Central Park, Harold Hill

Image: © Marathon Taken: 14 Jun 2017

Central Park is found in Gooshayes Ward of Harold Hill. The name probably comes from Geoffrey Goshaye who cleared the woodland and enclosed the new arable land in the late 12th century. The literal meaning of Gooshayes is 'goose enclosure'. The house at Gooshayes was rebuilt during the reign of Charles II. In front of the brick-built manor house lay terraced gardens, at the bottom of which were two horse-shoe ponds which were medieval in origin. Beyond the ponds ran Payne's Brook. By the late 18th century, the original manor house was in ruins, replaced by a Georgian farmhouse, partly constructed from the remains. All that remained of the house in 1800 were the foundations, the terraced garden and the two fishponds. After the Second World War the farmhouse and the barn were to have been preserved. The 18th century barn, having been described as "the largest of its type in Essex", suffered the elements, neglect and constant attack by vandals, and was destroyed by fire in 1958. The farm's final use was as a community centre but was demolished in 1961.

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