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Parks and Open Spaces

Priory Park

In this section you will find the following information:

Priory Park update: We are currently aware of a steady flow of rusty looking water on the bank of the stream in the Spring Garden. This is naturally occurring spring water that is high in iron. The soil around it is likely to contain bacteria which oxidise the iron and cause the rusty colour that you can see on the surface. Please return to this webpage for any updates.

Priory Park is close to Great Malvern Town Centre next to the historic Malvern Theatres. Visitors can also enjoy splendid views of the Malvern Hills from the park.

Every year the park hosts a variety of events including live music, outdoor cinema and festivals attracting people from near and far.

The park also includes a children's play area, a Victorian bandstand and duck pond.

The park started out as the grounds of Priory Mansion which was built by Alfred Miles Speer and completed in 1877. He bought at auction for  £4,500 what is now Priory Park and Swan Pool.

The current plan of the park has changed little from the original layout of the pleasure gardens associated with Priory Mansion. Many of the paths still follow their original routes and a large proportion of the trees date from the Victorian era.

Malvern Splash Leisure Centre, which is based at the entrance off Priory Road, was built in 1988 replacing an open air swimming pool. It has recently had a £2million revamp including a new flume and water play features.

Use the links below to find the information you need:

Revamped Play Area

We worked with specialist play equipment company, Flights of Fantasy, on the design which is unique and eco-friendly, along with Avery Landscapes Limited, who are the main contractor for the project.

The play area uses sustainable timber, planting and materials to give a natural and rustic feel, while also allowing for a range of play.

Children can climb on natural boulders, crawl through hobbit holes, hide in a hollow tree trunk, walk across a rope bridge, swing on a basket swing and even meet a giant dragonfly.

Read our Play Area Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Image of priory park with two visitors

Lower and Upper Pond Works

The lower pond in Priory Park was drained and desilted for the first time in over 30 years.

The works, which took place between February and May 2022, formed part of the council's Five Year Plan to improve the park's play area and biodiversity enhancements in the popular Great Malvern park.

Desilting enables the pond to start capturing carbon again and provide the right environment for plants to grow.

In addition to desilting, the project also included:

  • Specialist fish removal prior to draining.
  • Installation of gabion baskets to create planting shelves.
  • Wetland planting to create habitat for aquatic invertebrates and insects.
  • Tree works to reduce overshading and leaf litter accumulation.
  • Installation of wildlife features including kingfisher perch and habitat log piles.
  • Non-native shrub thinning or removal and re-planting with native.
  • Shrubs and woodland bulb planting.

Priory Park Improvement Plan

We are passionate about Priory Park and we know how much our visitors and residents value it. That’s why we have an improvement plan in place to make your visit even more enjoyable. Sign up to our Latest News email alerts to keep up to date with the developments.

We have already:

  • Installed recycling bins to help you keep the park clean and tidy and support our planet
  • Refurbished and repaired the shelters by the duck pond
  • Resurfaced and repaired paths around the park
  • Planted new wild flowers to improve biodiversity
  • Desilted the upper pond and carried out repairs to improve water quality.
  • Desilted and enhanced the lower pond ( document read more about the lower pond plans (105 KB) ). 
  • Replaced the play area (read our frequently asked questions).

We will:

  • Install bird and bat boxes to support wildlife
  • Carry out general decoration and repair work
  • Put in new welcome signs

Friends of Priory Park

We have a wonderful group of volunteers that support the work done by our grounds maintenance staff, to help keep Priory Park looking beautiful.

The Friends of Priory Park (FOPP) group carry out activities including litter picking, weeding, planting bulbs and creating insect habitats. They also discuss and offer feedback on ideas to improve the park.

If you would like to join the group email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

How to find us

If you're visiting Priory Park then you can find us at: Priory Park, Malvern, WR14 3DR. 

A view looking down towards the bandstand in Priory Park