Black-headed Gulls at Broomfield Park. Photo taken November 22 2008.
Broomfield Park is a park situated in Palmers Green in the London Borough of Enfield. Its main feature is Broomfield House, a large building that was gutted by fire in 1984 and has since remained derelict.
History
Popular belief states that the park was named after John Broomfield who was a London Currier (a seller of leather goods). In 1556 he sold the land to a man named Geoffrey Walkeden, but by 1599 the estate was owned by the London Alderman Sir John Spencer.
In the 17th century the land and house were purchased by Joseph Jackson, whose family owned it until family member Mary Jackson married William Tash in 1773. The estate was left in Mary Tash's will to her friend Louisa Powys, whose family inherited it when William Tash died.
Since then, the park has been used as a grazing site for livestock, a sports track and a rifle range. None of these remain today.
In 1903 the park was purchased by Southgate Urban District Council for £25,000 and was opened to the public on 25th April 1903.
Broomfield House was Grade II listed in 1950.
Access and Facilities
The main access to the park is located on Alderman's Hill although gates are also present on Powys Lane and Broomfield Lane.
Palmers Green railway station, served by First Capital Connect, is a short walk away from the main gate on Alderman's Hill. Bus routes 121 and W6 stop outside the park while bus route 329 stops nearby on Green Lanes. Car parking is available on Alderman's Hill and nearby residential roads. There is also a pay-and-display car park at Palmers Green railway station.
The park has paved paths but these are generally in a state of disrepair and can be uneven.
There are recently refurbished toilets on the east side of the park near the memorial garden and Broomfield House. There is no cafe. Shops and places to eat are available on nearby Green Lanes and on Alderman's Hill.
There is an extensive children's playground and football pitch in the east part of the park.
Habitat
The park is roughly divided into three areas: football pitches and play area; gardens and lakes; and the former carriage drive. There is also a model boating lake near the main gate and a memorial garden at the back of the park.
The former carriage drive is a large expanse of grass with a few trees. In the winter this area is favoured by winter thrushes and gulls. Kestrels and Sparrowhawks sometimes hunt here.
Species Sighted
Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Coot, Dunnock, Eurasian Teal, Egyptian Goose, Feral Pigeon, Great Spotted Woodpercker, Great Tit, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mediterranean Gull, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Nuthatch, Pied Wagtail, Redwing, Robin, Shoveler, Starling, Woodpigeon, Wren