Restoration of Hesketh Park Observatory

Works are to be undertaken to restore the Hesketh park observatory building. Hesketh Observatory was erected in the Park and opened to the Public in 1901. The upper floor houses a rare Thomas Cooke 6” refracting telescope which along with the timber structure was donated to the Park by Joseph Baxendell. The Observatory was in popular use up until the mid 1970’s when the building and telescope fell into disrepair. Some works were undertaken to the building in 2005, part of which included the covering of the dome with copper. However due to a succession of vandal attacks, ingress of rainwater and issues relating to the stability of the structure, the facility has once again fallen into disuse. Temporary sheeting has been put in place to stop ingress of water from the domed roof. There is now the need to undertake urgent works of repair to avoid further deterioration, with the aim of bringing the facility back to full working use.