Description
The land for Harrow Weald Recreation Ground was donated to the parish in 1895 by Thomas Blackwell JP, as recorded in a stone plaque set over the entrance arch of the small brick and timber lodge on the corner of High Road. The recreation ground was extended in 1937 when Harrow Council purchased the lodge and garden of Belmont, following the death of its owner Charles James Ward, who was a member of the parish council and benefactor of Harrow Hospital.
Practical Information
| Site location | Boxtree Lane/Maricas Avenue/Weighton Road/High Road, Harrow Weald |
|---|---|
| Postcode | HA2 |
| What3Words | ///player.trade.backed |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Harrow |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - dusk |
| Facilities | Tennis courts, basketball practice goal, cricket square, football pitches, children's play area, bowling green, car park |
| Public Transport | London Overground: Headstone Lane then bus. London Overground/Rail/Tube (Bakerloo): Harrow & Wealdstone then bus. Bus: 182, 258, 340, H12, H18 |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Thomas Francis Blackwell was the son of Thomas Blackwell of Crosse and Blackwell. He was a major landowner and farmer in the area, living at The Cedars (q.v.), and was an important local benefactor. He sponsored the rebuilding of All Saints' Church Harrow Weald (q.v.) in 1890 and donated land for the site of St Anselm's Church in Hatch End. Blackwell's donation of 15 acres for the recreation ground in 1895 was made in recognition of the loss of common rights suffered by local people through the Land Enclosure Act. At the opening he remarked that 'The time has come when we should try to adjust that balance, and that is why I am so glad to present this open space to the parish'. His name is commemorated in Blackwell Close near the recreation ground. Another local benefactor, Charles James Ward, lived at Belmont in Boxtree Lane, who was a member of the parish council for 30 years, and supporter of Harrow Hospital. Although he bequeathed his house and garden for a convalescent home for sick children, this proved impractical and the land and Belmont Lodge were purchased by Harrow Council and extended the recreation ground.
Near the entrance at Blackwell Close is an area of raised beds behind low walls with seating and formal planting. Paths run through the park and around the perimeter, which is planted with shrubs and trees. Other areas of formal planting occur at Boxtree Lane entrance and near the playground and bowling green.
Near the entrance at Blackwell Close is an area of raised beds behind low walls with seating and formal planting. Paths run through the park and around the perimeter, which is planted with shrubs and trees. Other areas of formal planting occur at Boxtree Lane entrance and near the playground and bowling green.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ148911 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 5.85 |
| Site Ownership | LB Harrow |
| Site Management | Environmental Services, Parks Services |
| Dates | 1895; 1937 |
| 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 | Harrow |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Open Space |
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
This site is a vestige of the C19th landscape park of Harrow Weald Park, a property built in 1805, prior to which it formed part of Harrow Weald Common. The house was subsequently demolished by the local council and homes for the elderly were built. Today much of the remaining site is largely built over with high quality housing, although ornamental woodland, a lake known as Squirrels Lake and notable specimen trees survive, with fine mature trees found along Brookshill Road.
The Cedars is now public open space owned by the local authority but it was part of the former gardens and parkland of a now demolished C19th house once owned by Thomas Blackwell of the well-known Crosse & Blackwell food processing company. It retains a large number of very fine trees, including notable lime, many Lebanon cedars and Wellingtonias, several large oaks and yews, interspersed with laurel shrubberies, flowering shrubs and trees.
All Saints Church was built as a simple stone church and was later extended. The walled burial ground was in use from 1845/6 and contains a number of fine trees, including an old yew. At the entrance is a lych-gate, from where a lime avenue leads to the church. Among those buried here are Edmund Crosse and Thomas Blackwell, who built up the famous business that bears their name. To the south of Uxbridge Road All Saints' Churchyard Extension or New Cemetery was opened in 1884.