Danson Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Danson Park |
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Danson Park
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| Location | London Borough of Bexley |
| Operated by | Bexley Council |
| Public transit access |  Bexleyheath |
Danson Park is a large public park in South East London. You can find it in the London Borough of Bexley, between Welling and Bexleyheath. This park covers about 75 hectares, which is like 185 football fields! It's the second biggest park in the borough and is very popular with local families and visitors.
Danson Park first opened in 1925. Many people think it's the best green space in the area. It's even listed as a Grade II historic park, which means it's a very important place with a special past. The park also gives its name to the local area around it.
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History of Danson Park
The land that is now Danson Park has a long and interesting history.
From Private Estate to Public Park
Long ago, this land was owned by the church, then by the King or Queen. Later, important people from the East India Company (a big trading company from the past) owned it. One of these owners was Sir John Boyd, 1st Baronet. In the 1760s, Sir John Boyd built Danson House, a beautiful old mansion that still stands in the middle of the park. He also hired someone to design the park's landscape. This design was created between 1761 and 1763 by either Capability Brown or his assistant.
At the heart of the park is a large, pretty lake, about 12 acres in size. In 1797, a writer named Edward Hasted described it as "a most magnificent sheet of water." He said it looked like a beautiful winding river flowing through the grounds.
Later Owners and Public Opening
Another important owner was Alfred Bean, a railway engineer. He bought the property in 1862. Bean wanted to turn the large estate into a residential area with homes. Some parts of the estate were sold for houses after he died in 1890. But Danson House and 224 acres of the land stayed with his family.
When Alfred Bean's widow passed away in 1921, the estate was put up for auction. In 1924, the local council, Bexley Urban District Council, bought it for £16,000. They spent another £3,500 to turn it into a public park for everyone to enjoy.
The park officially opened to the public in 1925. Princess Mary opened it herself! Areas were set aside for football pitches, tennis courts, and a bowling green, which were added over time. In 1929, the Morris Wheeler Gates were put up at the park's north-east entrance. These gates were a gift from a local businessman. An outdoor swimming pool opened in 1936, and a Boathouse and Cafe opened in 1964.
In 2006, the park grounds were restored with money from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Danson House also had a major restoration. Today, the park is used by many people for all sorts of activities.
What You Can Find in Danson Park
Danson Park has many cool features and activities for visitors.
Gardens and Nature
The park has a special area called the Danson Park Bog Garden, which is a Local Nature Reserve. This means it's a protected area for plants and wildlife. There are also three other gardens you can visit:
- The English Garden, located across the road from Danson House.
- The Rock Garden, at the western end of the park.
- The Peace Garden, in the south-eastern corner.
The Charter Oak Tree
In 1937, a special event happened under a large oak tree in the park. This tree is over 200 years old! Since then, it's been known as "Charter Oak." It's even recognized as one of the Great Trees of London. This tree is a central part of the park and is even shown on the London Borough of Bexley's coat of arms. The tree is now fenced off to help protect its roots.
Activities and Facilities
Danson Park is a busy place! It often hosts circuses, fun-fairs, and amazing firework displays. A free 5k run, part of the international parkrun events, happens every Saturday morning. You can run or walk a scenic two-lap course around Danson Lake.
For sports, the park has:
- Football pitches
- Tennis courts
- Bowling greens
- Obstacle courses
- An outdoor gym
- Cycle routes
There's also a popular children's playground with a small water park. On the lake, you can go boating, sailing, and rowing. Various water-sports clubs also use the lake.
The park also has the Danson Stables, which is a public house (a pub) in a building that used to be the stable for Danson House. There's also The Boathouse, a restaurant and event space near the lake.
Danson Festival
Until 2013, Danson Park was home to the Danson Festival. This was a huge annual event run by Bexley Council. It lasted two days and attracted up to 60,000 visitors! The festival had many stalls for arts, crafts, and charities. There was also a fun fair with rides.
The festival usually took place on the first weekend of July. The main part of the festival was a stage where local artists performed. Famous acts also played there, like The Hoosiers and Peter Andre.
Sadly, the festival was cancelled in 2014 because the park grounds were in poor condition. It was cancelled again in 2015 for the same reason. The festival hasn't taken place since then.
Local Area Ward
Danson Park used to be the name of a local area, or "ward," within the London Borough of Bexley. In 2011, about 10,864 people lived in this ward. In the 2014 local elections, three councillors were elected from the Conservative Party to represent the Danson Park ward. In 2017, the Danson Park ward was changed. Now, the park is part of the Falconwood and Welling ward.
Images for kids
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Danson Park ward (green) within the London Borough of Bexley (yellow)
