London’s best local parks
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By Time Out editors
Posted: Fri Aug 29 2008
Clissold | Springfield | Battersea | Ravenscourt | Gladstone | Brockwell Finsbury | Victoria
Ravenscourt Park Ravenscourt Park, W6
Ravenscourt is less a traditional park, more a secret garden. While larger than your average private acreage, it has a refreshing local feel and is suitably off the beaten track. Nestling between the messy bustle of Hammersmith and the quiet splendour of Chiswick, it’s a hidden oasis of rural tranquility.
Even in the height of summer it remains blissfully calm, part of the reason being that west London is awash with big-name parks – Hyde and Holland being the main attractions.
Getting in 9/10
All the entrances are wide and Tarmac-ed, making the space popular with cyclists and disabled visitors. Its compact size means you’re never far from an exit – although only the one near Hamlet Gardens has an ice-cream van outside it. Ravenscourt Park tube is close by.
History 9/10
The first mention of Ravenscourt Park was in the thirteenth century; documents record the existence of a manor house surrounded by a moat fed by Stamford Brook. Feature continuesAdvertisementOriginally known as Paddenswick Manor, it acquired its current name in 1747 when the estate was sold to Thomas Corbett, then secretary to the Admiralty. Eager to make his mark, he named it after the raven on his coat of arms. Paddenswick Road, which runs along its north-east border, is a reminder of the original name. The park was a private estate for five centuries – among its medieval tenants was Edward III’s mistress, Alice Perrers – before it finally fell into public hands in 1888.
Disaster struck during World War II. Ravenscourt House was devastated by an incendiary bomb in 1941 and only the stable block remains. It’s now home to a charming tea house.
Park life 7/10
The Walled Garden is a hidden gem. Tucked away in the north-east corner, it exudes a Zen-like charm and is the perfect place to wile away an afternoon. If staring at plants isn’t your thing, then there are passable tennis courts, a bowling lawn and a putting green. Kids are well catered for with a paddling pool, a nature trail and a seriously fun adventure playground (adults are often spotted commandeering the rope slide). Lavatories are fairly basic.
Fun stuff 7/10
Bonfire night is the biggest date in the diary. Vast crowds gather to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over spectacular pyrotechnics that bathe the park in an ethereal glow. Space for 8,000 spectators at the bargain price of around a fiver each, makes it one of the capital’s finest displays.
The equally popular, but less spectacular, Carter’s Steam Fair rolls into the park most years. Children take centre stage in August with the annual PlayDay. A more highbrow note is struck in late summer with an evening of alfresco opera. Rounding off the summer season is the London Freewheel in September, a mass bike ride which attracts around 40,000 two-wheelers. Ravenscourt is one of four starting points (www.londonfreewheel.com).
Landmarks 6/10
Aside from the tea house, the buildings of note lie on the fringes. Thanks to its green and pleasant part of London, Ravenscourt has been a popular hospital location but little remains of the original sixteenth-century leper hospice. For many, the most interesting building is The Raven pub, famed for its gastro grub, cosy ambiance and perfectly mixed Pimm’s. Serena Kutchinsky
Total: 38/50
Ravenscourt Park, Paddenswick Rd, W6 (www.lbhf.gov.uk). Ravenscourt Park tube.
Clissold | Springfield | Battersea | Ravenscourt | Gladstone | Brockwell Finsbury | Victoria- Add your comment to this feature
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13 comments
As part of the £8.9 million restoration grant from Hackney Council and Lottery funds. Hopefully the football Goalposts will be fixed, and the basketball hoops sorted.
Actually why dosn't the Council ask the community what they would like to see improved in the park?
Is this too far fetched. An outdoor Sculture on the form of a type of rock looking surface that doubles as an outdoor freeclimbing rock for children and adults to climb around. It has movable climbing holds. Oh and outdoor ping pong tables like the one in London Fields?
Your thoughts.
the squatters, on the contrary, cleaned up the place that has been mismanaged by hackney council for a number of years allowing prostitutes, junkies and graffiti kids to trash it at their will.
they've put a lot of energy into clearance and planting stuff around and been evicted for no purpose and all their hard work trashed to leave place to, once again, a bare, uninviting picture.
i hope michael dixon, mark white and other hackney parks officials burn in hell long and nice.
Can anyone tell me the circumference of Clissold?
The squatters in the house on the edge of Clissold park were doing no harm, it added some colour and variety to the palce.
I really have no idea wat you are trying to say. I won't use sarcasm again as it's clearly been lost into oblivion...
you are very right opinion Mr. Mark I agree with your comments becuase in all the conjested atmospher its caused the pure groom health for the human being thats why i love vic part and also you said right thing, but whilst trends die, quality lives on. its so nice of you
Thanks for that Shami, we get a really good idea of your opinion from that post.
Technically not a park, but Hampstead Heath has to be the nicest outdoor space in London. Okay not as 'trendy' as Vic park, but whilst trends die, quality lives on.
no like the victoira park and i hope it wil win and you Sophie dont has perfect information and i love this park toooooooooo much as you think about it
I loooooveeeeee Vicky Park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
very nice magazine which keep in touch with the culture of the london city its os beautifful for me
Vic Park wins.
Yes!!!!!
What about Waterlow Park, Highgate?
Hi - re the Parks, specifically Battersea Park's description.
I'm sure "Getting In" to Battersea Park is better than 4/10, more like 8/10, and being almost flat it's very accessible. Public transport - not just the trains from Waterloo and Victoria (and Surrey and Middlesex) plus the London Bridge route and the 137 bus but several other buses pass the park or along Battersea Park Rd from the 452 from Kensal Green and Kensington, the 344 from Liverpool St, and there's the 156 from Wimbledon. Even the 360 bus (South Kensington to Elephant & Castle) stops just over Chelsea Bridge so the visitor gets a short walk across Chelsea Bridge with fabulous river views with the Power Station, or you can catch one of the 3 buses that cross the bridge, including the 44 (Tooting-Victoria).
As far as fun goes - it's a wonderful place to learn to rollerblade especially near the Pagoda (lessons and group skating) and what about the bike hire place which hires out all sorts of bikes for all ages?
Lastly, Battersea Park's famous annual November firework display is brilliant and excellent value.