HISTORY
|
The present day park is a remnant of the parkland designed by Humphry Repton in 1793 for Highams House (now Woodford High School for Girls). His "Red Book" of designs for the estate grounds still exists.
The parkland stretches downhill from the house towards the Ching Brook which used to meander over the land that was excavated to form the artificial lake which is now part of Epping Forest. The 20-acre field for the park was acquired by Waltham Forest Council in 1937 to preserve it as a green space forever. During the Second World War, the field was used for allotments. At the end of the conflict, "prefabs" were built there on condition that the land would be restored as park land and that, at the insistence of local residents, none of the large trees should be felled. A total of 176 families were re-housed there until 1960 on what was now named "The Highams Park". In 1948, the brick shed near Tamworth Avenue, which had served as a First Aid Post during the war, was converted into Highams Park Community Club, with a kitchen, piano and stage. (Source: "A History of Highams Park & Hale End" by M.L. Dunhill 2005) |
HOMEBLOGCONTACT |
