Description
Kingsbury Green became established as a settlement after the old village of Kingsbury was decimated by the Plague and largely abandoned. Kingsbury Green had long existed as public open space in the village but was lost when Church Lane was widened in 1924. Church Lane Recreation Ground, to the south of the original green and on the opposite side of Church Lane, was later provided for public recreation as the area was built over with suburban housing.
Practical Information
| Site location | Elthorne Way/Church Lane, Kingsbury |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW9 |
| What3Words | ///action.soup.ranch |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Brent |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Playground, sports fields. |
| Public Transport | Tube: Kingsbury (Jubilee) then bus. Bus: 83, 183, 302. |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2009 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Kingsbury Green was a large area of public open space in the old village of Kingsbury until the 1920s when the area was still largely rural. The Plough, a pub on one corner of the Green, was on the site of a medieval tenement and in the C19th/early C20th was the headquarters for 13 cycling clubs. Kingsbury is referred to pre-Norman Conquest when Edward the Confessor gave a third of the fruit growing in his woods here to Westminster Abbey, and the old parish church of St Andrew's (q.v.) is one of the borough's oldest buildings. Kingsbury Green was lost when Church Lane was widened in 1924, and Church Lane Recreation Ground, to the south of the original green and the opposite side of Church Lane, was laid out by the 1930s. The small recreation ground is largely laid to grass with a perimeter path and trees, and some planting of conifers, with shrubs and roses near the site of a small pavilion on the eastern boundary, now demolished.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ206881 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 6.25 |
| Site Ownership | LB Brent |
| Site Management | Parks Service |
| Dates | 1930s |
| 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 | Brent |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Silver Jubilee Park was an existing public open space that was re-named for the Jubilee of King George V in 1935. It has a scattering of earlier trees, including oak and poplar, mainly restricted to the slopes and perimeter, which counter the predominance of playing fields. Although well into the 1920s there was little development apart from the village at Kingsbury Green, the area then developed rapidly between the two world wars.
The Welsh Harp or Brent Reservoir originated as a canal feeder of 1810. In 1833 Regent's Canal Company decided to build the reservoir, which opened in 1838. Before this the area had been grazing land either side of Silk Stream and River Brent. From 1859-1899 the Reservoir was a fashionable destination for recreation and entertainment, largely due to the popularity of the Old Welsh Harp Pub, from which some say the area takes its name although another school of thought suggests the name arose from the shape of the reservoir, which resembled a Welsh Harp. The old inn building was replaced in 1938 but eventually demolished in 1971 for road construction. Willesden (later Brent) Regatta was held here until the 1960s. Although much of the area was built up, in 1972 a large tract of land was kept undeveloped and used for a variety of purposes including recreation, nursery gardens, allotments and marshland. Neasden Recreation Ground was created in 1927 on land donated by developers of the adjoining land. Welsh Harp Open Space was created in 1965 as a nature reserve, with new paths and other facilities in the late C20th.
The park is predominantly on former farmland, and includes the grounds of a house built in 1899 for Lady Mary Caroline Blair, Duchess of Sutherland. Originally called The Cottage, it was later renamed Kingsbury Manor, and remains within the park today together with the former coach-house, stables and walled garden. The site for the park was purchased by the local council in 2 stages, in 1935 and 1938 when Kingsbury Manor was acquired as a home for the elderly. From 1928 the coach house had been rented by television pioneer John Logie Baird. Roe Green Walled Garden has been run as a community garden project since 1990. Prior to the public park, there were private polo fields on part of the site established by James Buchanon, a well-known whisky producer who owned land in the area. Between 1939 and 1985 the park's facilities included a popular lido, Kingsbury Swimming Pool.
