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Broomfield Park (also known as Broomfield House, Enfield)

Pgds 20150527 231234 Garden Of Remembrance Broomfield Park London N13   Geograph Org Uk   1592689

Introduction

Broomfield Park is an early-20th-century public park. It incorporates gardens laid out in the early-18th century to complement the house. The house is now derelict, following a fire. There are two lakes, a boating lake, a bowling green, a children's play area, a sports pitch, a green house and the remains of a walled garden.

Terrain

The site is on level ground and is set within a largely residential area of Enfield.

The following is from the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. For the most up-to-date Register entry, please visit The National Heritage List for England (NHLE):

Early 18th century gardens set in a park and associated with a mansion. Converted for use as a public park in 1903.

Location, Area, Boundaries, Landform and Setting

Broomfield House stands towards the south-east of the 21ha site, with the gardens and park lying to the west. The site is on level ground and is set within a largely residential area of Enfield between Arnos Park to the west and Palmer's Green to the north-east. The park is bounded by Alderman's Hill (A1004) to the north, Powys Lane to the west (B1452), Broomfield Avenue beyond a row of houses to the east, and Broomfield Lane bordering the southern edge of the park. The south-east boundary is marked by C16 to C18 brick walls (listed grade II) and there are park railings along the south-west, west and north sides.

Entrances and Approaches

The main approach to the House is from Broomfield Lane from where a drive leads west to the south side of the House. There are further entrances into the gardens and park from the surrounding roads on all sides.

Principal Building

Broomfield House (listed grade II*) originates from a C16, two-storey, timber-framed farmhouse, which was gradually expanded and altered through the C17, C18 and C19. The remaining exterior is largely C19 but with fake timberwork added by the Council in 1928-32. The fires damaged a staircase and a series of early C18 murals by Gerald Lanscroon, currently (1999) in store and awaiting restoration.

The early C18 rectangular stable block stands to the south of the House, currently (1999) empty. The stable court is enclosed by high, early C18 brick walls.

Gardens and Pleasure Grounds

A chain of four formal ponds runs north/south across the site to the west of the House. The southern three are rectangular and are depicted on the C18 maps (Rocque, 1754). A half-timbered bandstand of 1926 stands on the west side of the southernmost pond. The three southern ponds lie, along with the House, within a walled enclosure, the walls of which date from the C16 to C18 (west, south and inner walls listed grade II, east wall listed grade II*). The bowed north wall has been demolished. A gateway breaks the west wall at a point opposite the west front of the House, on either side of which are openings in the brickwork, now infilled with modern railings. These may have been early features, serving as clairvoies. An early C18 pavilion (listed grade II*) is built into the eastern wall, south of which is a gateway into Broomfield Lane.

The fourth and northernmost pond lies outside the walled enclosure. It is oval in shape and was an early C20 addition. A shelter stands at its northern end. To the east of the oval pond is a garden area with a children's playground beyond.

Garden of Remembrance

In the south-east corner of the gardens, lying between the stables and outbuildings to the north and the Broomfield Lane boundary to the south-east, is a walled Garden of Remembrance designed by the Borough Architect and Surveyor, R Phillips, and opened in 1929. An arcaded temple is flanked by pergolas, with a memorial cairn in front.

This walled memorial garden contains a small temple, in front of which is a cairn of stones. Each stone represents a life lost in war, and originally there were 280. Three small windows in the temple celebrate sacrifice, victory and fortitude. The entrance gates were presented in honour of Frank Barratt. This garden commemorates the soldiers who died in both World Wars, and the civilians who lost their lives in World War 2. The garden was opened on July 7th, 1929. The gates and memorial plaques have previously been stolen and replaced.

Park

To the west of the walled gardens is an area of open parkland, crossed by a double avenue extending north-west from the centre of the west wall of the gardens. The avenue now consists of lime trees, which were planted in the late C20 along the line of a double elm avenue shown on mid C18 plans. The north-east quarter of the park is occupied by a number of tennis courts and two bowling greens (on the northern boundary of the park), which were laid out from the early C20 onwards.

To the east of the gardens, the entire eastern side of the park is occupied by a sports ground.


