Fabulous Wanstead Park
Rocque's plan of 1745 shows the magnificent, complex and elaborate gardens at Wanstead dating
from the late 17th century. They were created by Sir Josiah Child. Chairman of the East India
Company, who had purchased the Wanstead estate in 1667. Sir Josiah spent a fortune on the park,
but notably not the house.
He died in 1699 and his son (also Josiah) inherited the estate, but died not long after, in 1704. The
property passed to his half-brother, Richard Child, later Viscount Castlemain (1718) and Earl Tylney
(1733). He continued the landscaping of the park and also commissioned the architect Colen
Campbell to produce the plan for the famous palladian mansion - Wanstead House - in 1715. The
Rocque plan shows some water features that were never actually fully finished in the park (ie the
straight canal due east of the house), but much of it is as surveyed later by Chapman and Andre in
1772 - 4. The remains of Wanstead Park, now about 140 acres, were acquired the by The Corporation
of London and eventually formally opened to the public as part of Epping Forest in 1882.
ROCQUE'S PLAN FROM HIS SURVEY OF LONDON 1744-46
(PREVIOUSLY SURVEYED C.1735). SEE ALSO PAGE 180.
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Essex Parks: Section 1 - Parks in Essex