Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens
Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens, also known as Headingley Zoo and later Leeds Royal Gardens, was open between 1840 and 1858 in Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, approximately two miles out of the city centre and covering the area now occupied by Cardigan Road. It was established following an idea by Dr Disney Thorpe, designed by William Billinton, a Wakefield architect, and built by public subscription during the 1830s.

The zoo was never particularly successful; only part of the envisioned landscape plan was built and it remained in debt for the whole of its existence. The Gardens closed for the first time in December 1848 but were auctioned and then operated for a further ten years before final closure. The site was redeveloped for the construction of Cardigan Road and large villas. There are very few traces of the zoo and gardens now, but remaining artefacts include the Bear Pit, much of the original stone perimeter wall along Chapel Lane, which are both Grade II listed, and many mature trees in what are now private gardens.
Q1592322
Headingley
LOC
Q39121
Leeds
LOC
Q23083
West Yorkshire
LOC
Q216638
Wakefield
LOC
Q106641965
public subscription
UNK
Q43501
zoo
Concept
Q3196867
debt
Concept
Q177923
auction
Concept
Q3950
villa
Concept
Q570600
Grade II listed
LOC
Q96096397
Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens
LOC
1840-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1840
DATE
1858-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1858
DATE
1830-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1830
DATE
1848-12-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
December 1848
DATE
location
located in the administrative territorial entity
date of official closure
instance of