Camelot Theme Park: This destination for thrills and spills is now gone, but never forgotten

We continue our Chorley 150 series with a look back at the theme park which enjoyed a golden era
By Jon Townend
Published 19th Jun 2021, 11:57 GMT
Updated 20th Jun 2021, 13:34 GMT
The Camelot theme park in its heydayThe Camelot theme park in its heyday
The Camelot theme park in its heyday

How many Chorley youngsters enjoyed the thrills and spills on offer at Camelot theme park in the 80 and 90s?

As we look back at the places, people and events that have made their contribution to the borough in the 150 years of the Chorley Guardian, it's worth remembering some that have now been and gone.

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The park's iconic roller coaster visible from the M6 at Charnock Richard was a familiar sight.

Laughs galore at CamelotLaughs galore at Camelot
Laughs galore at Camelot
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This is what Camelot Theme Park looks like now - 2 months after demolition began

The theme park, based on the story of Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, opened to huge fanfare in 1983.

It enjoyed a fabulous golden era as visitors flocked to rides like Dragon Flyer, Tower of Terror and Knightmare.

Knights 'battled' each other on horseback and in hand-to-hand combat in popular jousting shows.

The end of an era ... Camelot lay abandoned for many yearsThe end of an era ... Camelot lay abandoned for many years
The end of an era ... Camelot lay abandoned for many years
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Jesters, which included Chorley's own comedian Steve Royle, who became a Britain's Got Talent finalist, entertained the crowds.

Some half a million visitors a year enjoyed the park in the mid-1990s as more rides were introduced.

Camelot has been closed for a little over 10 years and the site was demolished last year in line for potential development.

But few of us from Chorley and beyond (if they're from the right generation) can travel that bit of the M6 through Charnock Richard without remembering fun days out in what was a great Lancashire attraction.

Fun on the rides at CamelotFun on the rides at Camelot
Fun on the rides at Camelot

Chorley 150 countdown

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The Chorley Guardian is featuring 150 stories about Chorley: Inspirational people, places that we love, or special moments in the life of the borough.

It's a countdown to our 150th anniversary on November 4 and we’re celebrating the community we’re proud to be a part of.

Send in your suggestions for our stories in the next few months and let's celebrate 150 years together.

We're asking Chorley Guardian readers to nominate 150 reasons to celebrate Chorley to mark the Guardian's 150th birthdayWe're asking Chorley Guardian readers to nominate 150 reasons to celebrate Chorley to mark the Guardian's 150th birthday
We're asking Chorley Guardian readers to nominate 150 reasons to celebrate Chorley to mark the Guardian's 150th birthday

Whether its a person, a place, an event, a sporting moment, drop us a line via email [email protected]

We'd love to hear from you.

Read more from our Chorley 150 countdown:

We remember Project Feed Chorley

The borough of Chorley is now 140 years old

Related topics:Knights