Description
Now called Spikes Bridge Park, the Municipal Sports Ground in Southall was opened on 24 July 1937 by Lord Farringdon and provided facilities for bowls, cricket and tennis. Its original gates, which had a striking 1930s design, are no longer in place although the massive brick gate piers remain, now with bland gates of more recent date. The park is separated by a hedge from the Grand Union Canal on its western boundary.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Spikes Bridge Playing Field; Municipal Sports Ground, Southall |
|---|---|
| Site location | Carlyle Avenue, Southall |
| Postcode | UB1 2AP |
| What3Words | ///pushed.wool.fund |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Ealing |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 7.30am - dusk |
| Facilities | Playground, tennis courts, football and cricket pitches, running track. |
| Public Transport | Rail: Southall then bus. Bus: 95, 105, 120, 207, 607, E5. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Municipal Sports Ground in Southall was opened on 24 July 1937 by Lord Farringdon. Formerly fields, the 20 acre site was provided with facilities for bowls, cricket and tennis, which were laid out by Southall Borough Council at a cost of £21,000. Southall Borough Council had been formed in 1936, replacing the Southall - Norwood Urban District Council. The new sports ground was described in the press as 'a real oasis for mind and body in an industrial area'. Its original gates, which had a striking 1930s design, are no longer in place although the massive brick gate piers remain, with bland gates of more recent date. The park is separated by a hedge from the Grand Union Canal on its western boundary and there is access to Canal Walk with views to Durdan Park beyond. The Hillingdon Trail crosses the Canal. Now named Spikes Bridge Park, there is a pond in the south-west corner of value for birds and wetland plants, and the children's playground has a waterside theme.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ124812 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 8 |
| Site Ownership | LB Ealing |
| Site Management | Leisure & Parks Service |
| Dates | 1937 |
| 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 | Ealing |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
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
King George's Playing Field is so-named from the funding received by Southall Borough Council from the King George's Fields Foundation, which was set up as a memorial following the King's death in 1936. The playing field has the original metal gates with brick gate piers and heraldic stone plaques commemorating King George. The Grand Union Canal (Paddington Branch) runs along the western boundary and to the north is the ground of Southall Cricket Club, founded in 1887.
In 1935 Ealing Council purchased a site of over 12 acres of former farmland to create Jubilee Park and Jubilee Gardens, named for King George V's Silver Jubilee. The smaller area for Jubilee Gardens included an Arts and Crafts style Branch Library and Welfare Centre, with pleasure gardens having a lodge and WC, trees, flower beds and a shelter. The remaining area was laid out as a recreation ground with playground, provision for sport, paths, two shelters and tree planting. A pair of large black Italian poplar trees in the park pre-date the municipal layout.
Southall Park opened to the public in 1909, the land having been acquired by Southall-Norwood UDC in c.1908. In the C17th it was part of the estate of Christopher Merrick, 2nd largest landowner in the area, whose mansion was originally called Shepherds Haw. In the C19th Southall Park was used as a school and then as a private asylum. In 1883 Southall Park House burnt down with the loss of 6 lives including that of proprietor Dr Boyd, a catastrophe that led to the establishment of Southall Fire Brigade. The Council laid out the grounds with new footpaths and a circular walk, a bandstand, tennis courts, bowling green and play area, a boating lake added in 1922, now a dell. There was formal bedding along principal walks with annual planting of some 40,000 plants from the park's small nursery, and a secluded rose garden. Concerts and garden parties were regularly held and it was the venue for celebrations such as Southall Charter Day in 1936.