100 (Approx.)

- Roman villa in area of Wanstead Park, on main London/Dunmow Roman road.

1065

Alfric (Saxon) gives Wanstead Manor to St. Peter's Church - later Westminister Abbey. Grant confirmed by the Confessor.

1086

Held by Ralph (Norman), son of Fitzbrien, in the name of St. Paul and Bishop of London.

1210

Held by Brian Fitzralph to 1212.

1216

Held by Hunterscombe family, until 1399.

1437

Held by John Tatersal for knights service to Henry VI.

1487

Held by Sir Ralph Hastings.

1499

Henry VII buys House from Sir Ralph Hastings for £360.

1504

Henry VII lies ill several weeks at Wanstead House (recovers).

1509

Held by Sir John Heron, Master of the King's Jewel House.

1515

Sir John Heron enlarges and renovates Wanstead Church, then called St. Bride's.

1521

Sir Giles Heron inherits. He marries Cecilia, daughter of Sir Thomas More.

1541

Sir Giles Heron beheaded at Tyburn. Estate seized by Henry VIII.

1545

Wanstead Park first enclosed.

1549

Edward VI grants estate to Lord Chancellor Rich - who as Sir Richard Rich was the prosecutor of Sir Thomas More.

1549

Old timber-framed hunting lodge in park (Naked Hall Hawe), near House Field Pond (now Shoulder of Mutton Pond), is demolished by Lord Rich. A new great house is begun "... on higher ground several hundred paces to the north and east."

1553

Mary Tudor, advances from Framlingham Castle (Suffolk) to take up the Crown, stops at Wanstead House. On 1 August, is met by her half-sister Elizabeth with an escort of 1,000 horse: knights, ladies and gentlemen, before entering London for her official Proclamation.

1561

Elizabeth I visits Lord Rich at Wanstead.

1577

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, later Marshal of England and favourite of Elizabeth I, buys estate and has house enlarged and improved.

1578

Elizabeth I visits Wanstead for five days, and is lavishly entertained by "beloved Robin" with a May Day Masque. In September, Robert Dudley is married at Wanstead to his mistress, Lettice, widow of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex.

1588

Sir Christopher Blount, later Earl of Devonshire, gains estate by marriage.

1593

Estate conveyed to Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, another favourite of Elizabeth I.

1599

Estate sold to Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy, Earl of Devonshire.

1603

Lord Mountjoy lodges the Earl of Tyrone (rebel Earl of Ireland) at Wanstead for the summer, before presenting Tyrone at Court.

1606

Estate passes to Lady Penelope, daughter of the Earl of Essex, on the death without issue of Lord Mountjoy.

1607

James I stays at Wanstead House, in this period considered a Royal Palace. State business and hunting in the forest conducted from the House many times over the next thirty years.

1608

Sir Mountjoy Blount, Baron Mountjoy, Earl of Newport, inherits estate.

1617

Estate conveyed by Crown to George Villiers, later Duke of Buckingham, and favourite of James I. Later that year Francis Bacon is created Baron Verulam at Wanstead.

1619

George Villiers sells estate to Sir Henry Mildmay, Master of the King's Jewel House. A spa is recorded at Wanstead.

1624

James I celebrates his birthday at Wanstead House.

1627

Charles I issues Royal Warrants from Wanstead House.

1630

Charles I receives Petitions at Wanstead House.

1636

Charles I resides at Wanstead House to escape plague in London.

1648

Sir Henry Mildmay is one of the judges at the trial of Charles I.

1661

Estates of Sir Henry Mildmay seized by Crown on accession of Charles II, and given to James, Duke of York, later James II. In December the estate is sold to Sir Robert Brookes.

1667

Estate bought for £11,500 by Sir Josiah Child, merchant banker and Chairman of, the British East India Company. His brother, Sir John Child, is Captain-General of the Company's army in India, and together they ruthlessly exploit their positions for private gain, investing the family wealth at Wanstead over the next thirty years. Immense works commence to divert the River Roding into a system of Ornamental Waters. Great avenues and gardens are laid out around the house, and two kidney-shaped ponds are constructed in front, crossed by a causeway.

1682

Rebecca Child marries Lord Herbert at Wanstead. Ambassador of Bantam (in Java) is lavishly entertained.

1683

Diarist John Evelyn comments on "new fishponds and walnut plantations" at Wanstead.

1699

Estate passes to Sir Josiah Child, 2nd Baronet.

