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Weald Country Park

51°37′39″N 0°15′55″E / 51.62744°N 0.26539°E / 51.62744; 0.26539

Weald Country Park
A meadow in Weald Country Park
LocationBrentwood, Essex
Area500 acres (200 ha; 0.78 sq mi; 2.0 km2)
Operated byEssex County Council

Weald Country Park is a 700-year-old,[1] 500 acre (2 km²) country park in South Weald[2] in the borough of Brentwood in the English county of Essex. It is on the north-east fringe of Greater London.

Weald manor, parts of which dated to the 16th century, was bought by Sir Anthony Browne in 1547 and he died at Weald Hall in 1567.[3] In 1685, Erasmus Smith bought it from Sir William Scroggs.[4] The current layout is largely the result of landscaping carried out in the naturalistic manner of Capability Brown for Hugh Smith, lord of the manor from 1732 to 1745.[5] In 1752, the estate was sold to Thomas Tower of Iver in Buckinghamshire, a lawyer and MP for Wareham in Dorset. Christopher Tower succeeded as the owner in 1778 and immediately commissioned Robert Adam to design a new dining room. On his death in 1810, his son, Christopher Thomas Tower, succeeded until 1867; he enlarged the estate and enclosed some commons as "waste".

The park is now managed by Essex County Council.

Weald Hall edit

 
Engraving by William Henry Bartlett of Weald Hall from "The Picturesque Beauties of Great Britain, Essex", 1834

Weald Hall, with 800 acres (3.2 km2) in 1841, was let to farmers in the 19th century[6] sold by another C. T. Tower in 1946, when the estate was broken up though part of the park was retained for the Green Belt of London. Some remnants remain of the Hall, which was demolished in 1950–51[7] due to war damage, in particular some steps leading to what used to be a folly in the park. The 16th-century lodge miscalled "Queen Mary's Chapel" because it was locally rumoured to have been used by Queen Mary for quiet prayer and contemplation, which used to be enclosed within Weald Hall's walled kitchen garden, still remains at the edge of the park.

A very large (2.8 by 4.8 metres) painting of Weald Hall hung in a dining room at nearby Brentwood School. Depicting the house and park before 18th Century alterations it is attributed to Dutch painter Jan Griffier the Elder (1652-1718). The school, which was founded by a former owner of the Hall, Sir Anthony Browne, sold the painting to a private collector at Sotheby's in November 1985.

2012 Olympic Games edit

The park was due to be the venue for the mountain biking events at the 2012 Summer Olympics. However, following a visit by inspectors from the Union Cycliste Internationale, the site was considered insufficiently challenging for international competition and a new venue was sought.[8] Hadleigh Country Park was chosen as the replacement venue.[9]

Iron Age Hill Fort edit

South Weald Camp was a hillfort based in South Weald, Brentwood, Essex, England. Roughly circular in plan, the fort covered 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres), with a suggested late Iron Age construction date in the period 1st-century BC to 1st-century AD. The location is associated in this period with the Catuvellauni and the Trinovantes.[10]

The camp's defences consisted of a rampart and steep banked slope, with traces of an external ditch. Although for a long time after the Iron Age, the Camp didn't have much use, in the medieval period the fort was used as part of a deer-park and then later used as a WWII training ground. Nowadays, a road (Sandpit Lane) runs roughly north-south through the fort dividing it somewhat unequally with roughly a third to the west (now known as Weald Country Park) and two-thirds to the east (owned by South Weald Cricket Club).

References edit

  1. ^ The manor of Weald descended in the barony of Valognes until the 13th century, when the barony was divided among coheirs. ('North Weald Bassett: Manors', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 4: Ongar Hundred (1956), pp. 286-290 Accessed: 25 September 2008). South Weald belonged to the Abbey of Waltham Holy Cross, until the Dissolution of the Monasteries (in this case, 1540).
  2. ^ Weald (walda in Domesday) denotes forest land; by 1777 there was apparently no woodland left apart from Weald Hall Coppice, which still survived in 1954. ('North Weald Bassett: Introduction', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 4: Ongar Hundred (1956), pp. 284-286 Accessed: 25 September 2008
  3. ^ 'Parishes: South Weald', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8 (1983), pp. 74-90. Accessed 25 September 2008.
  4. ^ *Barnard, Toby (2004). "Smith, Erasmus". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  5. ^ Hugh Smith was an ancestor of the Earls of Derby.
  6. ^ Victoria County History, ibid.
  7. ^ Howard Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840, 3rd ed. 1995, s.v. "Adam, Robert"; some interior fittings were salvged by Crowther of Syon Lodge: a doorcase was installed in the restoration of Tryon Palace, New Bern, North Carolina (John Harris, Moving Rooms: The Trade in Architectural Salvages (Yale University Press) 2007, Appendix 3.
  8. ^ Mountain bike course 'too easy', BBC Sport, Friday, 1 February 2008
  9. ^ BBC. (2008-06-06). Look East: Biking back on the agenda. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
  10. ^ Lock, Gary; Ralston, Ian, eds. (27 June 2019). Hillforts: Britain, Ireland and the Nearer Continent. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-78969-227-3.

