WANSTEAD Central Line (Hainault)
Wanstead Park


















From the Tube station turn left and left again at the 1897 Diamond Jubilee drinking fountain - look out for the little shingled spire - on the corner of The Green. Continue into St. Marys Road and at the end you will find the impressive late eighteenth century church of St. Mary* (not open for casual visits). In the shady churchyard is something very unusual and rather creepy – a watcher’s hut. Built in 1831 it was designed to shelter a man who was employed to look out for body-snatchers. The following year the Anatomy Act was passed to increase number of cadavers available to medical schools in an effort to stop the grisly but lucrative trade in dead bodies.





When you have finished indulging in horrid fantasies, return to Overton Drive and go right , passing Wanstead Golf Course buildings. These used to be the stables of the now vanished Wanstead House, which was demolished and sold as scrap in 1822 on the orders of the creditors of the profligate 4th Earl of Mornington. You might like to see an engraving of this architecturally important mansion Turn right into The Warren Drive and Raynes Avenue. There is a lane ahead which takes you into Wanstead Park. A broad sanded path through trees ends up at the Temple, originally planned as part of the vast park attached to Wanstead House. From here all ways lead to one of the several beautiful long tree-lined lakes – further reminders of the park’s glorious past.


Most paths are suitable for pushchairs (though a bit bumpy), but off piste gets rather soggy after rain.

* Since it has been accessible in previous years, it is worth checking the Open House London website to see if this building is listed as being open in September.

MAP

Wanstead 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!

© DR2007