2016 |  December 2017 |
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 December 2017 |  October 2014 |  April 2016 |
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