Trent Park

History
The earliest known lord of the estate was Esgar, constable to Edward the Confessor (who inherited the land from his ancestors). The Chase area at this time was known as the park of Enfield or Enfield Wood.

Trent Country Park is one of the few surviving remnants of the once extensive Royal Hunting Forest of Enfield Chase. Much of the character of the park has changed little since the end of the Chase in 1777.

Royal Hunting Forest
As royal land, Enfield Chase was managed by the Duchy of Lancaster (a separate office created in 1399, empowered to administer the personal lands of the monarch). It served as royal hunting grounds for nearly 400 years, enjoyed by Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James I.

Although the land was owned by the Crown, commoners still had certain rights, including the gathering of wood, grazing of pigs and cattle and the rights to pass through, however, the taking of deer was strictly prohibited. To ensure that commoners abided by the rules, Forest Keepers and Bailiffs were appointed and any contravention was subject to the Chase Court.

During the 1650s the Cromwellian government divided up the Chase, planning to sell plots to clear arrears in army pay. However, as the rights of the commoners were not taken into account, they revolted destroying ditches and hedges used to enclose land, resulting in the restoration of the Chase during the 1660s, following the fall of the Republican government.

Due to the pressures of an expanding London and the need for increased agricultural development, an Act was passed in 1777 to divide up the Chase between the Crown and allotments for the parishes of Edmonton, Enfield, Monken Hadley and South Mimms.

Beech Hill Park Estate
To cover the cost of this division, two plots were sold. The first plot to Francis Russell, the surveyor whose work resulted in the passing of the Act to divide up the Chase in 1777.This area became known as the Beech Hill Park Estate.

Trent Place
The second plot was sold to Sir Richard Jebb, physician to George III. This sale was in recognition of his services to the Duke of Gloucester during his illness at Trento, in the Italian Tyrol. Hence Sir Richard named his estate Trent Place, later to become known as Trent Park.

Sir Richard commissioned Sir William Chambers, a well-known architect of the time, to build the first house at Trent Place. He also arranged for the area to be landscaped, reputedly by Humphry Repton, a famous garden designer responsible for such landscapes as Woburn Abbey and Longleat, who formed a partnership with John Nash, another well-known architect of the era responsible for such buildings as Grovelands House and the Brighton Pavilion.

Following the death of Sir Richard in 1787, the estate had a number of owners until in 1833, David Bevan (a banker and Quaker) is alleged to have bought Trent Park because he nodded whilst asleep at an auction. The Bevan family, prominent in the affairs of Barclays Bank, landscaped the area, planting a double avenue of lime trees and some 30,000 Oak trees.

In 1903, Sir Edward Sassoon purchased Trent Park, passing it to his son, Phillip, in 1912. Sir Phillip Sassoon bought the freehold in 1926 and set about creating a place suitable for grand entertainment. He re-fashioned the house (using bricks from the demolition of Devonshire House in Piccadilly), created a golf course, a landing strip and a water garden and planted thousands of daffodils and narcissi in the lawns surrounding the house.

He also erected three monuments; bought from Wrest Park, the most notable being the large 20m tall column in the north of Trent Park, bearing the inscription "To the memory of the birth of George Grey, Earl of Harold, son of Henry and Sophia, Duke and Duchess of Kent. 1702". During his time at Trent Park, Sir Phillip enjoyed the company of such guests as T.E.Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and Winston Churchill. When Sir Phillip died suddenly of fever in 1939, his ashes were scattered over the park from an aeroplane.

Ministries and Public Ownership
During World War II, the War Office requisitioned the house to interrogate prisoners of war, including Hitler's Deputy, Rudolf Hess and General Wilhelm Von Thoma, captured at El Alemain.

After the war, the Ministry of Education used the house as an emergency teacher training centre and it later became a residential teacher training college.

In 1951 Middlesex County Council compulsorily purchased the entire Trent Park Estate to safeguard the Green Belt.

In 1965 the estate was divided between The London Borough of Enfield (college grounds) and The Greater London Council (parkland) and the area was opened to the public as Trent Country Park in March 1973. Following the demise of the GLC in 1986, the management of the park passed to The London Borough of Enfield. In 1974 the college was incorporated into Middlesex Polytechnic, now Middlesex University.

Camlet Moat
Camlet Moat, now a scheduled ancient monument, is reputedly the site of the original Manor House of Enfield and allegedly a hiding place for the notorious highwayman, Dick Turpin. It is thought that the moat was constructed to protect an existing house owned by the de andeville Family.

