Friends of Centre Vale Park have been successful in acquiring substantial funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and in conjunction with Groundwork have created a heritage trail within the woodland area of the park. The trail includes significant and historical features and lovely walks to admire the flora and fauna.  

The trail is a creation of a 2.3km pathway ,taking in 17 key historic and natural features hidden away in the park's woodlands.

Despite a high level of interest in the history of Todmorden, many residents are largely unaware of the long and varied history that has shaped the park. This history of continual change has left a legacy of various landscape and architectural features that chart the evolution of the landscape particularly over the last 500 years. However, many of these features were hidden or have deteriorated with many visitors unaware of their existence or historical relevance.

 Work commenced in Winter/Spring 2018 and concluded in August 2018, although this is an ongoing project of maintenance and development that the volunteers will undertake.

The official launch of the Heritage Trail took place in the Mansion House Coach Yard on Saturday 15 September 2018. The Mayor of Todmorden attended and cut the ribbon.

Peter Rigg of Gordon Rigg's Garden Centre provided a vintage 1912 Cadillac to bring the history of the Fieldens' in Centre Vale to life.

Horses hooves on the large cobble stones evoked times past preceding motored vehicles.

Guided tours were given of the Heritage Trail by volunteers of the Friends.

The Heritage Trail starts at the Mansion House Coach Yard (directions on how to get to this point are detailed on the information lecterns at each park entrance). Once at the start you can view the map of the trail and pick up a leaflet that will help as a guide. Each point is numbered and correlates with the leaflet and information boards that are sited in various points around the trail.

You can also download the leaflet here.