Description
Hornfair Park was laid out in 1935 on land originally purchased for housing by the LCC that was transferred to the Parks Department for a public park. It opened as Charlton Playing Fields in 1936, with formal gardens and recreation facilities. Charlton Lido opened in 1939 and is the only remaining open-air pool in the borough. The park was renamed Hornfair Park in 1948 after the Charlton Hornfair, which was held on Charlton village green from medieval times until 1816. Until recently the park was unusual in having a canogie pitch for women's Gaelic football but this has now gone.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Charlton Playing Fields |
|---|---|
| Site location | Shooters Hill Road, Charlton |
| Postcode | SE18 4LX |
| What3Words | ///guides.occupy.league |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Greenwich |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 9am - dusk |
| Facilities | Charlton Lido, with gymnasium, public café. Paddling pool (summer holidays only), children's playground, bowling, football pitches, hard tennis courts, basketball, BMX track |
| Public Transport | Rail: Blackheath then bus. Bus: 89, 178 |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2015 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
In 1926 the land here, once part of the estate of the Lords of the Manor of Charlton, was originally purchased by the LCC for housing but an area that was surplus to the Housing Department's requirements was transferred to the LCC Parks Department in 1935 at a cost of £12,000 and the site was laid out as a public park. An additional £19,000 was spent on landscaping the park and providing facilities including a children's playground, paddling pool, tennis courts, bowling green and pavilion. It opened as Charlton Playing Fields in 1936 and was only later renamed Hornfair Park in October 1948.
On 6 May 1939 Charlton Lido was opened in the park, built for the LCC by local firm Thomas & Edge of Woolwich for £28,000. It was the last and smallest of the four Lidos built by the LCC in the late 1930s, the others being those at Parliament Hill, Brockwell Park and Victoria Park (q.q.v.), the latter no longer extant. All four were built of red brick and were architecturally and structurally similar although each had its own unique character. The pools had diving boards and slides, with symmetrical wings for male and female changing facilities, and later cafes and areas for sun bathing were provided. The Lidos were surrounded by walls to keep non-customers out and to provide a windbreak and suntrap. Against the corner exterior walls at the shallow end of Charlton Lido there were twin aerators in cascades, which differed from the more traditional 'wedding cake' fountains found at the other three lidos. It also differed in being the first LCC lido to provide a Children's Pool, which later became commonplace at other lidos in the UK.
The opening ceremony on 6 May 1939 was performed by the Mayor of Greenwich with the Chair of the LCC Parks Committee, Mrs Hugh Dalton, attended by 800 people. A diving display was given by the Greenwich Swimming Club and a trumpet fanfare by the London Fire Brigade Band. During WWII, like other swimming pools in London, the lido was equipped to provide a fire emergency water supply. It re-opened to the public in 1946. The lido was taken over from the GLC by Greenwich Council in 1971. It remained open to the public until the end of the 1989 season, suffering like other public facilities from cutbacks at the time. With great support of volunteers, mostly from associations affiliated to the Greenwich Amateur Swimming Association and in partnership with Greenwich Council, it reopened for two summer seasons in 1991 and 1992. Although not open to the public in 1993 and 1994, the lido continued to be used by the Charlton Lido Swimming Club and other local sports clubs. In 1995, however, the pool was once more open to the public for a short 7 week season in the school holidays, under the auspices of Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), who run other local indoor swimming facilities. For the rest of the year local swimming, canoeing and other groups kept the pool in use, thus contributing to its upkeep, ensuring the plant and equipment remains in working order and acting as a deterrent to vandalism. It continued to be used in subsequent years, although it later closed in 2007. The lease was transferred to GLL and this historic Lido was refurbished in time for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The park now has a BMX track and other sports facilities.
The park is named after Charlton Hornfair, which was held on St Luke's Day, 18 October. Until 1816 it took place on the village green near the parish church of St Luke (q.v.), and it may have dated from the time of King John granting the rights to hold the fair to a miller. Daniel Defoe, writing in early C18th remarked that: 'Charleton, a village famous or rather infamous for the yearly collected rabble of mad-people, at Horn-Fair; the rudeness of which I cannot but think, is such as ought to be suppress'd' but he went on to say that despite this 'there are some very good houses lately built in this town' and 'tis indeed a very pleasant village'. When the village green became part of Charlton House Grounds (q.v.) the fair moved to Fairfield but was later suppressed in 1872. In recent years, a fair is again held in the grounds of Charlton House, a revival of the old Hornfair.
Adjacent to the Lido, the park has unusually coherent formal gardens laid out on the axis from west-east with a large circular bed at the park's west entrance in front of the Lido. A sunken lawn, pool, and fountain are surrounded by thick planting of flowering shrubs. An axial walk leads to the drinking fountain, and beyond to the bowling green and pavilion. Other facilities include a children's play area with a large paddling pool and playing fields. The park was unusual in having a canogie pitch for women's Gaelic football, although this has now gone.
Next to the park, on Shooters Hill Road near to the pedestrian footbridge is the Old Blue Cross Pet Cemetery and Memorial Garden (q.v.).
