West Park, also known as Watts Park after the monument of Isaac Watts, sits opposite the Civic Centre and is one of the five Central Parks in Southampton.

Isaac Watts is one of Southampton's most famous historic residents. He’s a celebrated author, educator, philosopher and hymn writer. Born in 1674, he lived at 41 French Street and was educated at the nearby King Edward VI grammar school. Isaac Watts was one of the leading nonconformists in the town and is mainly remembered for his hymns, which include ‘Our God, Our Help in Ages Past’. This is chimed on the Civic Centre clock at 8:00am, noon and 4:00pm.

Interesting features of the park include: The Isaac Watts  Memorial, erected in 1861; The Cenotaph, designed by Edwin Lutyens and added in 1920 on the eastern edge of the park; and the sculpture ‘Enclosure’ by Paul De Monchaux, added in 2000, commissioned under the heritage lottery fund scheme. The four-metre high stone sculpture frames four skyline landmarks in and around the park.

Getting to West Park

If you are planning on getting to West/Watts Park by car, some nearby postcodes are SO15 2BB and SO15 2AE. The surrounding roads are Cumberland Place, Above Bar Street and Commercial Road. The nearest car park is the Grosvenor Square multi-storey car park.West Park is in central Southampton and is easy to get to on public transport. The nearest bus stops are outside Southampton City Art Gallery on Commercial Road or at the Cenotaph.