Racing hooves once thundered where we now stroll in Hylands Park. This green space wasn’t always the tranquil park we see today. It holds stories of speed, daring, and even a touch of wartime drama.
Hylands Park is a public park in the London Borough of Havering. It sits in Hornchurch, near Romford. Havering London Borough Council manages the park. It proudly holds Green Flag Award status.
Let’s rewind to the early 20th century. The land now forming Hylands Park was agricultural. In 1920, the French family bought it. They owned the Oak Public House on Victoria Road, Romford. Initially, they used the land for grazing and a piggery. An orchard also grew here.
But things were about to change. In 1925, a developer named Mr. Hastings laid out a trotting track. He built stands and stables. Imagine the excitement of race days. The first race meeting occurred on Whit Monday 1925. Large crowds flocked to see the trotting horses. Owners came from all over the country. Royalty might even have attended. The horses arrived by rail. Special horse boxes were shunted into Waterloo Road Railway Sidings.
However, the popularity of trotting meetings declined. The track eventually closed. But its memory lives on. The trotting track survives as the large oval path. It encircles the cricket and football pitches.
In 1927, Hornchurch Urban District Council purchased the land. They planned to create a public park. Hylands Park formally opened on Saturday 1 June 1929.
Now, picture this: October 12, 1940. A Spitfire fighter plane took off from nearby RAF Hornchurch. The pilot, John McAdam, quickly realized flames were shooting from the engine. He desperately searched for a landing spot. Below, he saw Hylands Park. The park teemed with children playing. McAdam spotted a narrow gap between two houses. In a split-second decision, he crash-landed the plane. He sliced the wings off on the houses. The plane stopped in a front garden on Globe Road. The only casualties were a dog and some chickens.
Hylands Park suffered bomb damage during the war. A V2 rocket destroyed the Park Keepers hut. It also damaged the surrounding area. The hut housed clubs and equipment for the pitch and putt.
After the war, Hornchurch Athletic football club moved into Hylands Park. In 1953, Hornchurch Athletic Cricket Club joined them.
Today, Hylands Park offers many facilities. There are six tennis courts, a cricket table, and a full-sized football pitch. A large children’s play area is available. You can also find an outdoor gym area and a multi-use games area.
The main gates on Osborne Road once belonged to Grey Towers. Grey Towers was demolished in 1931.
In 1987, a hurricane devastated Hylands Park. Many of its finest trees fell. Pupils from Hylands School planted the poplars near the Globe Road exit.
Take a stroll along the oval path. Remember the racing hooves and the brave pilot. Hylands Park is a place of recreation and a repository of local history. It stands as a testament to community spirit and resilience.