Where is canons park

Along the eastern park boundary is a woodland walk running through The Spinney, which dates back to Alexander Blackwell's early C18 layout of the park. The remains of the southern parkland such as the raised banks formerly flanking both sides of the avenue running towards the Church of Saint Lawrence, and along the woodland walk through the Spinney, are still visible.

The avenue survived into the mid C20 but of the medieval church of Saint Lawrence listed grade I , situated in the south-east corner of the park, only the west tower remains. The church was rebuilt by John in and dedicated in , to become the Duke of Chandos' private estate chapel. In a mausoleum was erected to the north of the church to house a monument to the Duke of Chandos and his two wives.

The parkland on the north-east side of the school is in use as sports grounds, with two tennis courts adjacent to the school buildings. A lime avenue planted in the mid to late C20 runs eastwards from the main school building in the direction of The Lake, formerly known as Seven Acres Pond. After the Duke of Chandos' house was demolished in c , several external architectural features were removed from the park including a lead sculpture of George I, possibly standing in The Lake, which went to Leicester Square now demolished ; and a stone sculpture of George II which went to Golden Square listed grade II.

Some 70m south of the school, situated in the public park area, is a rectangular walled area. The brick walls listed grade II are the remains of the early C18 kitchen garden which formed part of James Brydges' layout for the garden at Canons Park. There are three entrance gates to this walled garden, namely on the north, west, and south sides. Since the early to mid C20 the kitchen garden has been called the George V Memorial Garden, with a formal layout of featuring a central square pond surrounded by a raised terrace with steps, formal flower beds, and a pavilion on the east side of the garden.

Some 65m north of the kitchen garden, surrounded by trees, some dating from the C19, stands an early C19 temple listed grade II with supporting walls and a raised paved area on the front.

South of the kitchen garden lies an unusual rectangular area dating back to Alexander Blackwell's early C18 design for the park which shows a grove planted with hawthorn. In there was a manor house leased by Hugh Losse. In the land was purchased by James Brydges, first Duke of Chandos. His palace was built between and about by James Gibbs. During the same period the grounds were laid out by Alexander Blackwell. Charles E Mallows was commissioned after to carry out extensive alterations to the house and to design formal gardens around it.

The site was developed as a public park after World War 2. The land which became Canons Park belonged, until the Dissolution, to the Priory of St Batholomew the Great, West Smithfield, the name referring to the gift of land made to the Priory in His palace was built between and c by James Gibbs and was completed under John Price d Robert Benson was also consulted.

The estate church, the church of Saint Lawrence, was rebuilt for the Duke of Chandos in by John James c In , after the death of the Duke of Chandos, the estate was sold. In Brydges became 1st Duke of Chandos and Canons became a focus for fashionable society, with much cultural and social activity taking place. Handel also performed in St Lawrence Church, the interior of which was redesigned free tours run every Sunday from pm and is well worth the visit for its wonderful murals.

Brydges decorated his mansion lavishly, and collected fine books, exotic flora and fauna. Exotic birds adorned an aviary in the Park, where there were storks, flamingos, whistling ducks, ostriches, blue macaws and eagles. At one time he had a tiger in the grounds. Dogs are reported as providing both beautification and security at Canons in The family mausoleum featuring a statue of the Duke by master carver, Grinling Gibbons, resides in St Lawrence church.

A number of garden designers are associated with laying out the grounds for the Duke and Duchess, including George London, Dr Richard Bradley, Tilleman Bobart, Thomas Knowlton, Alexander Blackwell and Dr Desaguiliers, who was reputedly employed to design water features including canals, lakes and fountains. The spectacular gardens were admired by many of their contemporaries, including Daniel Defoe, but others, such as Alexander Pope, vilified them as the height of bad taste.

After the 2nd Duke of Chandos demolished the house and auctioned the materials as architectural salvage to pay off his debts. The estate and remaining materials were acquired by William Hallett, who built another Canons house in , later much enlarged and now part of the North London Collegiate School campus.

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Contains public sector information licenced under the Open Government Licence v3. See About. Play outdoor sports. Get fit at the green gym. Take the kids to the adventure playground. Try wonderful ices and snacks at the Good Friends Cafe. Listen to the birds in the woodland walks. Picnic with family and friends. Relax in the stunning walled garden. Wide range of specimen trees, many unusual and very old.

Historic landscape including 18th century Temple building.