1704

Estate passes to Sir Richard Child, later Viscount Castlemaine, Bart Newton, and Earl Tylney.

1706

Work continues on landscaping of grounds. Causeway between ponds at west front of House is dug out, and ponds joined & re-shaped to create The Basin, under supervision of Adam Holt, gardener and landscape engineer. Leytonstone Flats linked to Basin by ditch (the "River Holt").

1707

Rev. Dr. James Pound FRSA, naturalist and astronomer, appointed Rector of Wanstead.

1715

Wanstead House demolished and a new Wanstead House begun under the design of Colin Campbell. Completed about 1722, it is 260 ft. long and 80 ft. deep, rising to three floors in the centre and compared with Kensington Palace and Blenheim Palace.During the year a Roman tessellated pavement is discovered (20 ft x 16 ft), plus many other Roman relics, described by antiquarian & local landowner Smart Lethieullier.

1717

Sir Isaac Newton, President of Royal Society, arranges for the old London Maypole from the Strand to be moved to Wanstead Park, to form part of the largest telescope in the world (125 ft. long). Observations at Wanstead by Pound's nephew, James Bradley (made Astronomer Royal 1741), lead to two great discoveries - aberration of light, and mutation (oscillation) of the earth.

1720

In the next twenty years, four large artificial lakes are created by a series of north/south embankments built across the shallow valley south of Wanstead House. Lakes include (east to west): Perch Pond, Heronry Pond, (known jointly as the Serpentine Ponds), The Reservoir and The Great Lake. Between Heronry Pond and The Reservoir is the original House Field Pond (now called Shoulder of Mutton Pond). By the River Roding, the Ornamental Water further developed into canals, with on one island, a small castle "The Fortification." 'Capability' Brown, the great English landscape gardener, probably advises on some of these works.

1722

Daniel Defoe writes of "innumerable rows of trees, planted in curious order for avenues and vistas to the house" (at Wanstead).

1735

Jean Rocque, French cartographer, surveyor and landscape artist is commissioned to prepare plans for further extensive landscaping to turn Wanstead Park into a "mini-Versailles."

1745

Lake system and grounds at about their maximum achieved development (see map). Wanstead Park is described as one of the finest examples of the English Landscape Movement of the eighteenth century.

1750

Estate passes to John, 2nd Earl Tylney. He collects at Wanstead numerous art treasures, especially from Italy.

1762

(About) - 2nd Earl builds The Grotto at the edge of the Ornamental Water, and also The Temple, north east of Heronry Pond (both buildings now listed Grade II).

1764

George III and Queen Charlotte visit Wanstead House, with an escort of Light Horse.

1784

Estate passes to Sir James Long, who takes the name Sir James Tylney Long.

1787

Church rebuilt to house a monument to Sir Josiah Child, and re-dedicated as St. Mary's. Design by Thomas Hardwick (works finish 1790).

1794

Estate passes to Catharine Tylney Long, a minor of fifteen years, and is held in trust by the Crown.

1806

George III reviews 10,000 troops on Wanstead Flats.

1807

Wanstead House is used as residence for the Prince of Conde, Louis XVIII and other members of the exiled Bourbon family seeking refuge from the French Revolution, until 1812.

1812

Catharine Tylney Long, on achieving maturity, marries Hon William Wellesley Pole, nephew of the Duke of Wellington. Following the Society wedding of the century, they take up residence at Wanstead House. Bridegroom assumes the name Hon. William Pole Tylney Long Wellesley, 2nd Lord Maryborough, 4th Earl of Mornington.

1814

Grand Fete at Wanstead House on defeat, abdication & exile to Elba of Napoleon. Attended by Prince Regent, Duke of York, Duke of Wellington, Prussian Princes Frederic, William & Henry. Grand Ball follows "...with over one thousand distinguished fashionables."

1815

The Reservoir abandoned, eastern embankment cut through to drain area and Reservoir Wood is planted on site. Various designs for park prepared by Humphrey Repton.

1816

The Ornamental Water finally separated from River Roding, and filled at a higher level.

1822

Creditors of Pole Wellesley seize Wanstead House. Contents put up for sale to pay his debts.

1823

Wanstead House put up for sale. No buyers, so it is demolished and sold for building stone. The Park is let for grazing by the mortgagees.

1824

Reports of grave robbers disturbed in churchyard by Wanstead House.

