Inventory Site Record

Named after E B Montesole, a Councillor and resident of Pinner, Montesoles Playing Field or Recreation Ground is on land acquired by the local Council for recreational use in 1935. A wooded area to the north contains a section of the ancient Grim's Dyke as well as remains of C19th chalk pits. Chalk extraction took place in Pinner from medieval times.

Previous / Other name:

Montesoles Playing Field

Site location:

Montesole Court Grove/Uxbridge Road, Pinner Green

Postcode:

HA5

What 3 Words:

orange.bland.intent

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Harrow

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

7.30am - dusk

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Children's play area, football and soccer pitches, cricket square, tennis courts, multi-use court, basketball practice goal, car park

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Pinner (Metropolitan) then bus. Bus: H12, H13

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Research updated:

01/01/2012

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

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

The park is on land acquired by the local Council for recreational use in 1935 and is named after E B Montesole, a Councillor and resident of Pinner. He was dedicated to preserving the open spaces of the area and helped achieve their legal protection in the 1930s when the land here was under threat from housing development. The park gates on Montesole Court were erected to commemorate another local Councillor, Thomas Arthur Ellement, who was one of the first Aldermen of the new Borough of Harrow, who died on 23 May 1957.

At the top of the site, just north of the Playing Field, is a wooded area in which there are a number of mature oak trees that contains a section of the ancient Grim's Dyke earthworks, as well as the remains of Pinner's old chalk pits. Chalk extraction had been dug from the surface from mediaeval times for agricultural and building purposes but by the C19th deeper extraction began with pits from 25 to 120 feet below the surface dug in Pinner and Northwood. The Bodimeade family had begun their brick and tile works in Weald in the C17th within the area of Harrow Weald Common (q.v.) and their descendants the Blackwell family had the majority of the chalk works in Pinner.

Sources consulted:

Teresa Farino, Charlotte Pagendam, Sue Swales & Mathew Frith, 'Nature Conservation in Harrow', Ecology Handbook 13 (London Ecology Unit) 1989; Joanne Verden 'Ten Walks Around Pinner', (The Pinner Association) 1999 ed.

Grid ref:

TQ114903 (511420,190340)

Size in hectares:

8.09

Site ownership:

LB Harrow

Site management:

Environmental Services, Parks Services

Date(s):

1935

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

Grim's Dyke: SAM

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 - Boro Importance II (see note)

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

Yes - Grim's Dyke: Area of Archaeological Priority

Other LA designation:

Open Space. NCA: Chalk pit/Grim's Dyke