Imagine stepping back in time to a place where a mighty oak once stood. This is the story of The New Fairlop Oak. It is a story rooted in history and community.
The New Fairlop Oak gets its name from a famous oak tree. The original Fairlop Oak stood at Fullwell Cross. It was a landmark for centuries. Sadly, the great oak blew down in 1820.
In 1909, locals planted a new oak. They hoped to keep the Fairlop Oak’s memory alive. The new tree stood on the site of the former tree in the recreation ground. This act of remembrance connects The New Fairlop Oak to a legacy.
Our story goes back to 1725. Daniel Day a marine engineer from Wapping started the Fairlop Fair. He owned cottages near Fairlop. Every year he collected rents on the first Friday in July. Day wanted to make it a special day for his tenants friends and employees. So he organized a party under the Fairlop Oak. They shared a meal of beans and bacon.
The fair grew quickly. Others joined in. Soon it became a huge annual event. People came from all over London. The Fairlop Fair became one of London’s most popular entertainments. It attracted hundreds of thousands of people.
Daniel Day always attended the fair. After an accident he became nervous about traveling by road. He had a boat built called the Fairlop Frigate. He traveled on the Thames and River Roding to Ilford. From there horses pulled the boat to Fairlop. A marching band led the way.
The Fairlop Fair Song celebrated these frigates. People sang about music and merriment. They defied dull care on the first Friday in July. This tradition of wheeled Fairlop Frigates continued until the last Fairlop Fair in 1900.
In 1851 Parliament allowed the enclosure of Hainault Forest. Much of the forest was destroyed. It became farmland. The Fairlop Fair continued on a smaller scale in Barkingside. But the original Fairlop Oak was no more.
Today The New Fairlop Oak stands as a pub. It offers food drinks and a place to gather. You can even download an app to order easily. It’s a modern establishment but its name recalls a rich past. The pub reminds us of the Fairlop Oak. It stood for community tradition and the spirit of celebration.
The New Fairlop Oak isn’t just a pub. It’s a place where history and stories come alive. It links us to the past. It invites us to celebrate community like those who gathered under the old oak. The New Fairlop Oak continues the legacy. It keeps the spirit of the Fairlop Oak alive for new generations.