Claybury Woods and Park, including Repton Park (also known as Claybury Hall and Hospital, Claybury Wood, Hospital Hill Wood, Redbridge Open Space)⁷⁷²⁷

Brief Description

In 1997 the Health Authority sold the Hospital estate for an exclusive private housing development, renamed Repton Park, but 18 hectares of ancient woodland and 38 hectares of parkland became part of a new public park, Claybury Park. This also incorporated Redbridge Open Space to the south, itself part of the Claybury estate until the 1880s.

History

Claybury Park was once part of the Claybury estate, held by Barking Abbey from the 12th century; it contains Claybury and Hospital Hill Woods, remnants of ancient woodland of Hainault Forest. Claybury was developed into a fine gentleman's estate from 1786 by James Hatch, who built a new mansion, expanded the estate and commissioned Humphry Repton to advise on landscaping the parkland. By 1847 the estate was some 440 acres and included Claybury Woods as well as a number of properties. In 1887 it was sold and Claybury Asylum was built by 1893, the first mental hospital built by the new LCC.

Visitor Facilities