Trent Park Today

Middlesex University

Today, the house and immediate grounds form part of the Middlesex University, while the 413-acre Country Park, including rolling meadows, lakes and woodland, is owned and managed by The London Borough of Enfield.

Facilities
Trent Park is a 413-acre estate and forms part of London's Green Belt.

There are large open spaces for walking (The London Loop passes through the park), jogging, cycling (a 2km cycle trail runs through the meadows), horse riding (a 4.25km woodland riding circuit can be accessed through the Hadley Road entrance), dog walking and other casual recreation.

Dog walkers are reminded that the Council operates a voluntary You & Your Dog scheme and provides special red bins. Your cooperation with this scheme is greatly appreciated and helps to keep our parks clean and safe for all to use. You can pick up and dispose of dog poo by using a Pick Up Bag or by saving and using an old plastic shopping bag for this purpose, but remember to always wash your hands afterwards. Free bags are available from the visitor centre at Trent Park and other outlets (subject to availability).

Trent Park Map - (3mb PDF)

The Visitor Centre
The Swiss Lodge Visitor Centre provides information and advice about Trent Park including any guided walks or nature trails as well as information on Enfield's countryside.

The Visitor Centre is home to exhibitions and countryside craft workshops and includes a gift shop. For further information on walks, clubs, visitor centre opening times and other activities within the park call 020 8441 7833.

Cafeteria
The Trent Park Cafeteria can be found near to the car parking area and Main Drive (Lime Avenue).

The café is open from 11am all year round and serves a variety of snacks, ice creams and refreshments. For further information please call the café direct on 020 8449 1359. However, if you prefer to bring a picnic, there are picnic tables provided.

Fishing
Fishing is available on the lake during the open season and an Environment Agency Licence is required (available from most local Post Offices).

The Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service Animal Centre

Owl

The centre is situated just behind the visitor centre and is home to a wide variety of rescued animals, wildlife including deer, foxes, hedgehogs, rabbits and a range of birds, as well as farm animals, such as goats, pigs, rabbits, ducks and chickens and some rare breeds.

For further information please visit the Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service Website.

Toilets
The toilets are located close to the cafeteria, in the Cockfosters Road Car Park and at the Hadley Road entrance, and include facilities for people with disabilities.

Walking for Health
The Parks Outreach Team in partnership with Age Concern currently undertakes walks around Trent Park as part of the Walk in the Park programme. These walks take place on Friday mornings.

If you are interested, please contact the Parks Outreach Team on 020 8379 1000.

Health walks Trent Park

Friends of Trent Park
Trent Park has an active Friends of Park Group that meet regularly to discus issues relevant to the park and its future development. Anyone with an interest in the park can attend.

For further information please contact the Parks Outreach Team on 020 8379 1000.

Opening & Closing Times
The park is open every day of the year from 8:00am Monday to Saturday and 8:30am on Sundays. Closing times vary according to the seasons.

For further information please view the Park Opening & Closing Timetable - (20Kb PDF)

Location
Trent Park
Cockfosters Road
Enfield
Barnet
EN4 0PS
Map

Transport Links
Trent Park is located in the west of Enfield. It is within easy reach of Junction 24 of the M25 and can be reached by buses 298, 299, 384, 377, 121 & 307, with the nearest tube stations being Oakwood and Cockfosters (5 minutes from the park entrance) on the Piccadilly line.
Pedestrians can access Trent Park via footpaths or there are two vehicle entrances, the main being in Cockfosters Road with another situated in Hadley Road. If traveling by car you should park in the free car parks, which include parking spaces for people with disabilities.

For journey times use the TFL Journey Planner.

Useful Information
Trent Park Map - (3mb PDF)
Trent Park Leaflet - (600kb PDF)
Trent Park Byelaws - (1mb PDF)

Useful Links
Green Flag Award
Trent Park Golf

Contact Us

Address:
Parks Business Unit
PO Box 52
Civic Centre
Silver Street
Enfield
EN1 3XD
Map

Email:
parksbusinessunit@enfield.gov.uk

Telephone:
020 8379 1000

Fax:
020 8379 3785

This document was last updated on 2008-09-23 11:39:06 published by the Parks team. Document Reference:LBE_132733

