South Weald
Country Park Essex |
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Weald Country Park is a 700 year-old, 500 acre (2 km²)
country park in the borough of Brentwood in the English county
of Essex. South Weald park is on the north east fringe of metropolitan London.
The current layout of Weald Park is largely the result of landscaping in the
18th century of the grounds of Weald Hall, parts of which dated
back to the 16th Century. In 1752, the estate of South Weald
was sold to Thomas Tower, of Iver (Bucks) and remained in the
family until 1946. Christopher Tower succeeded as the owner in
1778 until his death in 1810. Christopher Thomas Tower, his son
succeeded until 1867. It was sold by another C. T. Tower in 1946.
Some remnants of the Hall, which was demolished in 1946 due to
war damage, remain - in particular some steps leading to what
used to be a folly. The 16th Century Queen Mary's Chapel (actually
a lodge but rumoured to have been used by Queen Mary for quiet
prayer and contemplation), which used to be enclosed within the
Weald Hall's walled kitchen garden, still remains at the edge
of the park. |
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