Park of the week

111. Fortune Green 

Fortune Green is a green space in West Hampstead with a village green feel. It mostly consists of lawns and plane trees, with a children’s playground and lots of seats. It’s divided by tree lined paths, with games pitches and a children’s playground. There’s a dog area on the site of former games pitches. 

The first recorded mention of Fortune Green was in 1646, and it was first shown on a map in 1746, lying to the north of the village of West End. The Green was a triangular patch of manorial 'waste' where local residents had the right to graze animals, dig turf and play sports and was originally about twice the size it is now. As a result of local protest, various attempts to build on the land in the 1880s and 1890s failed and it was purchased for public open space, opened to the public in 1897. 

The Friends of Fortune Green, working with the local authority, was set up in 2007 to improve the Green. This was spurred by the loss of a Planning Appeal against construction of a block of flats on the edge of the Green.  One reason given for the planning approval was the "neglected state of the Green". The Friends run regular sessions to maintain the planting, and a programme of varied events, such as Big Lunch, Nature Walks, Action Days and 'Films on the Green'. They excavated the remains of a communal Word War 2 bomb shelter then re-turfed part of it and in one corner created a small children's landscaped area with wooden animal sculptures. They also installed an outdoor gym.

In recognition of the improvement works the Friends have achieved and in celebration of HM The Queen's Diamond Jubilee 2012, Fortune Green is now safeguarded as a public recreational space in perpetuity through the charity, Fields in Trust.

At the edge of the green is a pair of K2 telephone kiosks from 1927. Although I didn’t go inside, they both had telephones inside. I believe they’re listed structures. I can’t remember where I last saw a phone box.

There are no café or toilets.

We parked on a street next to it, they’re all named after Greek heroes: Agamemnon, Ajax, Achilles, Ulysses.

Judith Field

Fortune Green, Fortune Green Road, London NW6 1DS