Chinbrook Meadows

Chinbrook Meadows sometimes Chinbrook Meadow in southeast London, England is one of Lewisham's public open spaces or parks in the south of Chinbrook and Grove Park in the London Borough of Lewisham and SE12 postcode district but next to the border with the London Borough of Bromley and the BR1 postcode district.

The majority of the park is maintained short grass with footpaths and lined with tall trees and bisected by the River Quaggy; the grass often has markings for football pitches, a cricket ground and other sports and is used by local schools for sports days. Chinbrook Meadows also contains public toilets, public concrete tennis courts, and football pitch/basketball court in one, plus a children's play area with a paddling pool. The many footpaths crossing the park form part of The Green Chain Walk ^[1][2] and Capital Ring. The Quaggy River flows northward through Chinbrook Meadows.

The park is around half a mile long north to south, half as wide and is surrounded by Chinbrook Road to the north, Mayeswood Road to the east and the railway line to the south and west. Under the railway line there is a pedestrian subway tunnel that crosses the borough boundary into Bromley and links the park to a much smaller green area southwest of the main park; Although there is no gate separating the two, the smaller area, being under the authority of another borough, is sometimes not considered part of the same park, the map on the website does not show it, but shows the park entrance to be the pedestrian subway^[3]. The footpath that leaves the southeast corner of Chinbrook Meadows is part of the Green Chain Walk passes the allotments then Grove Park Cemetery before entering Elmstead Woods. Gates to the park are opened at 08:00 every morning and closed near dusk, with times ranging from 16:30 to 21:00 in the evening depending on the time of year.^[4]

History

The area was previously occupied by Chinbrook Farm, a dairy farm. The park was first formally opened to the public in 1929 and was then a children's play area 8 acres (32,000 m²) in size, on the edge of the recently built Grove Park Estate; London County Council purchased a further 23 acres (93,000 m²) acres and the larger area was opened to the public in June 1937.^[5]

A church was built by the Shaftesbury Society as a 'mission hall' on the border of the park in Mayeswood Road in the Grove Park Estate, and dedicated in May 1935. This mission hall was used as a Baptist church until 2005 when it was taken over by Jubilee International Church.

The small southern part of Chinbrook Meadows became allotments, but many were in disuse in the early 1990s and a government grant paid for trees to be planted on some of the area, although some of the allotments still remain in use.^[5]

River Quaggy

In the 1960s the River Quaggy within Chinbrook Meadows and other parks was channelized into long straight concrete culverts to alleviate flooding and was closed off behind tall hedges and iron fences, this cut the park in two with the larger part to the east of the river. In the early 2000s however the concrete channel with its fences and hedges was demolished and river was remodeled to give a natural, meandering appearance with a small flood plain; this was to encourage wild plants and animals back to the area and to be more pleasant and attractive for the public. There are several wooden foot bridges over the river, that replaced the concrete ones with iron fences. The regeneration was completed on 1 October 2002 and cost a reported £1.1million.^[6][7] Since the restoration Chinbrook Meadows has won the Green Flag Award in two years in a row.^[8]. Shortly After the regeneration was completed the same river was given a similar regeneration further down stream within Sutcliffe Park, a mile and a half north to the north.^[9][10]

Transport links

There are bus stops by the northern entrance on Chinbrook Road which London Buses 124, 126, 273 and school bus 638 serve.^[11][12] Grove Park centre is less than half a mile to the west of this entrance and is also served by these buses plus four more, 136, 181, 261 and night bus N136 as well as Grove Park railway station and the A2212 road. The 284 bus serves Chinbrook which is a similar distance east from the same entrance. The park is also on the for mentioned Green Chain Walk and Capital Ring.

Coordinates: 51°25′44″N 0°01′41″E / 51.429°N 0.028°E / 51.429; 0.028Coordinates: 51°25′44″N 0°01′41″E / 51.429°N 0.028°E / 51.429; 0.028

External links

• Chinbrook Meadows at Lewisham Council Website Chinbrook Meadows map
• QWAG - Chinbrook Meadows, public parks on the River Quaggy - River Quaggy restoration in Chinbrook Meadows
• Chinbrook Meadows at environment-agency.gov.uk
• Chinbrook Meadows at The River Restoration Centre
• Chinbrook Meadows at Green Flag Award
• Transport for London bus map

References

1. ^ Green Chain description
2. ^ Green Chain map
3. ^ Chinbrook Meadows map
4. ^ Park opening times
5. ^ ^{a b} Lewisham Council website
6. ^ Regeneration
7. ^ Regeneration
8. ^ Green Flag Award
9. ^ Sutcliffe Park regeneration
10. ^ Sutcliffe Park regeneration
11. ^ Transport for London bus map
12. ^ Transport for London 638 bus times and route