Brent Park, Hendon facts for kids

Brent Park is a lovely green space in Hendon, London. It's a special place where nature thrives, right in the middle of the city. This park is a great spot to explore and learn about local wildlife.

Brent Park: A Green Oasis

What is Brent Park?

The River Brent flows through the park.

Brent Park is a small public park in Hendon, London. It covers about 2.24 hectares, which is like the size of a few football fields. This park is very important for nature. It's part of a bigger area called the 'Lower Dollis Brook' Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade II. This means it's officially recognized as a really important place for plants and animals.

The park is a narrow strip of trees and green space. It sits west of the busy North Circular Road, between Brent Street and Bell Lane. Most of the park is kept wild to help nature. There's only a small mown grass area at the northern end.

Nature's Home: The River and Ponds

This pond was once part of a lake used to attract ducks.

The River Brent flows along the western side of the park. You'll also find three ponds next to the river. These ponds are what's left of a large lake. This lake was built a very long time ago, maybe even a thousand years ago! The abbots of Westminster created it to attract ducks. It was like a special trap called a "duck decoy."

Today, many birds still call these ponds home. You can often see Tufted ducks, mallards, coots, and moorhens. They even build their nests on a wooded island in one of the ponds.

A Look Back in Time

A path winding through Brent Park.

An old map from 1875 shows the park as part of Decoy Wood. This wood was part of the grounds of Brent Bridge House. This house stood at the southern end of the area. The land around it was called Decoy Farm.

Brent Park officially opened to the public in 1934. The old Brent Bridge House was taken down the very next year.

Exploring the Park

The Capital Ring walking route goes right through Brent Park. This is a long walking path that circles London. It's a great way to explore the city's green spaces.

You can get into Brent Park from a few different places. There are entrances from North Circular Road, Brent Street, and Bell Lane.