HAVE you ever wondered why King George V Park is named after King George V?
Melksham’s beloved KGV park is home to the splashpad, play park and skatepark amongst other things and is a community hub for residents to take part in a range of activities including the weekly parkrun and annual events including the Melksham Food & River Festival and the Party in the Park.
But what is the link to King George V? The story goes back to the 1930s when the park was one of hundreds established across the country in memory of King George V following his death in 1936.
In tribute to the late king, the King George’s Field Foundation was set up to continue his commitment of encouraging the development of playing fields and parks across the country whilst enabling young people and children to get outside to learn and grow. Due to increasing urbanisation at the time, it was felt these green spaces and opportunities were being lost.
In 1937, towns across the country were encouraged to apply for grants to create a playing field in King George V’s memory. In Melksham, two possible sites were identified. The first was Stratton’s Field – near Milton Avenue and Thackeray Crescent – but this was objected to in favour of the chosen site – a locally-owned field at Lowbourne. A grant was applied for and, along with public donations, the funds were raised to purchase the land.
The field was handed over on 28th September 1937 during a ceremony at the Drill Hall, which later became the Assembly Hall. After purchase, the land was passed to the National Playing Fields Association, (now known as Fields in Trust) to “preserve and safeguard the land for the public benefit”.
All King George’s Fields are protected for use as a green space for the public to enjoy and can be identified with an entrance displaying a specific royal design.
Melksham’s King George V Park is one of over 500 parks across the country set up in honour of King George V but the only one in Wiltshire.
The day-to-day supervision of the park currently lies with Melksham Town Council after they took control from Wiltshire Council.
