Stoke Newington‘s Clissold Park is beloved by the locals.
And that beloving might be something to do with the fact that it contains – among other things – 55 acres of open space, walks, lakes, sports facilities, playgrounds, and precisely one zoo.
Right in the middle of the place you’ll find the Grade-II listed Clissold House, where one young Eliza Crawshay lived in the 1800s. She was conducting a secret affair with a local reverend, Augustus Clissold, so her father built a wall around the entire estate to keep the amorous young rascal out. And it worked… until the old man died. Then Eliza inherited everything, installed a few gates, married her lover, and now the whole place bears his name.
Swans at Clissold Park by dafyddbach | CC BY-SA 2.0
So, apart from the seven gates, what else is new? Well, quite a lot as it happens. You’ll find:
- Athletic tracks running the perimeter of the park
- A large adventure playground
- A paddling pool
- A wheels park for cycling & skating
- A multiuse games area
- Table tennis tables
- Actual tennis courts
- Basketball courts
- An aviary
- A butterfly dome
- A zoo including rabbits, deer and goats.
- An organic market garden
And of course there’s the all-important cafe, which serves everything from a panini to a full-on Sunday roast.
Good luck trying to keep people away with all that going on.
NOTE: Clissold Park is open all week. You can find out more at their website right HERE.
Clissold Park | Green Lanes, N16 9HJ
Feeling peckish? Our guide to the best restaurants in Stoke Newington might be handy.