Outline History of the Park in 19th & 20th Centuary

1861     Robert Rankin of Bromborough and David McIver of Brombrough Hall purchased much  of  the open land at Dibbinsdale, east of the railway. Woodslee House was built and a park created.

1919     The land was sold to Alan Brotherton and Company Ltd. Woodslee House wasconverted into flats.

1930     Brotherton donated part of the park to Bebington Borough Council (now the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral)

1950     Brotherton sold the council the rest of the park and Woodslee House. The house was demolished. The cottages and stables still remain.

1963     Bebington Borough Council purchased some land west of the railway, now called Spital Fields. The woodland was cleared and thearea used as a municipal waste tip, the extent of which was increased in 1972. The area was then grassed over and some areas were planted with trees. This is now a recreational area.          

1979     Most of Dibbinsdale and some of the areas upstream and the ClatterBrook were designated as a ‘Site of Special Scientific  Interest’ (SSSI) by the Nature Conservancy Council – who are now called English Nature.

1981      A Ranger service was established by the Wirral Borough Council to manage Brotherton Park and Dibbinsdale (which is leased from  the Lancelyn-Green family).

1983      Brotherton Park and Dibbinsdale was classed as a Local Nature Reserve in 1983 and has been managed to maintain and  enhance wildlife and landscape whilst maintaining public access to date.

1993      Building work begins on the Woodslee stables to convert them to a visitor centre and rangers office and workshops.