Description
In 1904 the area here was mostly fields and Brentfield to the east was then known as Dog Lane. By 1935 the site was surrounded by housing development, but the Old Orchard is tucked away, accessed by a path between houses from Stonebridge Park. On the site are mature pear trees presumably from the former orchard, as well as birch and sycamore trees.
Practical Information
| Site location | Stonebridge Park/Gloucester Close |
|---|---|
| Postcode | NW10 |
| What3Words | ///fades.venue.cone |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Brent |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | daylight hours |
| Public Transport | London Overground/Tube (Bakerloo): Stonebridge Park. Bus: 206. |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2001 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ205843 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.25 |
| Site Ownership | LB Brent |
| Site Management | Housing Department |
| 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 | Brent |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Local Importance |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Gallery
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
Stonebridge Recreation Ground opened to the public on 4 October 1902 on land that was part of the District Council's Sewage Farm. It was 'intended to be the nucleus of a far larger open space for the use of this crowded part of the parish'. By 1906 11 acres south of the sewage farm had been acquired and laid out for cricket, football and a playground, and in 1957 an open air theatre was built. In 2000 new gates designed by local children in memory of a Stonebridge community leader were erected, leading to a formal landscaped area with seats, circular paving, trees and beds.
Brent River Park was created as part of the River Brent Restoration Project, and links two existing public open spaces on either side of the river Brent in Tokyngton,.Together with the acquisition of further land holdings to the north this now provides a linear park of c.2km. The area on the west of the river is Tokynton Recreation Ground, with St Raphael's Open Space on the east, both dating from the 1980s. Originally part of the land here was a sewage farm. The Brent River Park Project is part of a wider flood alleviation scheme; a partnership between LB Brent and the Environment Agency, the project aims to enhance employment, provide opportunities for recreation and improve safety and accessibility to the locality.
St Mary's Church and churchyard are lonely survivors of the old village, otherwise obliterated by development. Founded c.938, St Mary's is the oldest parish church in north-west London. It was famous as a place of pilgrimage from the C13th onwards for its image of the Virgin Mary. By the C19th the churchyard was full and in 1865 the newly established Willesden Burial Board purchased a 4-acre site, which became known as the 'new section', opening in 1868. Many well-known local people have been buried here although few pre-C19th gravestones remain. The churchyard is walled with some good horse chestnuts and lime trees. Large-scale development has taken place around the Old Burial Ground, and extensive repairs and new paths are also being created in both churchyard and burial ground.
