Online
Learning
Resource
- Get directions
- Share This
- Report an Issue
- prev
- next
Educational Offer
Formerly part of the Gaynes Estate this is a mature lightly wooded area that provides a very pleasant area for picnics and informal recreation. The lake gives the area a great deal of character and is popular for angling.
Links to Topic Activities
Site Contact Details
Location
Parklands Open Space, Upminster, RM14 2ET
Site Summary
- 11.44 acres (4.63 Hectares)
- Surviving 18th century parkland
- Large lake surrounded by woodland
- The lake is stocked with fish and is well used for angling
Site History
Formerly part of Gaynes or Engaynes manor, whose name derives from Vitalis Engayne who owned the estate from 1218. It had numerous owners until 1780 when Sir James Esdaile bought it. He built a new manor house, since demolished, and laid out the 100-acre park.
A stream was dammed to create a lake, with a bridge built at its east end, clumps of trees were planted and shrubbery walks laid out. From 1817 onwards parts of the estate, by then c.750 acres, were sold off to various private owners. Eventually, in 1929 the estate was sold for building development.
Some old trees survive amongst new housing. The historic lake and bridge remain, together with a grass walk along the northern bank.
Land of the Fanns Teacher Briefing
Some sites have a Teacher Briefing available at the top of the page, but the following download is a general Teacher Briefing for The Land of the Fanns. We recommend you download this briefing before visiting any of the sites listed on this resource.
Download Teacher BriefingGallery
Landscape and Habitat
- Lake
- Woodland
Wildlife
- The lake is an important feeding site for bats, with large numbers of pipistrelles and smaller numbers of noctules and Daubenton's bats
- Breeding birds in the woodland include goldcrest
- A variety of dragonflies and common waterfowl live around the lake
- Kingfishers are seen frequently
- Fish
Plants and Trees
- Tall herbs
- Willow scrub
- Wet marginal vegetation including: great willow herb, water forget-me-not, gypsy wort, yellow iris, great reedmace, brooklime, great pond-sedge and reed sweet-grass
- Trees such as sycamore, sparse oak, English elm, holly, white, weeping and grey willows, hybrid black and Lombardy poplars, ash and horse chestnut
- Ivy
- Wood false-brome
