Ravenor Park
Where is it?
The main entrance to Ravenor Park is from Oldfield Road South on the eastern side of the park close to the heart of central Greenford with its public library, Police Station and bustling centre with shops and cafes.
Other entrances are on Ruislip Rd, Ravenor Park Rd, Eastmead Avenue
Getting there
- bus: 95, 105, 282, E6, E7, E9, E10 to the Ruislip Road
- tube: Greenford (Central Line), Oldfield Lane North, Greenford
- parking: nearby parking in central Greenford
Facilities
- public toilets – located just outside the park on Oldfield Lane South
- disabled access/facilities – mixture of tarmac and hoggin path surfaces, some gentle slopes. Bark chip path through nature conservation area. Good provision of benches throughout the park.
- playground – a well-equipped playground near the Oldfield Lane South entrance
- multi-use games area
- tennis courts
- adult exercise equipment near Ruislip Road entrance
About the park
The park mainly features formal parkland with a row of white poplars, exotic trees, shrubs, and a rose garden. A small nature conservation area with woodland and meadow is at the southern end, while the northern boundary has an old hedge and ditch line for wildlife.
There is ample space for informal recreation, a children's playground with climbing boulders, a multi-use games area for football and basketball, tennis courts, and a small memorial garden of trees commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 'D' Day Landings, presented by the Royal British Legion Greenford Branch.
Brief history of site
Historically, Greenford had many farms, including Ravenor Farm and Costons Farm, named after local families. With improved transport links like the canal and railway, and industrial development, Greenford evolved from a rural village to a large suburb with factories. This led to a building boom in the 1920s and 1930s, and the population grew from 843 in 1911 to 32,824 in 1951.
To preserve open space amid the development, Greenford Urban District Council bought farmland in 1927, creating a public park that opened in October 1928. Originally called Costons Farm Recreation Ground, it was later renamed Ravenor Park. The old farmhouse was demolished in the early 1970s, but the cowshed barn, now housing the London Motorbike Museum and Ealing Heritage Centre, remains.
Ravenor Park also had an underground air raid shelter during World War II, with evidence still visible as raised concrete manholes near the Oldfield Lane entrance.
Wildlife value
Much of the tree planting consists of hybrid species, but there are notable avenues of white poplar (Populus alba) and Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra italica) along 2 main footpaths.In the south west of the park, towards the
In the southwest part of the park near the Ruislip Road entrance, a small nature area with woodland and meadows is managed by rangers to enhance biodiversity. This area is maintained as a summer meadow, cut and cleared at the end of July, attracting various butterflies, small mammals, and foxes.
The watercourse and hedge along the northern boundary provide valuable wildlife habitats and, along with the nature area, are recognized as a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC).
The park is home to various birds including great spotted (Dendrocopus major) and green woodpeckers (Picus viridis), and sometimes sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus).
In winter, common ( Larus canus) and black headed gulls (Larus ridibundus) are joined by lesser black-backed (Larus fuscus) and herring gulls (Larus argentatus), particularly when the lower slopes are wet. Recently, the park has seen the arrival of the noisy and social ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri ), adding a vibrant green touch to the wildlife.