Forgotten by some, Horn Park holds secrets to the past. But what stories do these 16 acres tell?
Horn Park is a public park in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. It is within the Horn Park area and the Eltham area. It is a mix of grassland and woodland. There is a children’s playground here. You can find a football pitch and an outdoor gym. Horn Park even boasts the first skate park in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Once, this land was part of Eltham Manor’s three deer hunting parks. Over time, it became grazing farmland and a fruit orchard. Today, Horn Park is some of the last remaining open space. It sits next to the Horn Park housing estate. The estate was completed just after the Second World War.
The name Horn Park has evolved. It was once known as West Horne and Lee Park. It was also recorded as Home Park. “Horn” may come from Old English. It could mean “a projecting horn-shaped piece of land.” Another theory suggests Saxon Horne. This means corner as it formed a bulge on the edge of the Eltham parish. The area and the public park share the name Horn Park.
Horn Park stretches 530 meters east to west. It spans 120 meters north to south. The east side widens to about 180 meters. This gives the park a total area of 6.5 hectares. The eastern edge rises to about 32 meters above sea level. The west side reaches around 50 meters. This elevation offers views of the surrounding area.
Gavestone Crescent enters Horn Park at the northwest gate. It curves around the park’s northern side. This paved road serves pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users. Much of Horn Park’s green space lies south of Gavestone Crescent. The park maintains short grass. Some areas are left to grow for wildlife. The western corner is woodland. The eastern third has patches of trees and bushes. A thin strip of trees follows the southern boundary.
The northwest side features a playground. It has equipment for small and older children. A zip line, swings, and climbing frames provide entertainment. Picnic tables are also inside the playgrounds. East of the playground is a floodlit multipurpose game court. Next to that is the skate park. It was the first skate park in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Opposite the playground is an outdoor gym. A full-size football pitch sits on the west side of the main field.
Horn Park shares its name with the area. It is close to the London Borough of Lewisham and Bromley. The shops and community hall of Horn Park are nearby. Middle Park and Eltham are also within easy reach.
Most of Horn Park’s boundaries meet the gardens of residential roads. The southern boundary is a wooden fence. It separates the park from houses on Winn Road. The western fence backs onto gardens on Guibal Road. The eastern fence separates Horn Park from houses on Motingham Lane. The northern fence borders Alnwick Road and Gavestone Road. A chain link fence separates the park from Horn Park Primary School.
Five entrance gates provide access to Horn Park. The southern gate is from Winn Road. The northwest corner has a footpath to Gavestone Road. The northeast corner joins a gate on Alnwick Road. A vehicle gate exists next to the allotments.
During William the Conqueror’s reign, Eltham Manor belonged to Odo of Bayeux. King Edward VI established Horn Park as a royal deer hunting park in 1465. By 1481, Horn Park was an enclosed park of 140 hectares. It included a moated lodge with various farm buildings and an orchard.
In the mid-17th century, Edward Sackville oversaw the land. The English Civil War saw the destruction of Eltham Palace and the deer parks. After Charles I’s execution, Horn Park came into the possession of Thomas Walsingham.
The estate turned to arable land in the late 17th century. In 1860, Thomas Blenkiron used the land to graze race horses. In the early 19th century, Horn Park was a fruit farm. Development began in the 1930s. Woolwich council started building the Horn Park housing estate in 1936. Construction paused during World War II. The estate finished after the war. It consisted of 1,100 homes.
In the late 1940s, Gaveston Crescent was laid down with prefab houses. In 1968, the prefab houses were torn down. The land became open again. This made the park its current size. A skate park opened in January 2003. Frances Walker raised money for outdoor gym equipment. It was installed in 2009.
Horn Park has won the Green Flag Award several times. This recognizes its quality as a green space.
Horn Park’s history is tied to Eltham Parish and later the County of London. Today, it is part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The park and housing estate were once an electoral ward named Horn Park.