Woodside Park (Wood Green, London)

Coordinates: 51°36′15″N 0°06′39″W / 51.6042°N 0.1108°W / 51.6042; -0.1108

Woodside Park
Location Wood Green London, N22
Area 3.8 hectares (9.4 acres)
Opened 1914
Designer unknown
Operated by London Borough of Haringey
Open 24 hours
Awards Green Flag Award since 2016
Public transit access Wood Green Tube, Buses - 29, 121, 232, 329, W3, W4

Woodside Park is a public park Wood Green. The site was originally part of the much larger Chitts Hill Estate which covered a large part of Wood Green and beyond. Most of what later became the park was developed as Earlham Grove House and grounds in 1865.[1]

Facilities

Woodside House in use by Haringey Council

The park has a mix of open ground, trees, a play area, a bowling club and a sensory garden.[2] There are also a number of important buildings in the park, including:

  • Woodside House - formerly Earlham Grove House
  • Mushroom House or Round House - the former gate house to Chitts Hill House, built in 1822 and now Grade II listed.[3]
  • The old pavilion - now used as a privately-run children's nursery
  • I Can Care Building - providing for the Asian elderly
  • Fatisa - a restaurant

History

“Round House” or “Mushroom House”. Built in 1822 as the gatehouse for Chitts Hill House.

Before the park

The site was originally part of the much larger Chitts Hill Estate which covered a large part of Wood Green and beyond. Most of the park itself became part of Earlham Grove House which was built in 1865. Former occupants include philanthropist Catherine Smithies (1785-1877), who founded the Band of Mercy animal welfare group which later merged with the RSPCA.

Creation of the park

Wood Green Local Board purchased Earlham Grove House with 11 acres of land in 1893. The park was laid out and by 1914 boasted a bandstand (demolished at some point between 1957 and 1973). A pavilion was erected by the bowling green before 1935.[4]

The house, which was converted to Council offices and later enlarged, was used as Wood Green Town Hall until 1958.

References

  1. ↑ Pinching, Albert (2000). Wood Green Past. Historical Publications.
  2. ↑ London Borough of Haringey Management Plan 2016
  3. ↑ Historic England Listing
  4. ↑ Parks & Gardens UK
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.