COCKFOSTERS and OAKWOOD Piccadilly Line
Trent Park



This splendid country park was originally part of Enfield Chase, a royal hunting ground for over four hundred years. Designed by Humphrey Repton to surround the eighteenth century Mansion House, now part of Middlesex University, it has two lakes, the larger of which seems more like a river, as it covers six acres and is edged with mature trees.
There are a couple of formal areas - a water garden and a lime avenue. The rest is farmland, meadows and ancient woodland - a total of about 400 acres. (The equestrian centre and golf course, though techincally part of the park, are easy to avoid - indeed I didn't even realise they were there until I had a closer look at the map.)

I was much puzzled by the obelisks dotted around until I came across a most entertaining Finchley Society newsletter [scroll down to page 5]. This not only provides a useful history of the Mansion House, but contains a highly entertaining (and not overly polite) description of the last private owner's tenure. Apparently the obelisks came from an eighteenth century mansion belonging to the Dukes of Kent.

To cap it all the park is immediately adjacent to Cockfosters Tube station! It can also be accessed from Oakwood Tube (see entry for Oakwood)

MAP

This is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and whacky buildings to be found, even in the most unpromising areas covered by the Greater London Underground stations. Usually the places listed are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to go to www.londontuberambles.co.uk to see the other destinations explored . You'll be amazed at what's out there!

©DR2006