In the 11th century William the Conqueror granted the lands on which the park stands to Ilbert de Lacy for his support in the Harrying of the North in the winter 1069–70.

During the 13th century, the area was used as a hunting park for the de Lacys, who were the Lords of Bowland on the Yorkshire-Lancaster border.

[1] The Nicholson family was responsible for building the Church of St John, almshouses and a school on the south side of the park.

John Atkinson Grimshaw was commissioned to paint three pictures of the park to help lobby parliament to buy it.

As the council was not permitted to spend more than £40,000 on such large tracts of land, it was purchased for £139,000 by a group including Barran.

Leeds City Council subsequently reimbursed them after obtaining an Act of Parliament, though it did not clear the relevant House of Lords committee until 1872.

Some parts of the estate were then sold for building plots of around an acre or so, such as those on Park Avenue, to offset the cost to the council and Barran.

At the south end of Waterloo Lake is a dam, in 1907 an open-air swimming pool was constructed below it, it was known as a lido and was particularly popular in the 1950s but was closed and filled in during the 1980s.

In 1894, it was converted into a sports arena with cycle track, providing work for unemployed people in Leeds.

This was the location of large concerts by The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Simple Minds, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Madonna, Level 42, Genesis, Robbie Williams, U2 & Cast, among others.

[19] This grade II listed[20] drinking fountain in the shape of a classical rotunda was presented to the Borough of Leeds by John Barran in 1882.

[21] A folly built in 1811 by local master builder George Nettleton[22] to give the appearance of a castle gate.

[1] The 3-mile geology trail to the north of the park takes in "The Gorge", a V-shaped valley cut by glacial meltwater, and shale beds reflecting a period of sea incursion.

These geological features were laid down around 300 million years ago, when this part of the Earth's crust was close to the equator.

Huge playing fields next to the park which have hosted many large-scale annual events such as Leeds Mela, and the Love Parade.

[1][5] It was originally used for boating, and for a period there were trips around it in a steamboat called the Maid of Athens (which was sunk in the lake at the end of its useful life[1]).

[32] In November 2007 the rear wings of the building were opened again after an £8 million refurbishment as an Education and Visitor Centre and offices for park staff.

In August 2009 Leeds based Dine catering reopened the cafe and function rooms, after substantial refurbishment.