Wicksteed Park brought back to life with ‘talking telescopes’

Visitors of Wicksteed Park will be able to step back in time with new telescopes that show and tell the history of the Kettering grounds.

They’ve installed seven speaking spyglasses across the area, which show a glimpse of the park’s past with old pictures through the lenses.

Pressing a button on the brightly coloured scope will share some history through the voice of the theme park’s founder, Charles Wicksteed, or his daughter, Hilda Wicksteed.

The scheme is part of Wicksteed Park’s @Play- Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow project.

The same project has seen the restoration of the park’s roots as Oliver Wicksteed, chairman of the Wicksteed Charitable Trust, said: “Not only does it secure [Charles’] legacy, but it creates new opportunities to engage both existing and future generations with the park and its place within the local community and the history of play.”