Danson Park

Danson Park is a large public park in the London Borough of Bexley, between Welling and Bexleyheath. At 75 hectares it is the second largest park in the borough and the most used by local people. The park opened in 1925 and is Grade II listed on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. It takes its name from the electoral ward that covers the park and nearby streets. The southern edge of the park borders Rochester Way, the A2 road. The park began as an estate owned by East India Company figures John Styleman and Sir John Boyd. In the 1760s Boyd built Danson House, a Grade I-listed Georgian mansion at the centre of the park. The landscape was designed between 1761 and 1763, possibly by Capability Brown or his assistant Nathaniel Richmond. A 12-acre lake was created as the heart of the grounds, described in 1797 as a serpentine river flowing through the landscape. A Greek temple built by Sir William Chambers in 1773 was later moved to Hertfordshire in 1961. Visitors find a 5k parkrun course that circles Danson Lake every Saturday morning. Sports facilities include football pitches, tennis courts, bowling greens and an outdoor gym. The lake is used for boating, sailing and rowing by clubs and societies. Three gardens are open to the public: the English Garden near Danson House, the Rock Garden at the western end and the Peace Garden in the south-east. A 200-year-old oak tree known as Charter Oak stands at the park’s centre and is protected by an enclosure. The park also hosts circuses, firework displays and other large events throughout the year.