Oaks Park (London)

Oaks Park, Carshalton

The Oaks Park (51°20′N 0°10′W / 51.333°N 0.167°W / 51.333; -0.167) is a public park in Carshalton in the London Borough of Sutton. It is bounded on the south by Croydon Lane (A2022), and on the east by Woodmansterne Road; smaller roads lie to west and north.

History

The park was laid out for the Earl of Derby in the 1770s for the existing villa (built around 1750 for one Thomas Gosling). The fashionable landscape style was employed with trees forming a perimeter screen and placed in artful clumps to suggest a natural landscape. The house, which was partly rebuilt by Robert Adam, was demolished between 1956 and 1960 ^[1] but the bakehouse, stable block and some outbuildings remain.

The Oaks horserace

The estate lent its name to the Oaks horserace which was inaugurated by the Earl in 1779 and is run annually during the Derby meeting at Epsom Downs Racecourse, about 4 miles to the west.

Recreation

Café at Oaks Park

There is a public golf course and sports centre forming part of the open space. The park itself contains a craft centre, a café and a downland countryside walk.The Oaks Sport Centre has a public golf course and a new indoor climbing and caving centre.

See also

• Carshalton Park
• Grove Park

Notes

1. ^ "The Oaks & Oaks Park, London Borough of Sutton". http://www.sutton.gov.uk/leisure/heritage/Carshalton/oaksandpark.htm. 

External links

• Oaks Park Sports Centre

• A local guide to the North Downs

• Map of area from Streetmap