Wanstead Park is a magical place because it is a work of art and nature. Amongst its wood and lakes are earth mounds and terraces that were once part of a formal landscape, it retains the Temple and the Grotto, follies of a bygone age and many of its lakes are those created in the seventeenth century. Its extensive avenues which stretched to Leytonstone and Wanstead are still to be found, in part, on the forest lands, sentinels of a grand design.
In recent years the Friends of Wanstead Parklands and the City of London Corporation have formed a partnership to reveal the ancient landscape and make the park more accessible to the local communities and those from further afield. Thousands use the park, to walk their dogs, take their children out, picnic, bird watch, run, fish, exercise and simply relax.
Our mission is to tell the story of Wanstead Park to its visitors, to improve its facilities and recreate in places some of the atmosphere of the ancient gardens and park. A parkland plan has been drawn up and our immediate priority is a bid to Heritage Lottery Fund for several million pounds to restore the park and once again make it one of England’s premier parks.
Please read and enjoy the website and join the Friends in our mission to improve Wanstead Park.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
John Meehan
Chair of Friends of Wanstead Parklands