Harlow Town Park
/Postcode CM20 2QD. (note this postcode will take you to the Greyhound pub, next to the main car park on School Lane).
2020 saw the listing of two Essex sites on the Historic England Register of Parks and Gardens of Specific Historic Interest. The Beth Chatto Garden near Elmstead Market came as no surprise, but the Town Park in Harlow struck many people as an unusual choice.
The core of the Town Park opened in 1957 and was unusual for the time in that conservation of the hamlet of Netteswell Cross, with its historic houses and 18th century Greyhound pub, was both literally and figuratively at the heart of the project. Their preservation meant 'that there would be life in the park at all times'. In order to ensure the access road did not become a rat-run, School Lane was blocked off at the junction to Edinburgh Way - although it is part of a circular drive to and from First Avenue (see map below). The other singular feature was that the Park had no solid boundaries meaning it was open to all at all times. Sir Frederick Gibberd planned the Park as part of his overarching strategy for his new town, but the overall Town Park Master Plan was devised by Dame Sylvia Crowe and the details executed by the landscape architect John St Bodfan Gruffydd.
The landscaping in the Park exploited and enhanced the natural and pre-existing features. Gruffydd supervised the infilling of 17th century gravel pits and allowed and area of native woodland to develop – this area was named Peace Wood in 1997 to mark the end of the Cold War. Trees were also planted to screen the railway line, to clothe the hill behind the car park with Cherry blossom in spring and in clumps all around the Park. All the trees are now reaching maturity and a great deal of thought and care is being lavished on their management.
The spring which fed the former watercress beds was developed into 3 cascading pools c.1964 with the Pisces sculpture by Jesse Watkins as its centrepiece installed in the 1970s. Whether viewed from below or above this is an area of great appeal and tranquillity although raucous ducks make their presence felt! (Figure 2).
Fig 2: Pisces sculpture by Jesse Watkins
Right from its inception in 1957 the priorities of parents and children have been considered and the paths were graded to allow easy passage for prams. In the early 1960s a paddling pool was created and in normal summers this can have up to 500 souls around it. Since 2009 its centrepiece has been an artwork named ‘Shoal’ by Will Spankie. There is also an Adventure Playground and an Inclusive play area adjacent to Pets’ Corner which was contructed in 2019with Essex Shortbreaks Funding. These areas seem to be very well used since even on a bleak November day when I visited, they were humming with activity. Pets’ Corner has been open since 1966 and attracts over 100,000 visitors a year. The athletic young pigs in Pet’s Corner were my particular favourites!
Fig 3: Lookout Hill
The Rhododendron Dell has proved something of a challenge. Planted c.1964 the soil is only slowly becoming acidic enough to allow the plants to thrive and theft of new planting has occasionally been an added challenge. However, a revised planting plan has resolved a lot of these issues.
Spoil from the construction of the new town was piled high to form the Lookout Hill and from here there are wide views over the Water Garden, the Park and out into the countryside beyond (Figure 3).
Fig 4: Mike Levett Park Manager
The Park is constantly evolving. To mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the new town and the 500th of Harlow’s twin Newfoundland a garden was planted in 1997 featuring trees and shrubs from Newfoundland, such as balsam fir, white spruce, mountain ash, and red maple. The Park is a very inclusive space; there is a Sensory garden adapted in 2015 from a scented garden, which through its planting and garden furniture seeks to stimulate all the five senses. Most unusually, there is a safe space for men to talk openly – the Harlow Men’s Shed – within the Walled garden, next to Pets’ Corner.
Two recent (2019) projects on differing scales have been executed in response to the climate emergency. On the grander scale a Forest Garden has been planted, to mimic a natural woodland. Sponsorship for this has come from local companies keen to offset their carbon footprint. An added bonus will be a greater biodiversity within this area of the Park. On a small scale a Climate Change bed has been planted with herbaceous perennials which are drought-resistant, encourage both bees and butterflies and are low maintenance.
More exciting projects are being planned by Mike Levett, (Figure 4) the Park Manager who keeps the Park in top condition with additional volunteer help three times a week. It is hoped to employ a Gardener and Head Gardener in 2021. The Park will also be entered for the prestigious national Green Flag Award. Harlow Town Park has won this award for the past five years and also has been voted one of the ten most popular parks in the country (2019).
If you don’t know the Park, I would urge you to visit as it is indeed a fine example of the best principles which governed post-war public parks and thoroughly deserves its listing. The car park – free for one hour (weekdays) and two hours (weekends) then £1.10 for 5 hours - is next to the Greyhound pub and the Park café is open!
Images in snippet: Figure 1, Harlow Council; all others author’s own.
