Park History

Grovelands Park was officially opened to the public on 12th April 1913 by the Lord Mayor of London. This historic heritage park’s centrepiece is a house designed by John Nash, set within grounds landscaped by Humphry Repton – two giants of British architectural and landscape design.

When you walk through the park today, you’re walking through their vision brought to life over two centuries ago.

 

The Story of Grovelands

The story begins with “The Grove”, a heavily wooded area with historic connections to William Cecil, Lord Burghley. But the park we know today took shape in the late 18th century when Walker Gray, a wealthy brewer with an eye for beauty, commissioned John Nash to design the house (now Grovelands Priory Hospital) and Humphry Repton to create the stunning grounds.

Repton’s landscaping genius gave us the lake that still draws visitors today – a glistening centrepiece that’s home to swans, herons and countless other wildlife. Later, John Donnithorne Taylor expanded the estate to 600 acres and enlarged the lake from 4 to 7 acres. These aren’t just historical facts – they’re the reason you can enjoy seven acres of tranquil water and 600 acres of parkland right here in North London.

Grovelands: The First 100 Years

Over the past century, Grovelands has been a playground for generations of local families. In May 2013, we celebrated this incredible milestone with “Grovelands: The First 100 Years” – a spectacular two-day event that brought together nearly 20,000 people.

Music filled the air, exhibitions told our story and a parade wound through the grounds. The event was nominated for a national award – a remarkable achievement for a volunteer-organised community celebration. It proved what we already knew: this park means something special to people.

Download the Grovelands Centenary exhibition panels to learn more about the history of the park.

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Photo Archive

Explore Grovelands Park over the last century, with pictures from our image archive from 1913 to the present day. How things have changed over the years..

Early days
1930s – 1950s
1960s – 1980s
1990s – Centenary
Post Centenary

Past Events

The tradition of bringing the community together continues. In June 2022, we celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with our “Platinum Picnic In The Park”. Families gathered for a parade, a lively dog show, brass band performances and much more.

Throughout its history, this park has been carefully restored and maintained by people who care about it. That’s how each generation gets to enjoy its natural beauty and heritage – and why we need people like you to help us keep that tradition alive.