Gardens -- England -- London; London (England) -- Description and travel; Parks -- England -- London
The Park measures 53 acres. There is a small enclosure with fallow
deer and guinea-pigs, some artificial water, and wide green spaces for
games; but the special beauty of the Park consists in the canal-like
New River, with walks beside it, and in places foliage arching over it,
and the fine large specimen trees round the house. There are some good
cedars, deciduous cypress, ilex, thorns, and laburnums; a good specimen
of one of the American varieties of oak, _Quercus palustris_; also
acacias and chestnuts--all looking quite healthy.
SPRINGFIELD PARK
Not very far from Clissold lies Springfield Park, in Upper Clapton,
opened to the public in 1905. It also has the advantage of being made
out of well laid out private grounds. The area, 32½ acres, embraced
three residences, two of which have been pulled down, while the third,
Springfield House, which gives its name to the Park, has been retained,
and serves as refreshment rooms. The view from the front of the house
over Walthamstow Marshes is very extensive. The ground slopes steeply
to the river Lea, and beyond on the plain, like a lake, the reservoirs
of the “East London Works,” now part of the Metropolitan Water Board,
make a striking picture. Springfield House was, until lately, one of
those pleasant old-fashioned residences of which there were many in
this neighbourhood, standing in well-planted gardens overlooking
the marshes and fertile flats below. These delightful houses are
becoming more rare every year, and it is fortunate that the grounds
of one of the most attractive should have been preserved as a public
park. The place was well cared for in old days, as the good specimen
trees testify. A flourishing purple beech is growing up, also a sweet
chestnut and several birches. A very old black mulberry still survives,
although showing signs of age. There are other nice timber trees on the
hillside, and among the shrubs an _Arbutus unedo_, the strawberry tree,
is one of the most unusual. This Park, though small, is quite unlike
any other, and has much to recommend it to the general public, while in
the more immediate neighbourhood it is greatly appreciated.
WATERLOW PARK
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