Description
Haydon Hall Park is part of the former grounds of Haydon Hall, an early C17th mansion, now demolished. The estate was acquired by Middlesex County Council in 1936, and the house and grounds were then owned by Ruislip-Northwood UDC, the park predominantly used for cricket. The park has the remains of the old lake, and the planting throughout is predominantly of the C19th with some fine trees.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Haydon Hall |
|---|---|
| Site location | Eastcote High Road/Joel Street/Southill Lane, Eastcote Village |
| Postcode | HA5 2EG |
| What3Words | ///angel.sizes.sailor |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Hillingdon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | cricket pitches |
| Public Transport | Tube: Northwood Hills (Metropolitan) then bus. Bus: 282. |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2016 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The park is in the former grounds of Haydon Hall, which had been built in c.1630 by the Countess of Derby (whose Almshouses remain on Church Hill in Harefield), then owned by Lord Chandos and in c.1720 was rebuilt by Sir Thomas Franklin. Later owners of Haydon Hall included Revd Thomas Clarke of Swakeleys who had it in 1763. Dr Adam Clarke, the theologian and Methodist leader, lived here between 1824-32 and organised the first Methodist congregation in Eastcote in 1827, providing the meeting place on his estate. He was also known for salvaging and arranging State papers, which resulted in the setting up of the Public Record Office.
From the 1930s Haydon Hall was owned by Ruislip-Northwood Council, the estate having been acquired by Middlesex County Council in 1936 with 14.7 acres of ground, and the house was demolished in the 1960s. Haydon Hall Park is dominated by its cricket club and pitch. Eastcote Cricket Club, which had been founded in c.1865, still plays in Haydon Hall Park. The park has the remains of the old lake, and the planting throughout is predominantly of the C19th and contains some fine trees including Wellingtonias, 2 cedars, limes, and remains of yew and laurel shrubbery. On Southill Lane there are some mature oaks, a number of which are also dotted around the mown grassland.
At the junction of Southill Lane and Eastcote High Road the mock-Tudor lodge to the estate still stands. Built in c.1886 and designed by George and Peto, it is now a private residence, with its original boundary walls and gate piers remaining to the west of lodge. A mound that marks the site of a disused ice-house is located by a lay-by near the junction of Southill Lane and Joel Street.
From the 1930s Haydon Hall was owned by Ruislip-Northwood Council, the estate having been acquired by Middlesex County Council in 1936 with 14.7 acres of ground, and the house was demolished in the 1960s. Haydon Hall Park is dominated by its cricket club and pitch. Eastcote Cricket Club, which had been founded in c.1865, still plays in Haydon Hall Park. The park has the remains of the old lake, and the planting throughout is predominantly of the C19th and contains some fine trees including Wellingtonias, 2 cedars, limes, and remains of yew and laurel shrubbery. On Southill Lane there are some mature oaks, a number of which are also dotted around the mown grassland.
At the junction of Southill Lane and Eastcote High Road the mock-Tudor lodge to the estate still stands. Built in c.1886 and designed by George and Peto, it is now a private residence, with its original boundary walls and gate piers remaining to the west of lodge. A mound that marks the site of a disused ice-house is located by a lay-by near the junction of Southill Lane and Joel Street.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ105889 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 5.95 |
| Site Ownership | LB Hillingdon |
| Site Management | Green Spaces Team |
| Dates | C19th; 1936 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Haydon Lodge; wall and gate piers to west of Lodge |
| 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 | Hillingdon |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Eastcote Village |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Green Chain |
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 is the gardens and small part of the former grounds of Eastcote House, the home of the Hawtrey family from 1532. Built on the site of an older house, Eastcote House stood close to the junction of Eastcote High Road and Field End. In the 1930s much of the estate was sold for development but the grounds were purchased by Ruislip-Norwood UDC in 1938 as public open space. The house was initially used for communal activities but demolished as unsafe in 1964. Within the grounds are the old Coach house, C17th walled garden, C18th dovecote and a ha-ha. There are many fine mature trees and more recent garden features include a herb garden planted for Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee in 1977, orchard, rockery and wildflower meadow.
Pretty Corner is a small triangular area of public garden at the junction of Fore Street and Eastcote High Road. It was once the site of Guts or Gutt's Pond, and was laid out in the 1930s as a public garden. It has trimmed hedges on the two roadside boundaries and a central flagstone path; the rear of the site has shrubbery and trees. It is overlooked by the picturesque New Cottages, built for estate workers in 1879 and designed by Ernest George and Harold Peto. Peto's father, Sir Samuel Morton Peto, was a teant of Eastcote Hall.
Eastcote War Memorial Garden was laid out in 1929 on the former site of Field End Farm pond, when the village war memorial was moved from its location at the busy junction of Field End Road and Bridle Road. The memorial takes the form of a stone cross and has bronze plaques with the names of those who died in WWI and WWII. The public garden, which has the original yew hedge to the road, has trees including two mature Common Ash trees, shrubs, lawn and ornamental bedding, is the location for Eastcote's well-attended Remembrance Day service, which in 2017 saw a gathering of over 1,100 people with 200 children presenting crosses.