The history and heritage of the Rising Sun Country Park is both rich and interesting. It was once the location of the one of the largest coalmines in Europe - The Rising Sun Colliery, that operated here from 1906 until its closure in the Spring of 1969.
The Countryside Centre has been built on the site of an old isolation hospital for infectious diseases - Scaffold Hill Hospital. The hospital later became known as Holystone Hospital and specialised in the care of the older adult until its closure in the 1980's. Many of the buildings in the Countryside Centre grounds formed part of the old hospital.
Also found within the Centregrounds is the location of Scaffold Mill Quarry which operated of 36 years between 1861- 1897. Early ordnance Survery maps reveal that Old Quarry was situated north west of the Countryside Centre, it is believed sandstone from this quarry was used to rebuild St Batholomews Church in Benton when it was rebuilt in the 1970s.
During the mid 1960's to early 1970's parts of the country park site were used as landfill for domestic waste.