Thorndon Country Park

Toilets

At Thorndon North the toilets are located in a separate building behind the Countryside Centre, close to the car park.

At Thorndon South, the toilets can be found in the Octagon Pavilion.

Toilets include baby changing and disabled facilities.

Accessibility

Information on access to Thorndon North, Thorndon South and the Visitor Centre can be found on AccessAble,formerly Disabled Go.

Thorndon Country Park was once part of the estate owned by the Lords Petre. Originally emparked in 1414 around the old Thorndon Hall, it has a rich landscape history.

Reimagining historic features include Old Hall ruins, Pigeon Mount and earthworks of The Menagerie.

This centuries-old park includes diverse and ancient habitats, and is home to some important veteran trees, woods and pasture.

The Essex Record Office traces the history of the old Thorndon Hall

Thorndon Hall is situated in Ingrave, about two miles south of Brentwood. The present building is a grand neo-classical mansion in the Palladian style, completed in 1770. It was designed by the eminent architect James Paine, with interiors by Samuel Wyatt. The gardens were later landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

This was not, however, the first grand house to grace the estate. Lewis John, a Welsh merchant who had moved to London, acquired the manor in the early 1400s and in 1414 Henry V granted him a licence to augment his existing house with crenellations, and to build a wall enclosing 300 acres of land and wood.

This house was later extended, before the property was sold to Sir John Petre in 1573. Sir John’s father, Sir William Petre, had held high office under Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I. He had established the family at Ingatestone Hall, which he had left to his wife after his death. Sir John, therefore, was looking for a property of his own.

Over the next 20 years, Sir John made extensive alterations and additions to Thorndon Hall, turning it into a classic Elizabethan red-brick mansion. This is the house we see on a map of 1598 made by the skilled cartographer John Walker, with the 270-foot long mansion, detached L-shaped bakehouse and clocktower, stable block, pleasure gardens, orchard and gatehouse.

Just over a 100 years later, the 8th Baron Petre, Robert, made grand plans to redesign the hall with the help of Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni. The extensive plans included re-facing the hall in a symmetrical, neo-classical style, covering over the Elizabethan exterior.

Petre was also a keen botanist and in 1733 he engaged Sieur Bourginioni to draw up plans to re-landscape the estate, including designing a water garden. He also imported many foreign plants and built hot houses, successfully cultivating exotic species such as pineapples and bananas.

Robert Petre died suddenly, aged just 29, before his plans were completed. His son and heir was just a few months old and all further work was put on hold until he reached maturity. As an adult, the 9th Baron decided to build a brand new house, a mile away from the old hall. This is the Palladian mansion which we see today.

The new house cost more than £250,000 and took six years to build. Between 1766 and 1772, Capability Brown was employed to reshape the formal gardens into a more ‘natural’ looking landscape.

The main house and west wing were gutted by fire in 1878 and family finances did not permit a wholesale renovation. Eventually the property was sold. Today the house has been converted into apartments and the grounds contain golf courses. Much of the park is managed by Essex County Council as Thorndon Country Park.

(Article originally published in Essex Life 4 July 2016)

Thorndon North: The Countryside Centre

Open 9.30am until 4.00pm every day*. The Countryside Centre at Thorndon North is jointly owned and managed by Essex Wildlife Trust.

Festive opening times

Festive opening times:

Christmas Eve: 9am to 2pm

Christmas Day: Closed

Boxing Day: Closed

New Years Eve: 9am to 2pm

Shop

The shop sells cards, bird food and feeders, gifts, jams and chutneys, wildlife books, pocket-money toys and Gruffalo-themed merchandise. There is also an information display area for local events and conservation-related topics.

Eat & Drink

The café at Thorndon North serve hot and cold light refreshments such as soup, baked potatoes, ice cream, crisps, cakes and drinks.

Picnic areas are also available.

Please note that dogs are not permitted in the café.

Thorndon South Eat & Drink

The cafe at Thorndon South is currently closed.

Picnic areas are available, but please note BBQs are no longer allowed at Thorndon Country Park.