South Park is an Edwardian

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

to the south of Ilford, East London. It is one of the largest open spaces 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 ...

. It has recently been awarded Green Flag status.

History

The park was formerly open fields. In the mid-nineteenth century, the barracks of the Second Essex Rifle Volunteers was located there. This was one of several Rifle Volunteer militias intended to combat a potential French invasion. A short lived football club (South Park FC) was founded in 1867 and was based at the park. The land was sold to Ilford Council in 1899 for by a farmer, Walter Mills. A further was spent converting it into a park, which was opened 10 May 1902. In the 1920s, the clock tower was moved from Ilford Broadway to the park entrance because it was in the way of road improvements. Th clock was destroyed in the Second World War by German bombers.

Geography

The park is Management Plan. South Park 2011-2016
Redbridge.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2012. located to the south of Green Lane ( A 1083) and west of South Park Drive. The park opened to the public on 10 May 1902. It contains a number of large trees, a lake which is fed by Loxford Water and leisure facilities including Tennis courts and Football pitches.

Wildlife

The park provides a home to a number of wildlife species, including mallard ducks, Canada geese,

tufted ducks The tufted duck or tufted pochard (''Aythya fuligula'') is a small diving duck with a population of close to one million birds, found in northern Eurasia. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek '' aithuia'', an unidentified seabird ment ...

pochard Pochard is a common name used for several species of diving ducks: *Four species in the genus ''Aythya'': ** Common pochard, ''Aythya ferina'' ** Baer's pochard, ''Aythya baeri'' ** Ferruginous pochard, ''Aythya nyroca'' ** Madagascar pochard, '' ...

, Canada geese,

Greylag geese The greylag goose or graylag goose (''Anser anser'') is a species of large goose in the waterfowl family Anatidae and the type species of the genus ''Anser (bird), Anser''. It has mottled and barred grey and white plumage and an orange beak and ...

, and

Mute Swan The mute swan (''Cygnus olor'') is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurosiberia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home ...

. Great Cormorant, Grey Heron and

Egyptian geese The Egyptian goose (''Alopochen aegyptiaca'') is a member of the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley. Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians, and appeared ...

are also frequently seen. In 2011, a new Wildlife Education & Information Centre was opened in the old boat house as a partnership between the

and the ''South Park User Group''. The park is known as a haven for bats, and an annual bat-sighting walk is organised every September by the

. There are three species which are commonly present, the Common pipistrelle, the Soprano pipistrelle, and the Common noctule. Daubenton's bat is less commonly sighted.

Surrounding area

The area around the park has become known as South Park and the nearby primary school, the catchment area of which covers a large part of the south of Redbridge, is known as South Park Primary School. SS Peter and Paul also has catchment area in this area for catholic children

Gallery

File:South Park, Ilford - Mute Swan (2012-07-14).png, A

mute swan The mute swan (''Cygnus olor'') is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurosiberia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home ...

in South Park File:South Park, Ilford - Coot (2012-07-14).png, A coot in South Park

References

* Michael Foley, ''Ilford Through Time'', Amberley Publishing, 2016 {{ISBN, 9781445659800

External links

Official Park web site

South Park Users Group
Areas of London Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Redbridge Ilford