Description
The Hyde Estate was the first major example of 'Homes for Heroes' housing development undertaken post WWI by Edmonton UDC. Commissioned in 1920 from architects Niven and Wigglesworth, the housing estate was designed in 'garden suburb' spirit, some of the houses having tile-hung twin gables. The original aim was to provide 2,000 houses but the scheme was financially unviable and had to be abandoned after only 232 houses had been built. There are a series of small greens among the housing, the principal of which is Hazelbury Green, which has four very plain areas of grass within railings, with no planting. In Park Lane there is a central railed strip of green, with some shrubs and trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | Park Lane/Hazelbury Green |
|---|---|
| Postcode | N9 |
| What3Words | ///grabs.dined.loss |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Enfield |
| Open to Public | Partially |
| Opening Times | provided for residents' use, but unrestricted access with unlocked gate |
| Facilities | none |
| Public Transport | Rail: Edmonton Green; Silver Street |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2000 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Hyde Estate was built for Edmonton Urban District Council, its first municipal housing scheme, undertaken as a result of initiatives instigated by the Government's Ministry of Reconstruction to address post WWI housing needs. A Committee was set up, chaired by Lord Salisbury, and proposed that the state should provide the finance for new housing that the local authorities would build, own and manage, and in 1919 the Housing and Town Planning Act was passed. Edmonton UDC approved an ambitious scheme for 2,000 houses, largely following the advice of its far-sighted Engineer, Cuthbert Brown. 172 acres of land were purchased from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for £60,000; although the District Valuer had valued it at £63,379, the Commissioners offered to accept the lower sum due to the worthy purpose it was being put to. The firm of architects selected to design the estate was Niven and Wrigglesworth, a loan was eventually secured and construction of the first 24 houses commenced in August 1920.
The layout echoed the principles of the 'Garden City' movement, with well-spaced semi-detached houses set in closes and quiet streets, with street trees and privet hedges planted by the Council. There was a variety of types of house, and three sizes, with amenities not generally found in working class housing at the time, such as bathrooms, inside toilets and hot water. The reception rooms were designed to face south, quite a revolutionary idea at the time. Unfortunately, the houses were not cheap to build and the Treasury was also facing considerable difficulties with its Housing scheme, due to numerous causes, among them the high costs of building materials, rising inflation and shortage of skilled workers and as no upper limit had been set the local authorities were not encouraged to cut costs. Consequently, on 12 July 1921 Edmonton UDC was told by the Ministry of Health that only those houses with brickwork commenced could be completed, a total of 232 houses. These were ready for occupation by May 1922. Unfortunately the much-reduced estate was provided with no amenities such as a church, public hall, shops, schools, public houses.
The tenants were provided with green space in the form of a series of small greens among the housing, the principal of which is Hazelbury Green, which today has four very plain areas of grass within railings, with no planting. In Park Lane there is a central railed strip of green, with some shrubs and trees.
The layout echoed the principles of the 'Garden City' movement, with well-spaced semi-detached houses set in closes and quiet streets, with street trees and privet hedges planted by the Council. There was a variety of types of house, and three sizes, with amenities not generally found in working class housing at the time, such as bathrooms, inside toilets and hot water. The reception rooms were designed to face south, quite a revolutionary idea at the time. Unfortunately, the houses were not cheap to build and the Treasury was also facing considerable difficulties with its Housing scheme, due to numerous causes, among them the high costs of building materials, rising inflation and shortage of skilled workers and as no upper limit had been set the local authorities were not encouraged to cut costs. Consequently, on 12 July 1921 Edmonton UDC was told by the Ministry of Health that only those houses with brickwork commenced could be completed, a total of 232 houses. These were ready for occupation by May 1922. Unfortunately the much-reduced estate was provided with no amenities such as a church, public hall, shops, schools, public houses.
The tenants were provided with green space in the form of a series of small greens among the housing, the principal of which is Hazelbury Green, which today has four very plain areas of grass within railings, with no planting. In Park Lane there is a central railed strip of green, with some shrubs and trees.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ334931 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Enfield |
| Site Management | Housing Department |
| Dates | 1920-22 |
| Designers | Niven & Wigglesworth architects |
| 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 | Enfield |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Space |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Pymmes Park is on the site of an earlier landscape park and is named after the estate's owners in the C14th. Pymmes Brook runs through the south. There were a number of illustrious owners, including the Cecil family who held it from 1582-1801. By 1801 little indication of earlier gardens had remained apart from a formal canal north of the house and the walled garden to the west. The estate was purchased by Edmonton UDC in 1897/8 and Northside opened initially, the remaining land then laid out and opened in 1906. Earlier landscaping such as a small lake, trees and shrubs were incorporated into the municipal layout, which centred on the elaborate lake. A bandstand, tennis and bowling facilities, formal gardens and walks were laid out. The old mansion was demolished in the 1940s, but the walled garden survives, restored to its 1930s design.
All Saints' Church was founded here in the C12th; the current building dates mainly from the C15th with later restoration and additions. The churchyard has a number of interesting tombs, including a grave dated 1667 and an C18th memorial with a figure of 'Time'. Charles and Mary Lamb lived nearby in 1833 and were buried here in 1834 and 1847 respectively. On one side of the churchyard is a row of almshouses built in 1679, a gift of one Thomas Styles for 12 poor parishioners, now modernised.
Millfield House, originally a smaller house, was enlarged in the latter part of the C18th to provide a fine suburban villa, which had a number of illustrious tenants. In 1849 it became a school for London workhouse children, which was extended over the years and by 1897 housed c.400 paupers. It was partially self-supporting with two meadows, a few acres of cultivated land, a herd of cows and some pigs. It closed in 1913 and from 1918-71 it was used as a hospital. It was re-opened by Enfield Council as Millfield House Arts Centre in 1979, encompassing a theatre and library (now relocated). The gardens immediately surrounding the house were landscaped with flower beds, shrubberies and trees; one of Enfield's communal air-raid shelters is found in the garden. Millfield House was re-opened in April 2011 following refurbishment.
