Inventory Site Record

Fairlop Waters Country Park is part of the larger Fairlop Plain. The famous Fairlop Oak was reputedly the largest tree in Hainault Forest, the site of a famous fair held on the first Friday in July until c1892 although the oak itself had been blown down. The open ground was created when part of The King's Wood was cleared in 1853 and divided by the Crown into three farms. Part of Forest Farm became a WWI balloon station, which may have saved it from development, and Hainault Farm had an RFC landing ground. In 1938 part of the land was sold to the Corporation of London who had plans drawn up to build City Airport here. In WWII it became RAF Fairlop, after which it was sold to Ilford Borough Council and used for gravel extraction. Gravel pits were flooded to create lakes and it was then opened as a country park and golf course. There are now 3 lakes, one of which is used for boating.

Site location:

Forest Road

Postcode:

IG6

What 3 Words:

income.wiring.lung

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Redbridge

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

unrestricted to most of site

Special conditions:

Facilities:

9 and 18 hole golf courses and floodlit driving range, angling lake, water sports, boulder park, remote controlled car track, children's play area, café

Events:

Public transport:

Tube: Barkingside, Fairlop (Central). Rail: Ilford. Bus: 66, 150, 167, 169, 247, 275, 296, 396, 462.

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/09/2010

Last minor changes:

14/07/2022

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

Sources consulted:

Bridget Cherry, Charles O'Brien, Nikolaus Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England, London 5: East', Yale University Press, 2005 p322/3; Edward Walford, 'Village London, the Story of Greater London, Part 2 - North and East', first published 1883/4 (1985 ed., The Alderman Press)

Grid ref:

TQ453906 (545350,190650)

Size in hectares:

Site ownership:

LB Redbridge

Site management:

Nature Conservation Team

Date(s):

mid 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:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

Yes - Borough Importance I

Green Belt:

Yes

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Heritage Land