Description
Up to 1920 Kenton remained a small village but it grew rapidly as housing was built, largely as a result of the railway coming to the area. Laid out c.1920s, pre-WWII Kenton Recreation Ground was smaller, the north-west corner then being taken up with Wealdstone Sewage Farm, and part of the site was a Council rubbish tip.
Practical Information
| Site location | Carlton Avenue/Becmead Avenue/Alicia Avenue/Kenmore Avenue/Brampton Grove, Kenton |
|---|---|
| Postcode | HA3 |
| What3Words | ///caged.thinks.petal |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Harrow |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Children's play area, tennis courts, football and soccer pitches, outdoor gym, car park |
| Public Transport | London Overground/Tube (Bakerloo): Kenton. Bus: 114, 183, 223, H10, H18. |
| Research Updated | 1 January 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Kenton in Anglo-Saxon meant 'a farm of the sons of Coena', and there are records from 1251 of a hamlet that developed along the Wealdstone Brook. Up to 1920 it remained a small village with a population of under 300 but it grew rapidly as housing developed, largely as a result of the railway coming to the area. Within the park near Brampton Grove to the north of the site is an area known as Kenton Rough, which is reserved as a wild flower meadow in which among the plants flowering are corn cockle and corn marigold, which are thought to have been introduced by the Romans bringing seed corn for their troops. The park has some formal beds and various areas of ornamental shrubs and conifers, and trees throughout with a line of Lombardy poplars adjacent to the raised playing field.
Kenton Outdoor Health and Fitness Gym was officially launched on 12 April 2011. It was especially designed to offer a resistance and cardiovascular workout activity for all abilities, from beginners to experts, and is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Kenton Outdoor Health and Fitness Gym was officially launched on 12 April 2011. It was especially designed to offer a resistance and cardiovascular workout activity for all abilities, from beginners to experts, and is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ165889 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 21.04 |
| Site Ownership | LB Harrow |
| Site Management | Environmental Services, Parks Services |
| Dates | ?1920s |
| 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 | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance (small part in northwest) |
| 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
Wealdstone Cemetery was established by Roxeth Burial Board in 1902, the first burial taking place on 8 November in that year. The boundary with Byron Recreation Ground is hedged, and the cemetery's original stone and brick banded gate piers and entrance gates are of the same design as those at the recreation ground entrance. The Cemetery Superintendent's house was originally the gatehouse at the entrance to the recreation ground on Stuart Road. Serpentine tarmaced paths run through the cemetery, which has some scattered trees and a number of flower beds, with gravestones and monuments set in grass.
Byron Recreation Ground is named after Lord Byron who was educated at Harrow School. The original layout of the park included a pavilion and bandstand, no longer in existence. It has tarmac paths around its perimeter and various walks, with trees, shrubberies and some formal beds near the entrance. A line of Lombardy poplars marks the eastern boundary of the park along the iron railings abutting Wealdstone Cemetery.
Northwick Circle was laid out as part of the Northwick Park Estate developed by Captain E G Spencer-Churchill, who had inherited the Kenton estate in 1912. The opening of 2 stations provided an incentive to Spencer-Churchill's plans to develop an estate of high class residences, with a tennis and social club as the focal point. Although 3 roads were laid out by 1914, the estate was not built until the 1920s/30s, and was less ambitious than planned. The Palaestra was built as the estate's social and sports club in 1923, set in 5 acres of grounds at Northwick Circle. In 1953 it became the home of the Harrow District Masonic Society, and remains set in a pleasant grassed area with scattered trees and shrubs.
