Hainault Forest Country Park is a
Country Park
A country park is a natural area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.
United Kingdom
History
In the United Kingdom, the term ''country park'' has a special meaning. There are around 250 recognised cou ...
located in
Greater London
Greater may refer to:
*Greatness
Greatness is a concept of a state of superiority affecting a person or object in a particular place or area. Greatness can also be attributed to individuals who possess a natural ability to be better than al ...
, with portions in:
Hainault in the
London Borough of Redbridge
The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough established in 1965.
The borough shares boundaries with the Epping Forest District and the ceremonial county of Essex to the north, with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to the west, the ...
; the
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering () in East London, England, forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 259,552 inhabitants; the principal town is Romford, while other communities are Hornchurch, Upminster, Collier Row and Rainham. ...
; and in the
Lambourne
Lambourne is a civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. It is located approximately 4.5 miles (7 km) South of Epping and 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Romford. It covers an area of , and in 2001 its population was 1, ...
parish of the
Epping Forest District
Epping Forest is a local government district in Essex, England. Situated in the west of the county, bordering northeastern Greater London, it is named after, and contains a large part of, Epping Forest.
The district, though wholly within the c ...
in
Essex
Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
.
Geography
With an area of , Hainault Forest Country Park is a
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...
.
The Redbridge section of the park is managed by Vision Redbridge who manage the park on behalf of Redbridge Council. Across the border, the Essex section is managed by the
Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom and is concerned with the creation, protection, and restoration of native woodland heritage. It has planted over 50 million trees since 1972.
The Woodland Tr ...
, who hold a long-term lease for the management by its owners,
Essex County Council
Essex County Council is the county council that governs the non-metropolitan county of Essex in England. It has 75 councillors, elected from 70 divisions, and is currently controlled by the Conservative Party. The council meets at County Hall ...
.
[
]
History
Hainault Forest is a remnant of the former Forest of Essex which once covered most of the county of Essex in SE England. Epping Forest
Epping Forest is a area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the London ...
and Hatfield Forest
Hatfield Forest is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Essex, three miles east of Bishop's Stortford. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Nature Conservation Review site. It is owned and managed by the National Trust. A ...
are two other remaining examples. The forest belonged to the abbey of Barking until the Dissolution of the Monasteries; it extended northwards to Theydon Bois, east to Havering-atte-Bower, on the south to Aldborough Hatch
Aldborough Hatch is an area in Ilford in east London, England, within the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross. It is a semi-rural locality situated to the east of Barkingside and Newbury Park.
Aldboroug ...
, and westwards to Leytonstone
Leytonstone () is an area in east London, England, north-east of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, a local authority district of Greater London. It adjoins Wanstead to the north-east, Forest Gate to the south-east, ...
. In a survey made for Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
in 1544 its extent was some .
The forest land was condemned as waste by an Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of parliame ...
, 1851, disafforested, the deer removed, and 92% of the old growth forest
An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological feature ...
cut down. The land became marginal agricultural land and subsequently a significant proportion has been built on. The destruction was deplored by Sir Walter Besant
Sir Walter Besant (14 August 1836 – 9 June 1901) was an English novelist and historian. William Henry Besant was his brother, and another brother, Frank, was the husband of Annie Besant.
Early life and education
The son of wine merchant Willi ...
in his works on London: the forest is also the setting for his novel ''All in a Garden Fair''.
Oliver Rackham
Oliver Rackham (17 October 1939 – 12 February 2015) was an academic at the University of Cambridge who studied the ecology, management and development of the British countryside, especially trees, woodlands and wood pasture. His books inc ...
described how the outrage at the destruction of Hainault led to the modern conservation movement with the creation of conservation groups which successfully opposed such a fate happening to Epping Forest
Epping Forest is a area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the London ...
.
Preservation
After public pressure to retain some remnant of Hainault Forest, headed by Edward North Buxton,[Mr Buxton is credited in D'Anvers 1907, p. 72.] a total of of land was bought for public use on 21 July 1906. It included 253 acres (1.0 km2) of woodland and rough pasture.
Hainault Forest Country Park protected areas include: open space parklands — with numerous public footpaths and a large lake; Hainault Forest Golf Club; and Foxburrows Farm — which is used in part for preserving rare breeds of animals.
Gallery
File:Hainault Forest Nov 2013 1.jpg, Hainault Forest Woodland Trust section on a misty November morning 2013
File:Hainault Forest Nov 2013 2.jpg, Hainault Forest Woodland Trust section on a misty November morning 2013
File:Hainault Forest April 2014 Bluebells.jpg, Bluebells in late April in 2014
File:Hainault Forest June 2014.jpg, Damselfly on reeds at the Lake in June 2014
See also
*List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Greater London
In England, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are designated by Natural England, which is responsible for protecting England's natural environment. Designation as an SSSI gives legal protection to the most important wildlife and geolo ...
*List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Essex
Essex is a county in the east of England. In the early Anglo-Saxon period it was the Kingdom of the East Saxons, but it gradually came under the control of more powerful kingdoms, and in the ninth century it became part of Wessex. The modern co ...
References
External links
Unofficial Hainault Forest Country Park website
London Gardens Online: Hainault Forest Country Park website
Natural England: Citation — Hainault Forest
*
{{SSSIs Essex
Common land in London
Country parks in Essex
Country parks in London
Epping Forest District
Forests and woodlands of Essex
Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Havering
Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Redbridge
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Essex
Sites of Special Scientific Interest in London