Mountsfield Park

The core area of the park was originally part of Mountsfield, a substantial house and grounds, built in 1845 for the noted microlepidopterist and entomologist Henry Tibbats Stainton by his father as a wedding gift. The house and some 2.5 ha of parkland lying to the south of it were bequeathed for a park by his widow in 1903, with the park opening to the public in August 1905. Over time, the park was substantially enlarged, with land bought from the School Board for London and further allotment land acquired.

Today, the park extends to 13 ha and there are entrances on Stainton Road, Brownhill Road, George Lane and Carswell Road. The biggest gates to the Park are on Carswell Road. Facilities include football pitches, tennis courts, ball court and children’s play area. Because of its size, location and parking, it is often used for large events, including Lewisham Borough Council’s People’s Day event in July, typically attracting crowds of over 30,000. It also hosts the weekly Catford parkrun. The park also includes a bandstand, community garden, meadow grassland, and Edwardian rose garden, while areas of high ground offer views west over Catford and towards Crystal Palace. It is considered a key…

The southwestern corner of the current park was previously a football ground used by London League side Catford Southend F.C. from about 1909 until the start of World War I in 1914, (the 1914 Ordnance Survey map shows the ground situated parallel to Laleham Road with its southern end just north of housing on Brownhill Road). Around this time, a new landlord, Harry Isaacs, took over the Dartmouth Arms on the corner of Laleham and Ringstead Roads. He had ambitious plans for Catford Southend and in early 1923 proposed a merger with Charlton Athletic that would involve the latter relocating to Catford's ground. "44,000 tons of earth had to be dug out and raked into position to form new…