The website you are currently viewing has been replaced by a new site. Therefore, the information contained within this page cannot be guaranteed as accurate, and you may find some links do not work. To view our current website, please go to www.enfield.gov.uk
Directory: Home Contact us: Ask us a question Civic Centre Silver Street Enfield EN1 3XY Telephone: 020 8379 1000 Fax: 020 8379 4453 Textphone: 020 8379 4419 Note: Calls may be recorded. How to find us	A to Z of Services: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z .Translation. Trent Park History The earliest known lord of the estate was Esgar, constable to Edward the Confessor (who inherited the land from his ancestors). The Chase area at this time was known as the park of Enfield or Enfield Wood. Trent Country Park is one of the few surviving remnants of the once extensive Royal Hunting Forest of Enfield Chase. Much of the character of the park has changed little since the end of the Chase in 1777. Royal Hunting Forest As royal land, Enfield Chase was managed by the Duchy of Lancaster (a separate office created in 1399, empowered to administer the personal lands of the monarch). It served as royal hunting grounds for nearly 400 years, enjoyed by Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and James I. Although the land was owned by the Crown, commoners still had certain rights, including the gathering of wood, grazing of pigs and cattle and the rights to pass through, however, the taking of deer was strictly prohibited. To ensure that commoners abided by the rules, Forest Keepers and Bailiffs were appointed and any contravention was subject to the Chase Court. During the 1650s the Cromwellian government divided up the Chase, planning to sell plots to clear arrears in army pay. However, as the rights of the commoners were not taken into account, they revolted destroying ditches and hedges used to enclose land, resulting in the restoration of the Chase during the 1660s, following the fall of the Republican government. Due to the pressures of an expanding London and the need for increased agricultural development, an Act was passed in 1777 to divide up the Chase between the Crown and allotments for the parishes of Edmonton, Enfield, Monken Hadley and South Mimms. Beech Hill Park Estate To cover the cost of this division, two plots were sold. The first plot to Francis Russell, the surveyor whose work resulted in the passing of the Act to divide up the Chase in 1777.This area became known as the Beech Hill Park Estate. Trent Place The second plot was sold to Sir Richard Jebb, physician to George III. This sale was in recognition of his services to the Duke of Gloucester during his illness at Trento, in the Italian Tyrol. Hence Sir Richard named his estate Trent Place, later to become known as Trent Park. Sir Richard commissioned Sir William Chambers, a well-known architect of the time, to build the first house at Trent Place. He also arranged for the area to be landscaped, reputedly by Humphry Repton, a famous garden designer responsible for such landscapes as Woburn Abbey and Longleat, who formed a partnership with John Nash, another well-known architect of the era responsible for such buildings as Grovelands House and the Brighton Pavilion. Following the death of Sir Richard in 1787, the estate had a number of owners until in 1833, David Bevan (a banker and Quaker) is alleged to have bought Trent Park because he nodded whilst asleep at an auction. The Bevan family, prominent in the affairs of Barclays Bank, landscaped the area, planting a double avenue of lime trees and some 30,000 Oak trees. In 1903, Sir Edward Sassoon purchased Trent Park, passing it to his son, Phillip, in 1912. Sir Phillip Sassoon bought the freehold in 1926 and set about creating a place suitable for grand entertainment. He re-fashioned the house (using bricks from the demolition of Devonshire House in Piccadilly), created a golf course, a landing strip and a water garden and planted thousands of daffodils and narcissi in the lawns surrounding the house. He also erected three monuments; bought from Wrest Park, the most notable being the large 20m tall column in the north of Trent Park, bearing the inscription "To the memory of the birth of George Grey, Earl of Harold, son of Henry and Sophia, Duke and Duchess of Kent. 1702". During his time at Trent Park, Sir Phillip enjoyed the company of such guests as T.E.Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and Winston Churchill. When Sir Phillip died suddenly of fever in 1939, his ashes were scattered over the park from an aeroplane. Ministries and Public Ownership During World War II, the War Office requisitioned the house to interrogate prisoners of war, including Hitler's Deputy, Rudolf Hess and General Wilhelm Von Thoma, captured at El Alemain. After the war, the Ministry of Education used the house as an emergency teacher training centre and it later became a residential teacher training college. In 1951 Middlesex County Council compulsorily purchased the entire Trent Park Estate to safeguard the Green Belt. In 1965 the estate was divided between The London Borough of Enfield (college grounds) and The Greater London Council (parkland) and the area was opened