The Bridge at Gaynes Park, Upminster (now Parklands)
Gaynes was originally a 106 acre park that was sold in 1929 for development. About 27 acres survive -
including the bridge over the artificially widened river shown in the photograph. Neither of the two native
Black Poplars to the right of the photograph now exists, but another huge specimen, girth about 14ft, survives
on the very western edge of the park. It is not known who landscaped the park. (Photograph probably c. 1910).
Weald Park, Brentwood
Weald is probably the best place in Essex to get an idea of what a medieval deer park looked like, although the
trees are now very much larger than would have been found then. This view is interesting, in that it shows some
of the grassland that was destroyed in 1948 when a rumour (false, as it turned-out) that the ploughing subsidy
was about to be lifted. (Photograph probably c.1920).
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Essex Parks (2004)