On 6 May 1939 Charlton Lido was opened in the park, built for the LCC by local firm Thomas & Edge of Woolwich for £28,000. It was the last and smallest of the four Lidos built by the LCC in the late 1930s, the others being those at Parliament Hill, Brockwell Park and Victoria Park (q.q.v.), the latter no longer extant. All four were built of red brick and were architecturally and structurally similar although each had its own unique character. The pools had diving boards and slides, with symmetrical wings for male and female changing facilities, and later cafes and areas for sun bathing were provided. The Lidos were surrounded by walls to keep non-customers out and to provide a windbreak and suntrap. Against the corner exterior walls at the shallow end of Charlton Lido there were twin aerators in cascades, which differed from the more traditional 'wedding cake' fountains found at the other three lidos. It also differed in being the first LCC lido to provide a Children's Pool, which later became commonplace at other lidos in the UK.
The opening ceremony on 6 May 1939 was performed by the Mayor of Greenwich with the Chair of the LCC Parks Committee, Mrs Hugh Dalton, attended by 800 people. A diving display was given by the Greenwich Swimming Club and a trumpet fanfare by the London Fire Brigade Band. During WWII, like other swimming pools in London, the lido was equipped to provide a fire emergency water supply. It re-opened to the public in 1946. The lido was taken over from the GLC by Greenwich Council in 1971. It remained open to the public until the end of the 1989 season, suffering like other public facilities from cutbacks at the time. With great support of volunteers, mostly from associations affiliated to the Greenwich Amateur Swimming Association and in partnership with Greenwich Council, it reopened for two summer seasons in 1991 and 1992. Although not open to the public in 1993 and 1994, the lido continued to be used by the Charlton Lido Swimming Club and other local sports clubs. In 1995, however, the pool was once more open to the public for a short 7 week season in the school holidays, under the auspices of Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), who run other local indoor swimming facilities. For the rest of the year local swimming, canoeing and other groups kept the pool in use, thus contributing to its upkeep, ensuring the plant and equipment remains in working order and acting as a deterrent to vandalism. It continued to be used in subsequent years, although it later closed in 2007. The lease was transferred to GLL and this historic Lido was refurbished in time for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The park now has a BMX track and other sports facilities.
The park is named after Charlton Hornfair, which was held on St Luke's Day, 18 October. Until 1816 it took place on the village green near the parish church of St Luke (q.v.), and it may have dated from the time of King John granting the rights to hold the fair to a miller. Daniel Defoe, writing in early C18th remarked that: 'Charleton, a village famous or rather infamous for the yearly collected rabble of mad-people, at Horn-Fair; the rudeness of which I cannot but think, is such as ought to be suppress'd' but he went on to say that despite this 'there are some very good houses lately built in this town' and 'tis indeed a very pleasant village'. When the village green became part of Charlton House Grounds (q.v.) the fair moved to Fairfield but was later suppressed in 1872. In recent years, a fair is again held in the grounds of Charlton House, a revival of the old Hornfair.
Adjacent to the Lido, the park has unusually coherent formal gardens laid out on the axis from west-east with a large circular bed at the park's west entrance in front of the Lido. A sunken lawn, pool, and fountain are surrounded by thick planting of flowering shrubs. An axial walk leads to the drinking fountain, and beyond to the bowling green and pavilion. Other facilities include a children's play area with a large paddling pool and playing fields. The park was unusual in having a canogie pitch for women's Gaelic football, although this has now gone.
Next to the park, on Shooters Hill Road near to the pedestrian footbridge is the Old Blue Cross Pet Cemetery and Memorial Garden (q.v.).
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ420771 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 9.96 |
| Site Ownership | RB Greenwich |
| Site Management | Parks and Open Spaces Department |
| Dates | 1935 |
| Designers | LCC |
| 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 | No |
| 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
The Old Blue Cross Pet Cemetery is adjacent to Hornfair Park and was once part of the former site of Charlton Kennels, which originated as a private kennel set up by an army veterinary surgeon in 1897. The purpose was to provide temporary housing for the pets of army officers whilst on manoeuvres or engaged in the Boer War. After the outbreak of WWI the kennels rapidly filled and the facility was enlarged and refurbished with funds from the local branch of Our Dumb Friends League, which later became The Blue Cross. An animal hospital was established here in 1925. This and the kennels continued until 1958 and '57 respectively. The animal cemetery was levelled in 1947 and became a memorial garden with the stones laid into the ground. In 2012 the Friends of the Pet Cemetery was formed to restore the neglected cemetery, which has at least 240 gravestones, the earliest dated 1908.
The public park is former parkland of the manor of Charlton. The manor house survives as a fine example of Jacobean domestic architecture with remnants of its formal gardens. From 1767 - 1925 it was owned by the Maryon Wilson family, who then gave it to Greenwich Borough Council and Charlton Park was opened as a recreation ground in 1929. It is partly separated from the grounds of Charlton House by a brick ha-ha of 1847. The north boundary wall dates mainly from the C17th and there is a notable Lime Walk aligned with Charlton House. The park is now dominated by sports pitches but there are a number of newly redesigned gardens, including a Japanese-style herb garden, and the adjoining pond garden.
Charlton retains a village character with its old parish church and former manor house. Charlton House, a fine example of Jacobean domestic architecture, was built in the early 17th for Sir Adam Newton on the site of an earlier manor house, and survives with remnants of its formal gardens and C17th summerhouse. From 1767 - 1925 it was owned by the Maryon Wilson family, who then gave it to Greenwich Borough Council, and the house was used as a library and a community centre, the stables becoming an area housing office. The walled gardens have been planted as a series of gardens and some of the original parkland remains as Charlton Park, which is separated from Charlton House Grounds by a C19th ha-ha. The village green where the annual Hornfair was held was adjacent to the house until it was enclosed in 1829.
