Pinner Park Farm

Pinner Park Farm is a 93 hectare (230 acres) countryside site surrounded by suburban residential areas. It is owned by the London Borough of Harrow and leased to Hall & Sons (Dairy Farmers) Ltd, which formerly ran it as a dairy farm. It is designated as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance.

Address: Pinner Park Farm, George V Avenue, Pinner, Middlesex HA5 4SU (Map:; OS grid reference TQ135904).

History
Pinner Park has existed since the 13th century, when it was part of a large area around Harrow placed under the control of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The woodland was then used as pannage for pigs, but by the 15th century most of the trees had been cut down for timber and charcoal and the cleared areas were used mainly for pasture. Part of the park was also stocked with roe deer, protected from the depredation of local people by a high bank (parts of which still exist) and two ditches. The park held about 100 deer by the end of the 15th centre.

From the middle of the 15th century, the park was leased by the archbishopric to local farmers. In the 16th century, when the lordship and ownership of the Harrow lands was transferred from ecclesiastical to lay hands during Henry VIII’s reign, the lands continued to be leased to the same tenants. Records show that by then 64 per cent of Pinner Park was arable land, used for growing cereals (mainly wheat), peas, beans, tares and hay. The 18th century saw a shift from arable land to meadow, with 65 per cent of Pinner Park being meadow by the end of the century.

In the 19th century, legislation allowing inclosure saw Pinner’s previous open fields parcelled into farms. Hay became an increasingly important crop as fuel for London’s horses. But as the suburban population increased, dairying slowly began to take over, and in about 1920, Pinner Park Farm changed from hay and livestock to dairy farming. During the Second World War, the farm began growing cereals again, but after the war it reverted to pasture. By 1967, the entire 230 acres was producing grass to feed 240 Friesian cows, with the milk mainly sold in the surrounding residential areas. However, dairying ended some years ago, and small industrial firms began operating from the old dairy buildings, while agricultural use of the farm has continued.

Habitat
The site’s habitats include hedges, improved agricultural grassland, ponds, running water, scattered trees and secondary woodland. The pastures have been re-seeded and treated with fertilisers and so have little botanical diversity. The old field boundary hedges with ancient emergent oaks (Quercus robur) are valuable wildlife habitats, especially for birds. The farm is well known for its old field ponds, of which four survive. These support a fairly diverse wetland flora, including brooklime (Veronica beccabunga), water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica), branched bur-reed (Sparganium erectum) and trifid bur-marigold (Bidens tripartita).

The River Pinn runs in a deep channel through the western part of the farm. Aquatic vegetation is restricted to a little Canadian waterweed (Elodea canadensis). A narrow belt of woodland, dominated by hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) lines the river.

In the south of the farm is a strip of oak woodland known locally as The Copse. This has a good shrub layer, including guelder-rose (Viburnum opulus), dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), holly (Ilex aquilifolium) and field maple (Acer campestre). Sheets of bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) cover the ground in spring.

Species
Birds

Little Owl nest on the site, as do Swallow and House Martin. Warblers in summer include Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Hobby are also regularly seen in summer, while Kestrel and Sparrowhawk are resident in the area, Common Buzzard are regularly seen and Red Kite occasionally pass over. Passage migrants include Wheatear and Whinchat. A Wryneck spent three days around the farm buildings in September 2008. According to London WildWeb (which tends to give seriously out-of-date species information), Tawny Owl and Yellowhammer breed in the hedgerows and “Tree Sparrows nested here in the 1980s but may have disappeared”.

Mammals, reptiles and amphibians

Common frogs breed in the ponds, which may also be used by other amphibians. Sticklebacks occur in the river.

Invertebrates

Information needed, please

Practicalities
Directions

The nearest station is Headstone Lane, on the London Overground line between London Euston and Watford Junction. The nearest London Underground station is Pinner (Metropolitan Line). Nearby bus routes include 183, 350, H11, H12, H13, H14, H18 and H19.

Access

Pinner Park Farm is a working farm and access is confined to the public footpaths across the site. Starting from Pinner Station there is a pleasant walk across the site to Headstone Lane Station. Go down Station Approach and turn right on the High Street and right again on Church Lane. At the end of Church Lane, turn left into Moss Lane and almost immediately turn right up Wakehams Hill (quite steep, but it is only a few minutes) to a public footpath sign. There are a couple of seats just before the beginning of the walk where you can sit and enjoy the country view before setting off. The path is pleasant, downhill and through open meadows. After passing through a gateway/stile the way becomes more sheltered with tall hedgerows and ash trees. When you reach the busy George V Avenue, cross over to the Pinner Park Farm sign. Note the “Beware of the bull” sign and keep to the footpath. You pass run-down farm buildings, including the substantion mid-18th farmhouse (a Grade II listed building). The walk becomes more attractive after the outbuildings. At the end of the footpath, climb over a stile and turn right into a quiet lane. At the end of the lane you will see the Headstone Lane station buildings over the road.

Facilities

There are no public facilities on the farm.

‘’This information has been cobbled together from various internet sources by someone who has never visited the site but thinks that it deserves a page on the London Bird Club Wiki. If you are familiar with the site, please correct, expand and/or update this information.