Plashet Park

Plashet was a small hamlet in the parish of East Ham first mentioned in 1560. The name means 'an enclosure in the wood' recalling that it was once in an area of forest. Plashet Park was formerly the grounds of Wood House, a late C18th weather-boarded house situated west of High Street North; it is remembered in the name Woodhouse Grove that runs along one side of the park.

In 1889 the vicar of East Ham and J H Bethell acquired the land for use as a public park with a grant of £3,000 from the City Parochial Trust towards the cost. The park opened in 1891 and its original layout is relatively intact. Surrounded by a tree-lined perimeter walk, the park was crossed by two straight east / west paths flanked by an avenue of trees as well a further avenue along a curving path across the south eastern corner where a bowling green was sited, still there today. In the centre of the park were a number of small buildings and a bandstand in a circular area surrounded by trees, which had disappeared by 1949 although the circle of trees remains. Two drinking fountains in the park are no longer there, although the original gates at the western entrance survive. Various new features were added over the years including tennis courts and a play area with paddling pool.  Between 1976 and 2015 there was a sensory garden near the Rutland Road entrance and more recently a food growing initiative behind the multi-use games area.  A wooden board indicates this work was undertaken with the local primary school and a community group (Appleyard) but by 2026 this was no longer functioning.  Park amenities (in July 2026) included; bowling green (previously mentioned in the south east corner); two tennis courts (in the north west corner); cricket nets adjacent to Woodhouse Grove; public toilets and a playground in the centre.

The plant nursery for Newham's Parks and Gardens Section previously occupied the site that later became Plashet Zoo where birds including waterfowl were first kept in 1964. Later other animals including goats, ponies, wallabies, llamas and Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs were added as the zoo developed and it had a tropical aviary in a former greenhouse, and an ornamental pond with a bridge and fountain. In 1991 the Tropical Butterfly House was opened by Chris Pakham in another former greenhouse converted by one of the Park Keepers; a third greenhouse was used as a classroom. Further improvements and new areas were developed from 1992 and a Friends of Plashet Zoo was established in 1996, with a newsletter, 'Arkives'. Following a series of break-ins, LB Newham was no longer able to justify the costs of keeping Plashet Zoo secure, the Zoo closed in 2002 and the animals were transferred to Newham City Farm on the Beckton and Custom House border.  During the 1990s and 2000's one of the employees at the zoo, Reggie Evans, would drive a trap pulled by Joe, a horse which came to Plashet Zoo from Newham City Farm and give cart rides around the park including newly weds leaving the Registry Office (then at the Passmore Edwards Library).

The park is surrounded by modern railings but has what appear to be the original gas lamps inscribed 'Ford & Co. Regent Street. London'. There were formal displays at the entrance and a small Garden for the Blind created with the help of pupils of Woodside Comprehensive School opened in 1976 by the Mayor, Cllr L A Wood.  An ornamental garden ran along Plashet Grove - it has been neglected somewhat since 2024.  There are plenty of mature trees, especially around the perimeter which include sycamore, lime, London plane and copper beech.

Adjacent to the park's south west corner is the fine red brick and stone Passmore Edwards Public Library, built in 1898-99 designed by Silvanus Trevail. The library closed in 1903.  The Registry Office was opened there but closed again in 2019.  A community group (Applecart) operated a cafe and ran other community activities in the building from 2021 until 2025. 

In 2011 Newham Council was consulting on a Masterplan for the park's future development, subject to funding being raised. The Council were awarded a joint  HLF/Big grant of £66,000 to work up these designs in more detail. A full grant of £1.3m was awarded in 2012 and the works to repair the railings, footpaths, children's play area and park 'furniture' with interpretation boards was completed by October 2015.