Description
Eltham Park North was once part of the estate of Avery Hill and was acquired by the LCC in 1929/30 for public open space. To the south is an earlier LCC park, Eltham Park South, accessed from a pedestrian footbridge over the railway and Eltham Relief Road that separates the two park. In 1936 Shepherdleas Wood was added to the park, a large tract of native oak woodland, which is part of the ancient Shooters Hill Woodlands. In the centre of the park is Long Pond, surrounded by willows and ornamental shrubs.
Practical Information
| Site location | Rochester Way/Eltham Park Gardens, Eltham |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SE9 |
| What3Words | ///goes.hotel.sticky |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Greenwich |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Permissive bridleway |
| Public Transport | Rail: Falconwood. Bus: B16 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Eltham Park North was once part of the estate of Colonel J T North at Avery Hill (q.v.). The land was acquired by the LCC in 1929/30, and in 1936 Shepherdleas Wood was added to the park, a large tract of native Oak woodland, with a notable woodland bank to Rochester Way, which is part of ancient Shooters Hill Woodlands (q.v.). Off Eltham Park Gardens the park has an area of rough open space; otherwise it is largely grass on a site sloping north with some shrubbery, trees including Lombardy poplars, and is laid out with simple asphalt paths. In the centre is Long Pond, which is planted with willows and ornamental shrubs and attracts wildfowl. To the south is an earlier park, Eltham Park South, the two parks separated by the railway and now also by the Eltham Relief Road, access between the two via a pedestrian footbridge.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ436753 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | RB Greenwich |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces Department; Friends of Eltham Parks |
| Dates | 1929/30 |
| 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 | Greenwich |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - SSSI Shepherdleas Wood |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Character of Metropolitan Importance |
| Other LA Designation | Green Chain (Green Chain Walk) |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Eltham Park South is on land that was once part of Colonel J T North's estate at Avery Hill. It was acquired in 1902 by the LCC after North's death in 1896 and laid out for public recreation. Eltham Park North was provided in 1929, the two parks divided by the railway and now also by the Eltham Relief Road, access between the two via a pedestrian footbridge. Trees include a clump of oaks and an avenue of horse chestnuts from the footbridge south, with some paths having avenues of trees. Eltham Park Lido opened in 1924 and was a popular facility but was closed in 1988. It has now been demolished and grassed over.
Shooters Hill Woodlands include Oxleas Wood, Jack Wood and Castle Wood, as well as Sheperdleas Wood and Eltham Common. There are areas of ancient woodland at least 8000 years old and coppicing was practised from medieval times until the 1920s. Shooters Hill follows the old Roman Watling Street, and the area was notorious for highwaymen. Bodies of convicted highwaymen were hung on gibbets along the road as a deterrent. The woodlands came into local authority management in the C20th, some areas on the fringes having been in private ownership such as Castle Wood and Jack Wood, both acquired in the 1920s and have remnants of formal gardens. Oxleas and Sheperdleas Woods were purchased in 1936, as was Falconwood, a house initially used as hotel, later incorporated into Oxleas Woods. Oxleas Meadows to the east of Jackwood was originally the site of Wood Lodge.
Eltham Cemetery opened in 1935 laid out as a regimented grid of plots with trees planted along the paths and around the boundary. To the south is a more wooded area with numerous mature trees and grassland. In 1956 Eltham Crematorium was added in the eastern section, with a Remembrance Chapel designed as a tiny replica of Liverpool's Roman Catholic Cathedral. To the east is a large landscaped Garden of Remembrance, planted with many trees, shrubs, paths, a pergola walk and lake with small waterfall. A series of Memorial Courts were opened in 1996.