Maps

  • Estate map, 1599 (Enfield Local History Unit)
  • J Rocque, Map of Middlesex, 1754
  • Southgate Enclosure map (Enfield Local History Unit)
  • OS 25" to 1 mile: 1st edition published 1865
  • 2nd edition published 1896
  • 3rd edition published 1914
  • 1936 edition

Description written: March 1999

Edited: May 2000

Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts

Access contact details

The park is open from 8am Mon-Sat / 8.30am Sundays to dusk (refer to Council website for seasonal details).

Directions

Rail: Palmers Green. Bus: 121, W6, 329

Owners

London Borough of Enfield

History

The following is from the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. For the most up-to-date Register entry, please visit The National Heritage List for England (NHLE):

16th - 17th Century

The house was built in the 16th century and is shown on an estate map of 1599 (Enfield Local History Unit), at which time it was owned by Geoffrey Walkaden. By the end of Elizabeth I's reign, it was the property of Alderman Sir John Spencer, who sold it to Joseph Jackson, a City merchant (in possession by 1624). Rocque's map of Middlesex, 1754, shows the park with its present boundaries, a series of ponds and an avenue.

18th - 20th Century

In 1773, Mary Jackson received the property as part of her dowry on her marriage to William Tash. Mary Tash's will, dated 1811, left the property to Louise Powys and her husband Henry Phillip Powys, of Hardwick House, Bucks. The Powys family lived at Broomfield until 1858 and it was then leased out until 1902, when the freehold was sold to Southgate Urban District Council.

The House and park were opened to the public in 1903. T H Mawson (1861-1933) advised on adapting the grounds to public use and his plan for Broomfield was published in his book Civic Art but few of his recommendations were implemented. The House was subsequently used as a school, a health centre, a café and a museum.

The House was gutted by fires in 1984, 1993 and 1994 and is currently (2024) unoccupied.

In 2003 Broomfield House was featured on the BBC television series Restoration as a nominee for the south-east segment of the show. It unfortunately lost out to London's Wilton's Music Hall. However, further funding applications have been submitted by Enfield Council to 'memorialise' Broomfield House and upgrade other areas, have won first stage National Heritage Lottery Funding. More information can be found on the 'restoring Broomfield house for the community' website.

Period

  • 20th Century (1901 to 2000)
  • Early 20th Century (1901 to 1932)
Associated People
Features & Designations

Designations

  • The National Heritage List for England: Register of Parks and Gardens

  • Reference: GD1496
  • Grade: II
  • The National Heritage List for England: Listed Building

  • Reference: Broomfield House; remains of C16-18th east wall with attached early C18th pavilion/garden house & stableblock.
  • Grade: II*
  • The National Heritage List for England: Listed Building

  • Reference: remains of C16th-C18th west, south and north walls of Broomfield House enclosing ponds
  • Grade: II

Plant Environment

  • Environment
  • Water Garden

Style

Formal

Features

  • Ornamental Pond
  • House (featured building)
  • Now Derelict
  • Description: The house was built in the 16th century and is shown on an estate map of 1599.
  • Latest Date:
  • Boundary Wall
  • Description: The south-east boundary is marked by 16th to 18th century brick walls (Listed Grade II)
  • Railings
  • Description: There are park railings along the south-west, west and north sides.
Key Information

Type

Park

Purpose

Recreational/sport

Plant Environment

Environment

Principal Building

Parks, Gardens And Urban Spaces

Period

20th Century (1901 to 2000)

Survival

Extant

Hectares

21

Open to the public

Yes

References

References

Contributors

  • London Parks and Gardens Trust

Related Documents
  • CLS 1/982/1

    Restoration of an Historic Public Park, Vol.1 Survey and Analysis - Hard Copy

    Parklands Consortium - 1997

  • CLS 1/982/2

    Restoration of an Historic Public Park, Vol.2 Conclusions and Recommendations - Hard Copy

    Parklands Consortium - 1997

  • CLS 1/982/3

    Restoration of an Historic Public Park, Vol.3 Appendices - Hard Copy

    Parklands Consortium - 1997

  • CLS 1/982/4

    Reinstatement of Lanscroon Murals, Report and Budget Figures !7 Oct 1997 - Hard Copy

    International Fine Art Conservation Studios Ltd, Bristol - 1997