Friends of The Highams Park is a group of local volunteers who work with the Council’s Greenspace team.
Through this partnership, park users get a greater say in what goes on in The Highams Park and can help in improving different aspects of the park. This may take place in the form of promoting the park, helping with conservation tasks, organising local community events, fundraising and much more.
The Friends group also help to care for the park and are be involved in improving areas such as the appearance, facilities and safety
We meet regularly to discuss improvements to the amenities of the park. The Friends also work closely with the Epping Forest authorities concerning the adjoining area around the Highams Park lake.
Recent achievements have included working with the council to arrange for new road signs at the entrances, plus the display of new History boards in the park. Also, we have helped to finance a Climbing Net in the children’s play area.
Contact Details
Contact the Friends of The Highams Park via the Highams Park Portal.
Social Media
Facebook: It’s a Highams Park thing (@HighamsParkThing)
Instagram: Highams Park Portal (@highamsparkportal)
Twitter: Highams Park London (@HighamsParkUK)
Website: https://highamspark.london/community/community-groups/friends-of-highams-park/
Location
Facilities
- Grassed area with a variety of trees, great views of the adjoining lake and Epping Forest.
- Under 12’s Play area.
- Under 7’s Play area.
You can find out more about The Highams Park on the Go Parks London website.
History of Highams Park
The present day park is a remnant of the parkland designed by Humphry Repton in 1793 for Highams House (now Woodford High School for Girls). His “Red Book” of designs for the estate grounds still exists.
The parkland stretches downhill from the house towards the Ching Brook which used to meander over the land that was excavated to form the artificial lake which is now part of Epping Forest.
The 20-acre field for the park was acquired by Waltham Forest Council in 1937 to preserve it as a green space forever.
During the Second World War, the field was used for allotments. At the end of the conflict, “prefabs” were built there on condition that the land would be restored as park land and that, at the insistence of local residents, none of the large trees should be felled.
A total of 176 families were re-housed there until 1960 on what was now named “The Highams Park”.
In 1948, the brick shed near Tamworth Avenue, which had served as a First Aid Post during the war, was converted into Highams Park Community Club, with a kitchen, piano and stage.
(Source: “A History of Highams Park & Hale End” by M.L. Dunhill 2005)