Wicksteed Park installs 'world's oldest swing' in new playground

Wicksteed Park claims it has installed the "world's oldest swing"

A theme park has installed what it claims to be the "world's oldest swing" as part of a new heritage playground.

Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire, said the six-pronged frame with a thick wooden seat is "believed to date back a century".

It was discovered nine years ago in the garden of a house that belonged to the family of the park's founder, Charles Wicksteed.

A park spokesman said the find was "remarkable".

The park said the six-pronged frame with a thick wooden seat is "believed to date back a century"

Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of the Wicksteed Charitable Trust, which owns the park, said: "The discovery of the oldest swing known to be in existence is remarkable and, along with the rest of the playground, gives visitors to the park the chance to sit on and enjoy a real piece of history.

"Its shape, size and the lack of a tell-tale name plate, which went on all play equipment when Charles Wicksteed began to sell it commercially in the 1920s, indicate it was a prototype, possibly given by him to his family as part of pre-production trials."

The heritage playground at Wicksteed Park celebrates the work of the inventor and playground manufacturer Charles Wicksteed

The heritage playground at Wicksteed Park, one of the UK's oldest theme parks, celebrates the work of the inventor and playground manufacturer Charles Wicksteed.

He opened the 147-acre (59.5-hectare) park in 1921 as part of his vision to encourage play and improve families' health and wellbeing, and where he designed and installed some of his playground inventions.

The new attraction, supported by a grant of £1.89m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, also includes a Wicksteed rocking horse dating back 80 years, plus reconstructions of a 1921 slide and Ocean Wave, which was nicknamed the Witch's Hat because of its cone-shaped appearance.

The original Witch's Hat was one of many playground rides invented by Charles Wicksteed

The conical swing balances on a 12-ft high central pole and rotates unpredictably.

What was believed to be the last of its kind in Britain was removed in the mid-1980s over safety concerns.

Wicksteed had already introduced a new, smaller, version to the park designed to stop users crashing into the central pole.

A new version of the Witch's Hat has been created for the heritage playground

A 1921 slide has been reconstructed for the playground

The playground includes some of Wicksteed's favourite rides