The park covers 13 hectares and is the largest area of publicly accessible open space in Newark. It was developed in the first half of the 20th century around the Queen’s Sconce, a Civil War fortification, constructed in 1644.

The works were designed to encourage and involve more users of the park, while conserving and improving heritage features. The project was aimed at a range of audiences, including both local people and visitors to the area.

Planned improvement works included a new park management building with public toilets, café, and information area; a new children’s play area; and improvements to footpaths and facilities to make the park more accessible.

A key part of the project was the employment of a full-time, site-based park ranger – whose role included attracting more and different people to the park, offering a wider range of opportunities and improving maintenance standards.