Description
The land for Hampstead Heath Extension was acquired from Eton College in the early C20th. It is a sloping grassland with a number of old hedgerows, mature oak trees and a series of 7 ponds fed by a stream, one of which is an old field pond. The lower part of the slope has playing fields, while at the upper part the fields are managed for hay. To the north it is separated from Hampstead Garden Suburb by a boundary wall punctuated by a raised terrace known as Sunshine Corner.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | The Wyldes |
|---|---|
| Site location | Hampstead Way/Wildwood Road |
| Postcode | NW11 6UX |
| What3Words | ///belong.turns.values |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Sports fields |
| Public Transport | Tube: Golders Green (Northern) |
| Research Updated | 1 July 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Hampstead Heath falls within 2 London boroughs, the largest proportion being in LB Camden, with 44 hectares in Barnet. See Hampstead Heath (q.v.) in LB Camden for main history. Hampstead Heath Extension was acquired from Eton College in the early C20th. It is a sloping grassland area with a number of fine old hedgerows, a series of 7 ponds fed by a stream, one of which is an old field pond, the others dug between 1907 and 1915, and trees include mature oaks. The lower part of the slope has playing fields, while at the upper part the fields are managed for hay. The Walter Field Memorial Drinking Fountain is north of junction between Hampstead Way and Wildwood Road. To the north it is separated from Hampstead Garden Suburb by a boundary wall which is punctuated by a raised terrace in the form of a rectangular lawn, Sunshine Corner (q.v.), at the end of Heathgate. The wall running west of the terrace from Heathgate to Hampstead Way is known as The Great Wall and was designed by Charles Wade for Parker and Unwin, inspired by medieval town wall. Along the Wall are a series of garden pavilions for the houses behind, each with a gazebo overlooking the heath, designed in the style of Lutyens. It was intended to run east to Wildwood Road but only the west part was built by 1914.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ258879 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | City of London Corporation |
| Site Management | Open Spaces |
| Dates | early C20th |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Walter Field Memorial Drinking Fountain; The Great Wall |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | Yes: Common (CL18) |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Barnet |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Conservation Area Name | CAs on fringes of Heath |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Metropolitan Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Other LA Designation | Metropolitan Park |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Heathcroft is an estate of Neo-Georgian flats built in 1923-4 for Second Hampstead Tenants Ltd, to designs of J B F Cowper following an architectural competition. His design, influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, consists of linked blocks of 3 and 4 storeys laid out in an inverted 'T' arrangement with a 1-storey caretaker's cottage at the front. The development was informed by the ethos of Hampstead Garden Suburb and communal facilities were an important part of the estate, which includes various areas of communal gardens and recreational facilities.
Waterlow Court is an enclave of cloistered flats designed in 1904 by architect M H Baillie Scott, his only multiple housing scheme for Hampstead Garden Suburb. It was built as a communal residence for professional single women by the Improved Industrial Dwellings Company Ltd, whose chairman was Lord Sidney Waterlow. Around the buildings are five landscaped areas with lawns, beds, a wild garden with 35 fruit trees and a 1939 pre-cast shelter. The layout remains similar today to that of Baillie Scott's original plan; it is likely that the planting scheme was inspired by Gertrude Jekyll.
Hampstead Garden Suburb was conceived by Dame Henrietta Barnett in 1903 when the area, hitherto rural, became ripe for development. Her aim was to provide a garden suburb for the working classes, with some larger houses as well as amenities. The overall layout was the work of Raymond Unwin. The street pattern followed the land contours, with curving and straight roads to create interesting viewpoints, closes and squares, numerous street trees, a pedestrian network of footpaths and a variety of green spaces. The first phase was largely built between 1907 - 1912 and included Heathgate, at the end of which is a terrace that overlooks Hampstead Heath Extension, from which it is separated by a low brick wall. The terrace has a few trees and bushes against the wall that surrounds it on the other three sides. The wall continues either side of the terrace creating the boundary between the private gardens and the heath and was inspired by medieval town walls.
