Myatt's Fields Park, south London - chat, photos and more

[pootle]

I love Brockwell Park but wanted to be as close to town as possible as I will need to cycle to work in the West

I'm probably about a ten minute walk from Brockwell Park in my bit of SE24, and I used to cycle to Mortimer Street, behind Oxford Circus, and it took me about 25 minutes top each day, so I don't reckon it'd make that much difference to your commute.

In fact, I reckon you be better avoiding Camberwell when cycling. In most of Camberwell, you have to share the cycle lanes with buses on narrow roads. And of course, on the days when you can't or won't cycle getting a bus through Camberwell can be a slightly testing experience.

 

[citydreams]

I'm probably about a ten minute walk from Brockwell Park in my bit of SE24, and I used to cycle to Mortimer Street, behind Oxford Circus, and it took me about 25 minutes top each day, so I don't reckon it'd make that much difference to your commute.

In fact, I reckon you be better avoiding Camberwell when cycling. In most of Camberwell, you have to share the cycle lanes with buses on narrow roads. And of course, on the days when you can't or won't cycle getting a bus through Camberwell can be a slightly testing experience.

 

[liberty]

You both did exactly the same route?????

 

[liberty]

I will need to cycle to Paddington

 

[lang rabbie]

Ahem! Seeing as Mr Rabbie forgot to mention that the pic comes from this site, I'll add the accompanying caption:

Life's too short to hyperlink every photo - now fixed!

I also forgot to add that Urban 75 once again tops the Google rankings when searching for Myatts Fields Park [/massaging editorial ego]

 

[citydreams]

eh?

Ask Pootle, she started it!

 

[liberty]

Ask Pootle, she started it!

 

[pootle]

Oooh....that's wierd. Somehow I managed to post as citydreams!

And I totally misread Liberty's post as West End rather than the West. C'huh!

Having said that, the first time I cycled in London was from Paddington to SE24, so I'm well up on which way NOT to go. You'd be amazed how steep Lambeth Bridge is for example!

 

[citydreams]

I was just abusing Pootle for double posting and for living on the wrong side of Herne Hill Road.

 

[gaijingirl]

I love Brockwell Park but wanted to be as close to town as possible as I will need to cycle to work in the West

Liberty, I used to cycle-commute from Acre Lane (Brixton) to Chiswick (45 mins). Then from St Matthew's Road to Chiswick (50 mins) and then from Brockwell Park to the City (30 mins). Frankly, if it's Paddington you're going to then you'll probably save time by being further west (than Camberwell) and travelling via either Clapham and Battersea or Vauxhall to get to Paddington. Either way the difference would be so little as to be negligible..

 

[liberty]

Liberty, I used to cycle-commute from Acre Lane (Brixton) to Chiswick (45 mins). Then from St Matthew's Road to Chiswick (50 mins) and then from Brockwell Park to the City (30 mins). Frankly, if it's Paddington you're going to then you'll probably save time by being further west (than Camberwell) and travelling via either Clapham and Battersea or Vauxhall to get to Paddington. Either way the difference would be so little as to be negligible..

Thanks for that... I am spoilt now that I just cycle from London Feilds to Clerkenwell 15-20 minutes anything more seems like a long way

 

[prunus]

That's, like, Brighton, yes?

Now now, envy is such an unpleasant emotion.

You are more than welcome to visit SE24 anytime you like.

Do close the gate on leaving though.

 

[editor]

You are more than welcome to visit SE24 anytime you like.

Sorry. Sleepy suburbs ain't my thing.

 

[Mr Retro]

<Daily Mail>

It was closed when I was there - probably to keep the junkies out, I'd imagine.

</Daily Mail>

 

[potential]

myatt's field is where john major used to live !!!

 

[editor]

<Daily Mail>
</Daily Mail>

Seeing as they recently tore down all the hedges outside my block of flats because of junkies and completely flattened a pleasant walled garden in the nearby Loughborough Park for the same reason it's hardly 'Daily Mail' to suppose that's why the building in Myatt's Field Park is currently closed.

