The Rose Garden
Scarborough's South Cliff Gardens
Scarborough's South Cliff Gardens
The Rose Garden, located within Scarborough's South Cliff Gardens, serves as a serene historic retreat.
Established in 1883 by George Lord Beeforth, the garden features thousands of rose bushes and offers scenic views of Scarborough's South Bay and the castle ruins.
This garden is appreciated by guests as a pleasant place to unwind. Numerous benches allow visitors to enjoy the colourful summer roses or take shelter from winter winds.
It is also a good location for observing local wildlife, as birds and squirrels often approach visitors for food.
The Rose Garden is accessible, featuring a wheelchair-friendly entrance. As a public park, it does not have specified opening hours, indicating that it is generally open to the public during daylight.
Located just off the Esplanade, the Rose Garden was created by George Lord Beeforth, a well-known bookseller and art dealer from Scarborough.
He owned 13 acres of land in the area, formerly known as the Belvedere Gardens, where he built a grand house opposite the Esplanade.
Beeforth had private access to his gardens via a subway that ran under the public road, which was later repurposed as a public air raid shelter during World War II.
Knowledgeable in forestry, Beeforth not only planted various types of trees and evergreen shrubs on his property but also encouraged the Cliff Bridge Corporation to do the same on their land.
To protect over 1,400 rose bushes in his Large Rose Garden from strong easterly winds, he planted hundreds of trees and shrubs around its perimeter.
An interesting note is that Beeforth hosted charity parties in the gardens, where six pence secured a homemade tea and entertainment.
In 1912, the Scarborough Corporation purchased the entire 13-acre site from Beeforth for £5,500, (appeoximately £815,000 today) with £3,000 allocated specifically for the Rose Garden.
The Rose Garden includes the community building named 'Beeforth's Hive.