to the public as Trent Country Park in March 1973. Following the demise of the GLC in 1986, the management of the park passed to The London Borough of Enfield. In 1974 the college was incorporated into Middlesex Polytechnic, now Middlesex University. Camlet Moat Camlet Moat, now a scheduled ancient monument, is reputedly the site of the original Manor House of Enfield and allegedly a hiding place for the notorious highwayman, Dick Turpin. It is thought that the moat was constructed to protect an existing house owned by the de andeville Family. Trent Park Today Today, the house and immediate grounds form part of the Middlesex University, while the 413-acre Country Park, including rolling meadows, lakes and woodland, is owned and managed by The London Borough of Enfield. Facilities Trent Park is a 413-acre estate and forms part of London's Green Belt. There are large open spaces for walking (The London Loop passes through the park), jogging, cycling (a 2km cycle trail runs through the meadows), horse riding (a 4.25km woodland riding circuit can be accessed through the Hadley Road entrance), dog walking and other casual recreation. Dog walkers are reminded that the Council operates a voluntary You & Your Dog scheme and provides special red bins. Your cooperation with this scheme is greatly appreciated and helps to keep our parks clean and safe for all to use. You can pick up and dispose of dog poo by using a Pick Up Bag or by saving and using an old plastic shopping bag for this purpose, but remember to always wash your hands afterwards. Free bags are available from the visitor centre at Trent Park and other outlets (subject to availability). Trent Park Map - (3mb PDF) The Visitor Centre The Swiss Lodge Visitor Centre provides information and advice about Trent Park including any guided walks or nature trails as well as information on Enfield's countryside. The Visitor Centre is home to exhibitions and countryside craft workshops and includes a gift shop. For further information on walks, clubs, visitor centre opening times and other activities within the park call 020 8441 7833. Cafeteria The Trent Park Cafeteria can be found near to the car parking area and Main Drive (Lime Avenue). The café is open from 11am all year round and serves a variety of snacks, ice creams and refreshments. For further information please call the café direct on 020 8449 1359. However, if you prefer to bring a picnic, there are picnic tables provided. Fishing Fishing is available on the lake during the open season and an Environment Agency Licence is required (available from most local Post Offices). The Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service Animal Centre The centre is situated just behind the visitor centre and is home to a wide variety of rescued animals, wildlife including deer, foxes, hedgehogs, rabbits and a range of birds, as well as farm animals, such as goats, pigs, rabbits, ducks and chickens and some rare breeds. For further information please visit the Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service Website. Toilets The toilets are located close to the cafeteria, in the Cockfosters Road Car Park and at the Hadley Road entrance, and include facilities for people with disabilities. Walking for Health The Parks Outreach Team in partnership with Age Concern currently undertakes walks around Trent Park as part of the Walk in the Park programme. These walks take place on Friday mornings. If you are interested, please contact the Parks Outreach Team on 020 8379 1000. Friends of Trent Park Trent Park has an active Friends of Park Group that meet regularly to discus issues relevant to the park and its future development. Anyone with an interest in the park can attend. For further information please contact the Parks Outreach Team on 020 8379 1000. Opening & Closing Times The park is open every day of the year from 8:00am Monday to Saturday and 8:30am on Sundays. Closing times vary according to the seasons. For further information please view the Park Opening & Closing Timetable - (20Kb PDF) Location Trent Park Cockfosters Road Enfield Barnet EN4 0PS Map Transport Links Trent Park is located in the west of Enfield. It is within easy reach of Junction 24 of the M25 and can be reached by buses 298, 299, 384, 377, 121 & 307, with the nearest tube stations being Oakwood and Cockfosters (5 minutes from the park entrance) on the Piccadilly line. Pedestrians can access Trent Park via footpaths or there are two vehicle entrances, the main being in Cockfosters Road with another situated in Hadley Road. If traveling by car you should park in the free car parks, which include parking spaces for people with disabilities. For journey times use the TFL Journey Planner. Useful Information Trent Park Map - (3mb PDF) Trent Park Leaflet - (600kb PDF) Trent Park Byelaws - (1mb PDF) Useful Links Green Flag Award Trent Park Golf Contact Us Address: Parks Business Unit PO Box 52 Civic Centre Silver Street Enfield EN1 3XD Map Email: parksbusinessunit@enfield.gov.uk Telephone: 020 8379 1000 Fax: 020 8379 3785 This document was last updated on 2008-09-23 11:39:06 published by the Parks team. Document Reference:LBE_132733
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