Southall parks

Southall Park

Where is it?

Access: From Uxbridge Road, Green Drive and Boyd Avenue, Southall.

Getting there 

Bus: 195, 207, 427, 607 with stops on the Uxbridge Road, and 95, 482, H32, 105, 120, E5 with stops on South Road                           
Train: Southall mainline on South Road

Opening and closing times

Facilities 

  • Play centre
  • Multi use games area
  • Play ground
  • Adult exercise area

About the park

Mainly formal parkland with small sections set aside for nature conservation, recreation. The site also has a playground, play centre, a dual use tennis court and MUGA area shared which is shared with Villiers High School.  Other features include mosaic globe (designed by local school children), and water cascade. 

Brief history of site

The Merricks lived in Southall Haw (a house later known as Southall Park) and were the second largest landowners in the area.  The house ceased to be a private house from 1839, when it became a private asylum until 1883. The asylum was first owned by Sir William Ellis then by Lady Ellis and last by Dr Robert Boyd. The asylum then burnt to the ground in 1883, killing the owner and five others. Boyd Avenue was named after Dr Boyd.  

After taking over the park between 1910–1930 the council constructed new footpaths, a bandstand, a circular walk within the former grounds of the house (now the Spring garden), a boating lake, tennis courts, a bowling green, a play area and a pavilion.  Construction of a boating lake started in 1923 and included and children's paddling pool. It consisted of two canal-like structures with a lake at the end.

Wildlife value

Southall Park is a diverse area of green space in Ealing.  Numerous flora and fauna species are found in the park including:

  • several native and exotic tree species - English Oak, London Plane, Dawn Redwood, Eucalyptus
  • birds - Goldfinches, Blackbirds, Tits, Woodpeckers, Green Ring-necked Parakeets, Lesser Spotted, Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker, Redwing, Fieldfare, Mistlethrush, Black Headed Gull and Common Gull
  • mammals - fox and grey squirrel

The rangers created a nature conservation area in 2003 to help improve biodiversity and habitat value.  The nature area consists of a pond, cornflower meadow and planted copse areas, which provides an important feature to the park and haven for wildlife.

Significant species of interest exclusively recorded in the area so far are:

  • slowworms
  • common frogs
  • toads
  • cornflowers
  • marsh marigold
  • yellow flag iris
  • corncockles and ox eye daisy

The conservation area was extended to include a woodland walk with new hoggin paths, a birch copse and a holly and yew hedge in 2007.