Park of the week

206. Lammas Park

This park, the oldest in Ealing, was opened in 1883. The name Lammas originated from “Loafmas Day”, a harvest festival celebrated on the 1st August – I just had to write about it this week, with that date just days away. The festival marked the start of the season when villagers were allowed to graze livestock on fields and commons known as Lammas Lands. The grazing would continue until Candlemas, on the 2nd of February.

In Celtic mythology, Lammas is associated with the god Lugh, a deity representing skill, craftsmanship, and the sun. Lugh's tale speaks of his ultimate sacrifice to ensure the land's prosperity during this season, celebrated in the festival of Lughnasa.

Around 23 acres of Lammas lands on the site were purchased by Ealing Local Board in 1881 when the Borough Surveyor, feared that it might be lost as open space. When the park first opened it was unfenced and people still exercised their lammas rights to graze livestock and there were reports of cattle attacking people. Eventually, in 1890, the Board had to extinguish the right by paying around £100 per acre in compensation to those who had lost their rights. 

By 1905 the park was known as “the people’s park”, because it was largely given over to sporting activities. 
Between the First and Second World Wars, Ealing was known as “the most Sabbath-loving district of London” and the Council had strict byelaws to make sure that Sunday was a day of worship and rest, including prohibition of any form of games in parks. The local Labour party began to stage cricket matches in Lammas Park to test the authority’s reactions. These matches were often interrupted by members of the Sunday Observance Society who would sit on the cricket pitch to protest. It was not until 1941 that games were allowed in parks on Sundays.

During the Second World War it was entirely turned over to allotments. There were also two air raid shelters there.

The park has a nature area with a small pond and shrubs, community orchard, a bowling green, croquet pitch, junior football pitch and a play centre, outside which I saw this sign.

I agree with the sentiments, but would add “…but first of all, to sleep”.

Judith Field

Lammas Park, 30 Elers Rd, London W13 9QD