The Missing Road

The Parksider · Post by **The Parksider** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 9:33 am

Brunel wrote: Running North- South along what is commonly called "The Soldiers Field" but is marked on the O.S. Explorer map as "Military Field" is a mystery road.The Road is Connaught Road, and the correct name for the field is ...Connaught Field.The road has all but disappeared over time but can be seen when the grass dries out.So what is the correct history of this mystery road?Enclosed is a copy of map circa 1900 showing the road marked in green.Also the road as it is today:http://snipurl.com/lnozp Isn't it a lane between fields, as there seems to be field boundaries. Then when the sports field has been extended across princes avenue they've taken down the walls and dug the road up so more sports pitches can be laid??????The lane would today run through several football pitches?

simonm · Post by **simonm** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 1:49 pm

Ok, here's a theory? Was it the original road, around as a principle route to Leeds made BEFORE Prices avenue? It splits away from the ave at Lidget Park Rd and follows a Southerly path, paralelling the Avenue to join up with Old park road, which eventually joins Roundhay Rd. Maybe, initially the new avenue was made to ease traffic visiting the house and named in honour of the Prince of wales I presume.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 2:02 pm

Princes Avenue was named so because Prince Arthur came to open Roundhay Park in 1872, and they named it in his honour.He was also....wait for it.... Duke of Connaught! So I assume they may have used it to transport him about?Origianlly Street Lane ended roughly where Park Lane is, and Princes Ave is a false boundry splitting the park in two effectively. IT was never meant to be split, hence why Canal Gardens is so awkwardly positioned over the road from the Mansion. Does anyone know when Princes Ave was constructed? it must have been around 1870 after the Park was bought for Leeds

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 2:10 pm

The title Duke of Connaught was granted in 1874, 2 years after the park was opened by Prince Arthur.

grumpytramp · Post by **grumpytramp** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 2:51 pm

I remember "Connaught Road" well.Just a thought; was Princes Avenue a replacement route for Connaught Road to Street Lane?It occurs to me that when the tram system was installed (?c.1891) that a more direct route would be required across Soldiers Field avoiding the dog leg around Gledhow Lane, Old Park Road and Connaught Road and which would avoid with the relatively steep climb from Roundhay Road? The map appended by Brunel shows that prior to the modern junction rearrangments around Oakwood Clock, that the junction between Rounday Road and Princes Avenue had the gentle transition that you would expect with a tracked tram system

Brandy · Post by **Brandy** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 3:03 pm

WOW are you psychic GT?? lolYou have just wrote(nearly word for word)My new theory that i had just logged in to writeI think we are on the right lines with this 'tram' theory myself.

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 6:34 pm

The original entrance to the park was at Oakwood.On my original map you can see a building at the junc. of Park Ave and Princes Ave.This of course was built before Princes Ave was constructed.

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 6:44 pm

grumpytramp wrote: The map appended by Brunel shows that prior to the modern junction rearrangments around Oakwood Clock, that the junction between Rounday Road and Princes Avenue had the gentle transition that you would expect with a tracked tram system Originally the tram tracks were installed in the roadway of Princes Ave, later moved to the reserved track.

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Fri 03 Jul, 2009 10:49 pm

This is marked as 1850, Old Pk Rd is clearly visible as the only road to the Mansion.Before Connaught Rd was constructed.Large size for clarity.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Sat 04 Jul, 2009 12:26 am

grumpytramp wrote: I remember "Connaught Road" well.Just a thought; was Princes Avenue a replacement route for Connaught Road to Street Lane?It occurs to me that when the tram system was installed (?c.1891) that a more direct route would be required across Soldiers Field avoiding the dog leg around Gledhow Lane, Old Park Road and Connaught Road and which would avoid with the relatively steep climb from Roundhay Road? The map appended by Brunel shows that prior to the modern junction rearrangments around Oakwood Clock, that the junction between Rounday Road and Princes Avenue had the gentle transition that you would expect with a tracked tram system Apparently Street Lane was gated at the end where it stopped near Park Lane.Stanley Drive roughly marks the line where the north east boundry of the park was