 

[poster342002]

Whilst the current reasoning behind the hut's closure may well be to do with keeping junkies out, I am indeed curious as to why it always seems to have been closed for as long as I've ever known (at least since the early 80's). If nobody can use it, why have they kept it at all? Is it maybe a listed structure or something?

 

[editor]

If nobody can use it, why have they kept it at all? Is it maybe a listed structure or something?

Doesn't really look notable enough to be listed, does it?

Maybe it closed because they didn't have the resources to look after it and kept it that way because of junkies?

I think I've got a picture of it somewhere....

 

[nino_savatte]

Yeah, it's ok. On the wrong side of CHL in my opinion though, if you are looking to move there.

Interesting fact - it's named after the person who introduced rhurbarb to England, who happens to be the great, great, great (or summat) grandfather of a mate of mine.

Same here. In fact one branch of the family owns this place.
http://www.myatt.co.uk/

 

[liberty]

Well I'm going to have a look around the area tomorrow and see if it's as bad as you lot make out

 

[editor]

Another little photo feature of one of the lesser known parks in the area.

The park was built on the site of an old market garden in late Victorian times and has brushed up rather splendidly recently!

http://www.urban75.org/brixton/features/myatts-fields.html

 

[boohoo]

Very nice little park that! Have you come across Durand Gardens (falling in the direction of Stockwell)? It's an interesting bit of wild greenery in the stockwell area. As far as I understand only the residents have access to it. And it's in the area were Van Gogh lived.

 

[ringo]

Lovely park, has some great trees in it which are described in one of the Brixton Society's walks.
Highlight of the year in 2006 was a combined festival in late October celebrating Diwali, Halloween, Eid, fireworks night, Channukah and the Day of the Dead. It was organised by the arts organisation Moti Roti and creative production company Home. Loads of fire juggling, kids lantern processions, odd (in a good way) light and sculpture installations etc.

 

[sonik]

Lived right next door to this park for 4 years, so close in fact we used to eat our breakfast in it in the summer

 

[ska invita]

Lovely park, has some great trees in it which are described in one of the Brixton Society's walks.
Highlight of the year in 2006 was a combined festival in late October celebrating Diwali, Halloween, Eid, fireworks night, Channukah and the Day of the Dead. It was organised by the arts organisation Moti Roti and creative production company Home. Loads of fire juggling, kids lantern processions, odd (in a good way) light and sculpture installations etc.

I think this is now an annual thing - festival of light i think they called it?

Tis great if you are under 13 - particularly fun looked like chasing round all the other kids in the dark with light-up lightsabres! - and the mini carnival procession was pretty good too.

 

[paulet]

Good feature and lovely park

I took some photos of Myatts Fields in the snow in January - they are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/pauletroad/tags/se5snow/

St Gabriel's on Cormont Road (last photo in the feature) was a teacher training college run by the Church of England to train women teachers rather than a girls school - see http://www.culham.ac.uk/sg/about.php - although by all accounts it was run along boarding school lines with the student teachers having little of the freedoms that students would expect now!

 

[paulet]

I think this is now an annual thing - festival of light i think they called it?

Tis great if you are under 13 - particularly fun looked like chasing round all the other kids in the dark with light-up lightsabres! - and the mini carnival procession was pretty good too.

There is another event planned in the park for 23 June which will a summer fair with a French theme

 

[editor]

St Gabriel's on Cormont Road (last photo in the feature) was a teacher training college run by the Church of England to train women teachers rather than a girls school - see http://www.culham.ac.uk/sg/about.php - although by all accounts it was run along boarding school lines with the student teachers having little of the freedoms that students would expect now!

Cheers for the update!

 

[editor]

There is another event planned in the park for 23 June which will a summer fair with a French theme

Damn! That's when Glasto is on (although I haven't secured my tickets yet, so that may have to serve up as a Glasto substitute. I'll take loads of drugs and bring a tent.)

 

[Choc]

yep it is cool and equally well hidden as well (like ruskin).

i wen to a wicked festival of light there last year..