Inventory Site Record

The land was formerly part of Read's Farm and was purchased from Edward Spencer Churchill by Wembley UDC in 1913 and laid out as a public park in memory of the late king and also in compensation for the loss of Wembley Park as public open space. King Edward VII Park was opened on 4 July 1914, reputedly by Queen Alexandra. The park had a lodge, a rustic bandstand and picturesque refreshment pavilion; a children's gymnasium with swings, a giant slide and see-saws, a shallow pond and a drinking fountain. There were facilities for tennis and bowling, and the lower part was laid out for cricket and hockey, separated by a belt of elms. There were gravelled walks and seating, formal planting and numerous beds with shrubs and trees.

Site location:

Park Lane/St John's Road, Wembley

Postcode:

HA9 7RX

What 3 Words:

saying.ears.entry

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Brent

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Tennis courts, playground, sports pitches, bowling green, children's playground

Events:

Public transport:

Rail/London Overground/Tube (Bakerloo): Wembley Central. Bus: 79, 204, 223, 297; 18, 83, 92, 182, 224, N18.

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Research updated:

01/06/2001

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

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

Edwardian park on land that was formerly part of Read's Farm, purchased from the then owner Edward Spencer Churchill by Wembley Urban District Council in 1913 at a cost of £8,050, with a further £6,500 spent on its layout. The Builder had reported in 1910 that a park of 'more than 20 acres will shortly be dedicated to the public by Wembley UDC in memory of the late king', but a second purpose was to answer public protest at loss of Wembley Park as an open space. The park was opened on 4 July 1914 with the proceedings kicked off by the Wembley Town Band playing the National Anthem. It was apparently opened by Queen Alexandra although there is no mention of her in the official souvenir programme. The opening address was by Titus Barham, who when he died in 1937 left his land to the local people which is now Barham Park (q.v.).

The park was enclosed by 'unclimbable fences' - in the north a 'substantial Jarrah fence along the frontage of Park Lane, a Jarrah pale fence of attractive design with recessed main entrance gates to match', with wrought-iron fences to south and west. The lodge and other buildings were designed by the Council engineer and surveyor Cecil R W Chapman. A children's gymnasium was set up in the north east corner with swings, a giant slide and see-saws, a shallow pond and a drinking fountain. In the south-west were 3 tennis courts and a 6-rink bowling green as well as a tennis and bowls pavilion. A thatched bandstand of rustic design of larch and oak was erected in the centre of the park and a 'picturesque refreshment and cricket pavilion' were 'carefully designed to harmonise with the surroundings'. The lower part was laid out for cricket and hockey, separated by a 'noble belt of elms'. Gravelled footwalks and seating were provided and there were numerous beds planted with shrubs and trees.

The park retains its gates and railings at the top, where there are flower beds, grandiose terraces and steps, with brick piers having capitals and concrete urns. On the level ground to the west it is chiefly laid out for playing fields, with structural planting of Horse Chestnuts, Willows and Lombardy Poplars, and the later planting of flowering trees, cypress, shrubs etc., is fairly thin, but the whole excellently maintained. The bandstand was burned down in October 1963.

Sources consulted:

Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England London 3: North West' (Penguin, 1999 ed); Geoffrey Hewlett, 'A History of Wembley' (1979) pp 99-103; Len Snow 'Brent, W 142, The Builder 1910, v.99. 557; Park Opening souvenir programme, 1914; Adam Spencer, 'Wembley and Kingsbury: Britain in Old Photographs', (Sutton Publishing, 1995); Len Snow, 'Brent - Wembley, Willesden and Kingsbury' (Phillimore, 1990)

Grid ref:

TQ181855 (518269,185632)

Size in hectares:

10.5

Site ownership:

LB Brent

Site management:

Parks Service

Date(s):

1914

Designer(s):

Cecil R W Chapman, Borough Engineer and Surveyor

Listed structures:

None

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

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

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 - Local Importance

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Public Open Space

King Edward VII Park, June 2001. Photo: S Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.