Inventory Site Record

The land for Hampstead Heath Extension was acquired from Eton College in the early C20th. It is a sloping grassland with a number of old hedgerows, mature oak trees and a series of 7 ponds fed by a stream, one of which is an old field pond. The lower part of the slope has playing fields, while at the upper part the fields are managed for hay. To the north it is separated from Hampstead Garden Suburb by a boundary wall punctuated by a raised terrace known as Sunshine Corner.

Previous / Other name:

The Wyldes

Site location:

Hampstead Way/Wildwood Road

Postcode:

NW11 6UX

What 3 Words:

belong.turns.values

Type of site:

Public Open Land

Borough:

Barnet

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Sports fields

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Golders Green (Northern)

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Research updated:

01/07/2005

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Hampstead Heath falls within 2 London boroughs, the largest proportion being in LB Camden, with 44 hectares in Barnet. See Hampstead Heath (q.v.) in LB Camden for main history. Hampstead Heath Extension was acquired from Eton College in the early C20th. It is a sloping grassland area with a number of fine old hedgerows, a series of 7 ponds fed by a stream, one of which is an old field pond, the others dug between 1907 and 1915, and trees include mature oaks. The lower part of the slope has playing fields, while at the upper part the fields are managed for hay. The Walter Field Memorial Drinking Fountain is north of junction between Hampstead Way and Wildwood Road. To the north it is separated from Hampstead Garden Suburb by a boundary wall which is punctuated by a raised terrace in the form of a rectangular lawn, Sunshine Corner (q.v.), at the end of Heathgate. The wall running west of the terrace from Heathgate to Hampstead Way is known as The Great Wall and was designed by Charles Wade for Parker and Unwin, inspired by medieval town wall. Along the Wall are a series of garden pavilions for the houses behind, each with a gazebo overlooking the heath, designed in the style of Lutyens. It was intended to run east to Wildwood Road but only the west part was built by 1914.

Sources consulted:

Michael Waite, Daniel Keech, Meg Game, 'Nature Conservation in Camden', Ecology Handbook 24 (London Ecology Unit), 1993; Jan Hewlett, Ian Yarham, David Curson, 'Nature Conservation in Barnet', London Ecology Unit, 1997; Bridget Cherry & Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England: London 4: North (Penguin, 1998); The Parks Agency 'Commons, Heaths and Greens in Greater London. A short report for English Heritage', 2005

Grid ref:

TQ258879 (525922,187725)

Size in hectares:

30.06 (within Hampstead Heath)

Site ownership:

City of London Corporation

Site management:

Open Spaces

Date(s):

early C20th

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII: Walter Field Memorial Drinking Fountain; The Great Wall

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

Yes: Common (CL18)

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Metropolitan Importance

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

Yes

Special Policy Area:

Other LA designation:

Metropolitan Park

Hampstead Heath Extension, looking east, October 2000. Photo S Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.