Inventory Site Record

Durnsford Park was created in the early C20th and is now part of the Wandle Valley National Park. It is open grassland with a perimeter path; trees include mature willow in the east. It is surrounded by housing and a school, and has clumps of shrubs and new tree planting. In the 1990s the existing wetland next to the railway was extended into Durnsford Recreation Ground itself. A hedgerow was planted set into the park along the northern edge in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II diamond jubilee in 2012.

Historically there was a bowling green and tennis courts.  A sizeable playground with fake boulders exists now.  There is also a separate smaller triangular shaped playground leased to the adjacent school during school hours and surrounded by high fencing. Brooklands Avenue Allotments lie adjacent to the park in the North East corner near the woodland and pond - this area of land was formally part of the recreation ground.

Previous / Other name:

Dursnford Park; Durnsford Recreation Ground

Site location:

Lucien Road/Wellington Road

Postcode:

SW19 8EY

What 3 Words:

sizes.cups.speak

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Merton

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

8am (weekdays)/9am (weekends/Bank Hols) - dusk

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Play area, kickabout area, climbing boulders

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: Earlsfield. Tube: Wimbledon Park (District). Bus: 156.

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

27/03/2025

Last minor changes:

27/03/2025

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.merton.gov.uk/environment/openspaces/parks/parks_in_the_wimbledon_area

Prior to 1865 the area was part of land belonging to Wimbledon Park Farm.  In 1895 the area remained as fields though it is not clear from maps whether this was still farmland or separately owned plots.  In a map published in 1920 (Surrey Sheet VII.NE) the land is shown for the first time as a recreation ground with a school adjacent that still exists today.  To the north east, land is attributed to the 'Incandescent Mantle Works'.  By 1933 the land occupied by the Mantle Works had become part of the recreation ground and turned into an Athletics Ground with a bowling green and tennis courts introduced at the south west corner.  From 1938 the Athletics Ground had disappeared, though the land remained part of the park - the tennis courts and bowling green are still shown.  Sometime between 1968 and 1970 a remnant of the Athletics Ground had become a triangular plot for allotments.

By 2002 (and probably sometime earlier) the bowling green and tennis courts were removed and the land turned to grassland and in part given over to a playground and basketball pitch.  Between 2004 and 2006 fake climbing boulders were added to the playground.  In 2013 a more formal basketball pitch was created with hard-standing.  In 2015 a smaller triangular playground with hard-standing and play equipment surrounded by wooden slatted fencing was created to the east of the school to extend the school play area.  This smaller playground is available for public use outside school hours.

In the 1990s the existing wetland next to the railway was extended into Durnsford Recreation Ground itself. A hedgerow was planted set into the park along the northern edge in 2012 to mark Queen Elizabeth II diamond jubilee in 2012 incorporating apple, pear, plum, quince, hazel and cherry trees together with raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries. The Wimbledon Park Residents' Association is currently the friends group for this site.

Sources consulted:

National Libraries of Scotland maps: Ordnance Survey TQ2572NE-B 1968; OS2572A 1951; Surrey Sheet VII.NE 1944, 1937 and 1920.

Google Earth [accessed 27 March 2025] and using historical images.

Go Parks London: https://www.goparks.london/park/durnsford-road-recreation-ground/

Merton Interactive Policies Map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/78a6e3e399bb43aab8553d1050989313 [accessed 27 March 2025]

Wimbledon Park Residents Association and Wimbledon Community Park Trust: https://www.wimbledonpark.com/

Grid ref:

TQ254724 (525510,172499)

Size in hectares:

3.71

Site ownership:

LB Merton

Site management:

Leisure and Culture Services

Date(s):

early C20th

Designer(s):

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:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Public Open Space. Green Corridor

Durnsford Recreation Ground - View of the park from the woodland, Helen Monger, March 2025

Click a photo to enlarge.