NEWS
Moat Island A
re-vamp of one of Eltham’s most historic spaces is being planned by the Friends of Well Hall Pleasaunce.
The centre of the moat in the Pleasaunce has been the site of manor houses dating back at least 1,000 years and, in the early part of last century, was the garden of children’s writer Edith Nesbit, author of the Railway Children. When the park was created in the 1930s, it was paved over as a space to
The plans, supported by Greenwich Council, involve removing the remaining railings and installing various features to add interest.
Working with a leading landscape designer, the Friends are proposing a central sundial feature carved into the paving to remember John Arnold, watchmaker to George III who lived at Well Hall, an arbour, extra seating and some child-friendly wooden characters
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refurbished by council with a £2.3m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Since then, inspired by the formation of the Friends group, many new features have been added including a woodland walk, wildfl ower meadow, rockery, bog garden, access ramp, community allotment, tree planting, signage and a play area. The re-vamp of the Tudor Barn has attracted a wider range of visitors to the park and anti-social behaviour has been dramatically reduced.
The Friends were recently awarded £16,000 by the Veolia Environmental Trust to extent the playable space alongside Kidbrooke Lane, which will see some extra equipment, landscaping and a circular tree seat.
Chair of the Friends, Sue King, said: “Changes to the moat island will enhance what is already there, making it a more welcoming place to relax, in the peaceful surroundings of the park.
“We hope there will be something for every age group to enjoy, and that the changes will further improve this beautiful park”, she said.
The group will be seeking the necessary £56,000 funding from organisations and individual donors.
host community events, which have gradually reduced in number over the years.
Now the Friends hope to raise funds to make the space more welcoming and attractive for park visitors to use.
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which will relate to Edith Nesbit’s years at the site between 1899 and 1922. There will also be extra landscaping and tree planting.
Next year, the Pleasaunce will be celebrating 10 years since it was
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The last dwelling house in the centre of the Moat was occupied for many years by the Roper family. William Roper was responsible for building the Tudor Barn, in around 1525, as an outbuilding to the manor house. Records of the names of families living at Well Hall date back to at least the 12th century and the moat was believed to have been constructed in a marshy area at the confl uence of small streams. Sir Gregory Page demolished the manor house in around 1730. building a new house between the moat and Well Hall Road, which was eventually occupied by E Nesbit. This, in turn, was demolished in 1930 to make way for the public park.
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