Malvern Park and Brueton Park are located in Solihull.
The main path from the New Road entrance into Malvern Park (September and December 2020). Photography by Elliott Brown
They stretch from New Road in Solihull Town Centre towards Warwick Road. The River Blythe is to the eastern side of the parks.
The Parks are perfectly located in the town centre. With Green Flag Park status, the space offers visitors and locals an easily accessible space to relax and play. With a modern playground, this delightful open space has so much going on. Taking a lot more than one visit to enjoy all it offers.
Basketball court at Malvern Park (January 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown
You can find the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Parkridge Visitor Centre in Brueton Park.
History of Malvern Park
The then Solihull Urban District Park laid out Malvern Park from 1926, on land that was formerly part of the estate of Malvern Hall. The hall is now part of St Martin's School which opened here during WW2. The hall itself was built in 1690 for Henry Greswold and his son Humphrey. The Greswold family lived here until 1829, when the last descendant died without heirs. Although a cousin took the Greswold name but he died in 1833.
In 1809, the then resident of Malvern Hall, Henry Greswold Lewis invited the famed artist John Constable to come and paint his portrait. Constable returned to Malvern Hall to paint a panel in 1820. The pencil drawing is in the collection of Gainsborough's House in Sudbury, Suffolk (the birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough, it is now a museum and art gallery).
Pencil drawing of Malvern Hall 1820 by John Constable. Seen at Gainsborough's House in Sudbury, Suffolk. Photo taken by Elliott Brown (June 2019)
Various owners after that until Horace Brueton purchased it in 1915. He later sold the hall to Solihull Rural District Council in 1926. Solihull High School for Girls opened here in 1931.
Malvern Hall from Brueton Avenue in Solihull (October 2018). Photography by Elliott Brown
The Prancing Horse Statue
The Statue of the Horse and Horse Tamer was made in 1874 by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm. It was bought at auction by Captain Oliver Bird, or Bird's Custard for his garden at Tudor Grange, but he donated in 1945 to Solihull Council. It was placed in the park in the Coronation Year of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. The statue was damaged during 2012 and was fully repaired by the end of that year.
Prancing Horse statue at Malvern Park (January 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown
Winter at Malvern Park
Snow at Malvern Park towards the spire of St Alphege's Church (December 2017). Photography by Elliott Brown
Spring at Malvern Park
Yellow flower border at Malvern Park (March 2016). Photography by Elliott Brown
Summer at Malvern Park
Flower beds lining a path at Malvern Park (July 2021). Photography by Elliott Brown
Autumn at Malvern Park
Leaf fall at Malvern Park on the path towards Brueton Park (October 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown
History of Brueton Park
The parkland was given by Horace Brueton to Solihull in 1944. Now a Local Nature Reserve, the land was formerly part of the estate of Malvern Hall. The park was linked to Malvern Park from 1963 onwards. There is a lake in the park that runs past the River Blythe. There is many species of oak trees located in this park. It's usually hard to tell which park you are in when walking from Malvern Park into Brueton Park or vice versa. If you walk down the Warwick Road beyond the Park, there is a footbridge that you can use to cross over the M42 motorway.
Brueton Park Lake (October 2018). Photography by Elliott Brown
Autumn at Brueton Park
The colours of autumn in Brueton Park (October 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown
Bonus photography
Chestnuts at Brueton Park (November 2019). Photography by Karl Newton