What's happening as new bridge installed at Preston's Moor Park

You will be able to witness history today as a new bridge is lifted into place across the Serpentine Lake at Preston’s Grade II*-listed Moor Park, as part of a project to return the lake to its original Victorian condition. Here we share what is happening today - and you can what the bridge looked like before in our nostalgic picture gallery.

A new bridge will today be lifted into place today (Saturday) at Preston’s Moor Park.

The 26-metre bridge will be placed over the Serpentine lake at Moor Park, replacing a ‘long forgotten’ previous structure. The original old bridge fell into disrepair and deemed to be too costly to fixed, so was removed before the Preston Guild in 1992.

The installation currently expected to take place between 1pm and 2pm, although the timing may change. There will be a public viewing location available (see map below.)

The new bridge forms part of the ongoing improvements to Moor Park funded by the UK Government. The oldest park in Preston, the Grade II* listed beauty spot is undergoing a £4m programme of improvements, following preparatory works completed last year.

As part of the project, the historic lake has been drained, desilted, and enlarged. Silt dredged from the lakebed is being used to level and remediate nearby football pitches. The new bridge will sit alongside new fountains and loggia area refurbishments.

The project also includes the creation of new wildflower meadows, extensive tree and shrub planting, and groundworks across the park.

The project includes facilities and pavilions including full renovation of the changing pavilion (including a roof replacement approved under the Pride in Place initiative), upgrades to the south-east entrance and stonework, and a remodelling of the car park adding 12 new spaces. Footpaths are being widened and improved throughout the Grade II* listed space.

Moor Park, originally a farm, stands on land which was originally common land derived from the Royal Forest of Fulwood by the Charter of Henry III in 1235.

The full improvements include:

Extension and desilting of Serpentine Lake, returning it to its original Victorian era condition
Reinstatement of a new bridge across the lake that is historically sympathetic to the original Victorian structure
Improvements to the loggia and surrounding area (on the northern edges of the lake
Tree and shrub planting
Full renovation of the changing pavilion
Groundworks to create wildflower meadows
Improvements to the south-east entrance and car park
Refurbishment of the original stonework at the southeast entrance
Remediation and reinstatement of the football pitches

Work is due to be completed this winter and the rest of the park remains open and accessible to all.

. Moor Park

The condemned bridge over the Serpentine Lake in Moor Park, Preston. The bridge had fallen into disrepair was to deemed to be too costly to fix, so it was set to be removed before the Preston Guild in 1992