A small version of a period map of Hammersmith, with the park shown in the centre, and surrounded by King Street to the south, New Road to the west, Roman Road to the north (both now just called Goldhawk Road), and Dalling Road to the east; clicking on this will show a (much) larger version of the map on which this is based.
A surprising number of clay and brick works, and Ravenscourt Park smaller than it is now, although the Stamford Brook is still visible. Oakbrook is still there - now called Oakbrook Lodge - and the house in Ravenscourt Park - destroyed by enemy action in 1941 - is shown on the east side of the park.
The park contains a lake, tea house, tennis courts, an all-weather football pitch, a bowling green, areas in which to just sit or play,
a garden centre, and dog walking areas.
A Short History
The park stems from medieval times, when the lake in the centre of the park, which is fed by Stamford Brook, was part of the moat that surrounded Paddenswick (or Palingswick) Manor, but it was only in 1888 that the 32 acre site was officially opened as public parkland.
King Edward III’s mistress Alice Perrers lived in the manor during the 14th century.
The manor house was rebuilt in 1650 and in 1747 it was sold to Thomas Corbett who named it Ravenscourt, probably derived from the raven in his
coat of arms, which was itself a pun on his name as corbeau is French for raven.
In 1812 the Ravenscourt House and estate were bought by its final private owner, George Scott, a builder and philanthropist who developed nearby St Peter’s Square. Scott employed leading landscaper Humphry Repton to lay out the gardens of the estate, and encouraged the building of houses along its edges. According to a park plan from 1830, there were 78 houses within the park, and by 1845 this number had risen to 330.
The above is largely gleaned from the Wikipedia entry on Ravenscourt Park.
