Inverforth Gate at entrance to Grovelands Park

Image: © Marathon Taken: 24 Feb 2016

What is now Grovelands Park was once called Lords Grove and later Winchmore Hill Woods. It was owned by Lord Burleigh during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In 1798 the existing house was built to the design of the architect John Nash. The park and lake were landscaped by Humphry Repton. Southgate Urban District Council purchased the estate in 1911 and Grovelands Park was officially opened on 12th April 1913. The park was later extended. Grovelands House was unoccupied from 1907 to 1916 when it became a military hospital for wounded troops returning from France during the Great War. In 1921 it was purchased by the Royal Northern Hospital and then in 1948 it was adopted by the NHS and used as a convalescent home until 1977, after which it remained unoccupied until 1985. In that year the Priory Hospitals Group purchased and restored the house for use as a private psychiatric hospital which it still is. It was re-named Grovelands Priory. A very full history of the house and park can be found at https://friendsofgrovelands.co.uk/collection/park-history/ Inverforth Gate was presented by Lord Inverforth of Southgate "to the people of Southgate" on 10th October 1925.

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