Inventory Site Record

The public park was laid out in 1901 to provide a green 'lung' for the new Mayfield Estate, built by developer A Cameron Corbett, who donated land for the park to the UDC. The area grew up following the arrival of the railway in 1901 and is named after Goodmayes Farm, which once stood on what is now the park. The park is divided by Mayesbrook Road into two compartments, that in the north having a pair of lakes. One lake was created in 1945 from the crater left by a V2 bomb. The park has avenues of horse-chestnut and lime trees and retains its gothic-style gates and stretches of railings. In 2018 the area known as Goodmayes Park Extension was renamed Orchard Playing Fields.

Previous / Other name:

Goodmayes Recreation Ground; Goodmayes Park Extension

Site location:

Abbotsfield Road/Green Lane/Aberdour Road, Goodmayes, Essex

Postcode:

RM8

What 3 Words:

backup.august.baking

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Redbridge

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

Daily 8am-dusk (check site owner for closing time); closed Christmas Day

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Basketball, bowling greens (Goodmayes Bowling Club), children's play area, 2 cricket pitches, 3 football pitches + 6 on Park Extension, tennis courts, Trim Trail, Cycle Circuit

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: Goodmayes. Bus: 128, 129, 364, 368, 387.

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/11/2019

Last minor changes:

14/07/2022

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

Goodmayes Park and the Park Extension, now formally renamed Orchard Playing Fields, together form a large park. It was originally laid out in the early C20th as Goodmayes Recreation Ground along part of the course of the Mayes Brook. It was provided as a ‘lung’ for the new Mayfield Estate, which was built in 1900 by Archibald Cameron Corbett, the Glasgow MP and developer, responsible for the development of much of Ilford, and who later became Lord Rowallan. The site of the park was given by Corbett to the Urban District Council; he also provided Seven Kings Park, (q.v.). Goodmayes was an area that was developed when the railway station opened in 1901 and is named after Goodmayes Farm, which had belonged to Barking Abbey; the farmhouse once stood within the site of Goodmayes Park. The park is bisected by Mayesbrook Road forming discrete north and south compartments. The Mayes Brook was dammed in the north of the park to create a pair of lakes, the south of which has an island. The 'lake' in the park adjacent to the development was created in February 1945 where there was a huge crater left by a V2 bomb. Avenues of horse-chestnut and lime flank the paths and many of the trees were planted on Armistice Day 1937 by Men of the Trees to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Similar tree-planting is found in other parks in Redbridge including Valentines Park and Clayhall Park (q.q.v). The park retains its gothic-style gates and stretches of railings that were produced by Hill & Smith, Brierley Hill, c.1930. The Goodmayes Park Friends Group was formed in 2009. In 2017 an orchard was planted in the area previously known as Goodmayes Park Extension, which in December 2018 was renamed Orchard Playing Fields, the culmination of a project to give this part of the park its own distinct identity. It was opened by the Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal.

Sources consulted:

Victoria County History

Grid ref:

TQ466865 (546650,186550)

Size in hectares:

28

Site ownership:

LB Redbridge

Site management:

Vision Redbridge Culture and Leisure Ltd; Friends of Goodmayes Park

Date(s):

1901

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:

Yes - Borough Importance II

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Local Open Space