Forty Hall Park

Green Flag Winner 2007/2008/2009/2010/2011

History

Records for the Forty Hall Estate date back to the medieval period when a portion of land adjacent to Turkey Brook became the site of Elsyng Palace .

Elsyng Palace was first mentioned in 1381, as part of the lands belonging to Thomas Elsyng. By the early 16th Century Sir Thomas Lovell, the Chancellor of the Exchequer under Henry VIII occupied the Great House of Elsyng. Fifteen years after the death of Sir Thomas at Elsyng in 1524, the Great House became a Royal Palace .

The Royal Palace was used as a base for hunting in Enfield Chase and it was here that Edward VI learned he was to be king following the death of his father, Henry VIII, in 1547. Elizabeth I visited the Palace four times during her reign between 1558-1603, however, following her death the Palace fell into disrepair.

After a brief spell as a bathhouse the former Palace was demolished shortly after it became part of the Forty Hall Estate. The area is now a scheduled ancient monument.