Forty Hall and Gardens: Enfield

Forty Hall. Image courtesy London Borough of Enfield

Journey to the north of London and stumble upon Enfield's best kept secret. See the local wildlife on a beautiful lake, stroll through wildflower meadows and relax under a magnificent cedar tree...

Lose yourself in the wonderful surroundings and enjoy the seasons at Forty Hall, Enfield's undiscovered gem.

Forty Hall

Come rain or shine, Forty Hall and Gardens is the perfect place for a relaxing walk, cultural heritage and historical insight.

It was built in 1629 for Sir Nicholas Rainton, a City Alderman, President of St Bartholomew's Hospital and Lord Mayor of London. He was a haberdasher, making his money importing silks and taffeta from Italy.

Sir Nicholas Rainton is commemorated in a splendid tomb in St. Andrew's Church at the centre of Enfield Town.

Various families lived in the Hall until 1895 when Major Henry Bowles took it over. The Bowles family made substantial changes to the Hall including installing the elaborate stained glass windows on the staircase accommodating their coat of arms.

Forty Hall's Gardens

Forty Hall Gardens (264 acres) now form part of the country park area within the London Borough of Enfield. The approach to the Hall and the layout of the surrounding grounds are mostly informal in character. The 10 acres around the Hall are ornamental grounds comprising of a walled garden, various shrubs and herbaceous beds, grass areas and a large pond. The rest of the grounds consist of parkland, woodland, a fishing lake and a working farm.

Two of the most prominent trees around the Hall are the Cedar of Lebanon, which is over 250 years old (and one of the oldest in the country), and the Magnolia Grandiflora, which was planted in 1852.

Beside the pond in the shrubs opposite the courtyard gates are the gravestones of 4 pets from the Parker Bowles family.

Events at Forty Hall

Forty Hall is a grade 1 listed building and is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday, 11am-4pm, and is free to enter. It houses Enfield Museum's collection of 17th century and 18th century furniture, paintings and a collection of ceramics, glass, maps and local history displays.

The Hall has a running art exhibition programme. It's also a centre for events and activities throughout the year, including costume tours, Jacobean weekends and open air Shakespeare, to name but a few.

Be sure to see the Spring Eggcitement on 22 March – a fantastic, fun day for the all the family!

Call +44 (0)20 8363 8196/4060 or visit www.enfield.gov.uk/fortyhall.for more information.