Park of the week

150. Chalkhill Park

This small park is in the Chalkhill Estate in Wembley Park and was opened in 2013. The park resulted from an arrangement when Asda took over some of the estate land for its superstore and the site of a former medical centre and car park was earmarked for a park.

I was interest to find that 'Wemba lea’ is first mentioned in a charter of 825. The name means ‘Wemba’s clearing’, the clearing the Anglo-Saxon Wemba chose. So, at one time, its real pronunciation was the same as in today’s football chants. Chalkhill was a manor within the ancient parish of Kingsbury at the time of Domesday Book. The land here once belonged to Edward the Confessor, and later to Westminster Abbey. 

The estate was one of three large council developments built in Brent in the early 1970s. It became run-down and vandalised and was demolished in 2002, thirty years after its construction. New homes were built in its place.

The park has a children’s play area, outdoor gym, picnic tables, playing field, seating, an outdoor auditorium and a sculpture garden of white granite columns with an obelisk. On the day we went, it suddenly began to chuck down with rain. Luckily, we had left the car on the street right next to the park, where I sat taking photos of the rain spattered view. I’ve spared you these, but I think the shimmering pavements left by the rain, and the rainbow overhead afterwards, give an added something to my photos.

Judith Field

Chalkhill Park, 104, Chalkhill Road, Wembley, HA9 9FR