External links edit

  • History of Weald Park
  • Visitor details from Essex County Council
  • Page from Brentwood Borough Council
  • Panoramic view
  • History of South Weald Cricket Club

weald, country, park, 62744, 26539, 62744, 26539, meadow, locationbrentwood, essexarea500, acres, operated, byessex, county, council, year, acre, country, park, south, weald, borough, brentwood, english, county, essex, north, east, fringe, greater, london, wea. 51 37 39 N 0 15 55 E 51 62744 N 0 26539 E 51 62744 0 26539 Weald Country ParkA meadow in Weald Country ParkLocationBrentwood EssexArea500 acres 200 ha 0 78 sq mi 2 0 km2 Operated byEssex County CouncilWeald Country Park is a 700 year old 1 500 acre 2 km country park in South Weald 2 in the borough of Brentwood in the English county of Essex It is on the north east fringe of Greater London Weald manor parts of which dated to the 16th century was bought by Sir Anthony Browne in 1547 and he died at Weald Hall in 1567 3 In 1685 Erasmus Smith bought it from Sir William Scroggs 4 The current layout is largely the result of landscaping carried out in the naturalistic manner of Capability Brown for Hugh Smith lord of the manor from 1732 to 1745 5 In 1752 the estate was sold to Thomas Tower of Iver in Buckinghamshire a lawyer and MP for Wareham in Dorset Christopher Tower succeeded as the owner in 1778 and immediately commissioned Robert Adam to design a new dining room On his death in 1810 his son Christopher Thomas Tower succeeded until 1867 he enlarged the estate and enclosed some commons as waste The park is now managed by Essex County Council Contents 1 Weald Hall 2 2012 Olympic Games 3 Iron Age Hill Fort 4 References 5 External linksWeald Hall edit nbsp Engraving by William Henry Bartlett of Weald Hall from The Picturesque Beauties of Great Britain Essex 1834Weald Hall with 800 acres 3 2 km2 in 1841 was let to farmers in the 19th century 6 sold by another C T Tower in 1946 when the estate was broken up though part of the park was retained for the Green Belt of London Some remnants remain of the Hall which was demolished in 1950 51 7 due to war damage in particular some steps leading to what used to be a folly in the park The 16th century lodge miscalled Queen Mary s Chapel because it was locally rumoured to have been used by Queen Mary for quiet prayer and contemplation which used to be enclosed within Weald Hall s walled kitchen garden still remains at the edge of the park A very large 2 8 by 4 8 metres painting of Weald Hall hung in a dining room at nearby Brentwood School Depicting the house and park before 18th Century alterations it is attributed to Dutch painter Jan Griffier the Elder 1652 1718 The school which was founded by a former owner of the Hall Sir Anthony Browne sold the painting to a private collector at Sotheby s in November 1985 2012 Olympic Games editThe park was due to be the venue for the mountain biking events at the 2012 Summer Olympics However following a visit by inspectors from the Union Cycliste Internationale the site was considered insufficiently challenging for international competition and a new venue was sought 8 Hadleigh Country Park was chosen as the replacement venue 9 Iron Age Hill Fort editSouth Weald Camp was a hillfort based in South Weald Brentwood Essex England Roughly circular in plan the fort covered 2 8 hectares 6 9 acres with a suggested late Iron Age construction date in the period 1st century BC to 1st century AD The location is associated in this period with the Catuvellauni and the Trinovantes 10 The camp s defences consisted of a rampart and steep banked slope with traces of an external ditch Although for a long time after the Iron Age the Camp didn t have much use in the medieval period the fort was used as part of a deer park and then later used as a WWII training ground Nowadays a road Sandpit Lane runs roughly north south through the fort dividing it somewhat unequally with roughly a third to the west now known as Weald Country Park and two thirds to the east owned by South Weald Cricket Club References edit The manor of Weald descended in the barony of Valognes until the 13th century when the barony was divided among coheirs North Weald Bassett Manors A History of the County of Essex Volume 4 Ongar Hundred 1956 pp 286 290 Accessed 25 September 2008 South Weald belonged to the Abbey of Waltham Holy Cross until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in this case 1540 Weald walda in Domesday denotes forest land by 1777 there was apparently no woodland left apart from Weald Hall Coppice which still survived in 1954 North Weald Bassett Introduction A History of the County of Essex Volume 4 Ongar Hundred 1956 pp 284 286 Accessed 25 September 2008 Parishes South Weald A History of the County of Essex Volume 8 1983 pp 74 90 Accessed 25 September 2008 Barnard Toby 2004 Smith Erasmus Oxford Dictionary of National Biography subscription or UK public library membership required Hugh Smith was an ancestor of the Earls of Derby Victoria County History ibid Howard Colvin A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600 1840 3rd ed 1995 s v Adam Robert some interior fittings were salvged by Crowther of Syon Lodge a doorcase was installed in the restoration of Tryon Palace New Bern North Carolina John Harris Moving Rooms The Trade in Architectural Salvages Yale University Press 2007 Appendix 3 Mountain bike course too easy BBC Sport Friday 1 February 2008 BBC 2008 06 06 Look East Biking back on the agenda Retrieved 2008 06 10 Lock Gary Ralston Ian eds 27 June 2019 Hillforts Britain Ireland and the Nearer Continent Archaeopress Publishing Ltd ISBN 978 1 78969 227 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Weald Country Park History of Weald Park Visitor details from Essex County Council Page from Brentwood Borough Council Panoramic view History of South Weald Cricket Club Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Weald Country Park amp oldid 1176122685, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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