1832

Thomas Hood, the English poet and author, lives at Lake House on island in the Great Lake and writes "Tylney Hall."

1850

(Approx). Embankment between Perch & Heronry Ponds cut through by tenant. Heronry Pond partially drained to increase grazing area.

1851

Viscount Wellesley obtains the property from mortgagees, unsuccessfully attempts to enclose 34 acres of adjacent Common Land.

1854

Aldersbrook Farm purchased by City of London for Cemetery. The purchase gives Commoners' Rights to City Corporation.

1855

Stratford-Woodford-Loughton branch of Eastern Counties Railway built. A rail cutting severs "River Holt" and cuts off catchment area of Leytonstone Flats from the lake system in Wanstead Park, which deteriorates.

1871

Henry Wellesley, Earl Cowley, encloses 20 acres of Aldersbrook Manor (Common Land). City of London opposes encroachment on Commoners' Rights in a three year court battle, and wins.

1874

Wanstead Flats secured by the Government for military drill exercise.

1878

Epping Forest Act passed, appointing Corporation of the City of London as Conservators of the Forest forever. Settlement with Earl Cowley gives him 34 acres of Aldersbrook Manor and £8,000 cash, in exchange for lakes and woodlands of Wanstead Park.

1882

Wanstead Park opened to the public (1 August).

1884

The Grotto partially destroyed by fire. Heronry Pond restored by Conservators.

1898

The Ornamental Waters noted as a significant bird sanctuary and heronry.

1900

Sewers laid prior to construction of houses in Aldersbrook. Heronry Pond deteriorates.

1906

Heronry Pond partially re-dug, and given concrete rim and base.

1907

Land drains laid beneath part of Wanstead Flats, connected by pipeline beneath Park Road to Heronry Pond, which is stabilised.

1908

The Great Lake abandoned and drained. Lake House demolished. Houses built across site (the Lakehouse estate).

1920

Earl Cowley sells remainder of park to Wanstead Sports Ltd., for development as a private golf course, bowling greens, cricket ground and tennis courts. In the following twenty years Heronry Pond is used for regattas and swimming galas almost every summer, and the public areas of the park enjoy great popularity for tennis and other sports.

1942

Heavy bombing damages Heronry Pond. Land drains beneath Wanstead Flats broken by vibration from nearby anti-aircraft batteries.

1944

V1 flying bomb falls in Heronry Pond. At least two more fall on nearby Wanstead Flats.

1949

War damage to Heronry Pond is repaired, but lake remains unstable, with inadequate inflow.

1952

Further repairs to Heronry Pond for three successive winters fail to solve instability.

1970

Wanstead Park designated a Conservation Area. Several buildings listed, e.g. The Grotto (Grade II), The Temple (Grade II). The park's landscape itself later registered Grade II*.

1973

Wren Conservation Group formed. Systematic bird-sighting records commence, and from 1974, annual reports published with detailed information on sighting of up to 122 different species in and around the Park, almost 50 of which are breeding. Other studies of flora, mammals, reptiles, fungi, etc., are produced in later years.

1976

Filmstar Robert Mitchum plays the Raymond Chandler detective hero Philip Marlowe in "The Big Sleep" and solves the murder-mystery in a scene filmed at The Grotto in Wanstead Park.

1977

Northumberland Avenue sewers re-built. Further deterioration of Heronry Pond.

1978

Dutch Elm disease invades the Park, and ultimately destroys nearly 70% of the large trees. Replacement tree planting follows in the next five years. Research report published on the Lake System of Wanstead Park & The Mystery of Heronry Pond. Closure of old sewage works by south-east boundary. Site subsequently incorporated into Wanstead Park.

1980

Friends of Wanstead Parklands founded.

1982

Conservators agree plans to save Heronry Pond. Tests prove inconclusive. Excavations north of Perch Pond unearth Roman roof tiles & hypercaust (flue) artefacts.

1983

Systematic excavations and resistivity surveys undertaken by West Essex Archeological Group in search for Roman villa north of Perch Pond. Results inconclusive.

1987

Great Storm strikes England on 16 October. Many trees felled in Park.

1990

Detailed survey of Park landscape undertaken by Debois Landscape Survey Group.

2000

"Music in the Park" - a programme of concerts - organised at The Temple by the Aldersbrook Families Association (annually thereafter).

2001

Borehole sunk between Perch & Heronry Ponds. Pumping replenishes Heronry Pond.

2005

Wanstead Park Community Project founded.