Located beside the medieval St. Audoen's Church in High Street, this garden-like park incorporates the first stone city wall, dating from the c.1100 and St. Audoen’s Arch, the last surviving entrance to the old city. St. Audoen’s Park, is widely recognised as an important open space which has the potential to play a key role in the city centre, providing improved access, permeability and enjoyment for locals and visitors.
The history of the site is richly layered. The park is located within the medieval City Walls, on the site of St. Audoen’s graveyard, and includes one of the original gates (St. Audoen’s Gate) and a section of the original City Walls. Layer upon layer of change is illustrated in historic maps, but the significance of the site and its spatial relationship with the surrounding urban fabric can still be sensed.
I visit St Kevin's Park and old Church every year at Christmas but this visit the place felt very different, as if something was missing. Initially I thought that it was the lack of people in the park but a I was about to leave I suddenly realised that Kevin Street College was missing.
