Harlow Museum Gardens (2)

 A bright spot in the Covid/Lockdown darkness has been the opening, three days a week, of the Museum walled gardens to the public. A beautiful place to visit at any time, it’s somehow all the more special at the moment - when there are less options available to us. I posted about the gardens previously - you can see that post HERE

In that post I referred to the “unusual fruits garden” with its medlars and figs, among other things - the photograph above shows the figs are still prolific, and the same is true of the medlar tree - or “trees” I should say as we spotted another one on this visit.

The gardens currently have one staff gardener, and a handful of volunteers - numbers are being limited by Covid restrictions of course - and they are doing a wonderful job of keeping on top of the work required by gardens of this size. The big job currently is the stripping back of ivy around the tall red brick walls ahead of a structural survey which is needed. 

The 17th Century garden is looking very neat and tidy - look carefully and you can spot one of the Sculpture Trail works in the middle - there are 6 scattered around the gardens, look out for those getting a separate post of their own. 

You can compare this photo with the one in the earlier post - it’s taken from the same viewpoint up on the platform at the end. The planting has filled out in those closest beds in the last 12 years! 

To the river...

 Alongside Harlow’s many green spaces, green wedges and of course the Town Park, we are also bordered along the northern edge by the River Stort - from Harlow Mill to the east through to Parndon Mill on the western side. 

The river is popular with runners, walkers, anglers, birdwatchers and even cyclists - generally managing to amiably share the towpath which runs on the north bank as far as Terling’s Park before switching to the opposite side to Burntmill Lane where it crosses back again as it leaves the town. 

Always beautiful - but never more so on a crisp, misty autumn morning with a frost edging everything  in  silver, and the sun just trying to punch through. 

As the “Navigation” designation suggests, this is a river still used regularly by boaters - both the traditional narrowboats and more modern motorised vessels - this morning I saw just one solitary narrow boat, but in a sunny summers day there is a regular stream of traffic using the waterway. 

Wildlife is plentiful - Kingfishers, Warblers, Whitethroats, and Blackcaps can all be found in and around the overhanging vegetation, ducks and rails on the water and various birds of prey and the ever present gulls overhead. Also present are water voles - now quite endangered and always a delight to spot. 

Next time you find yourself fancying a walk somewhere within the town, head downhill and explore the river - as well as the towpath there is also a footpath along a fair amount of the opposite bank accessible from the car park on River Way. The river and its surrounding meadows are also linked with the Town Park via the zigzag bridge, and is just a short stroll from the railway at either end of the town too. 

North Weald

North Weald Airfield is familiar with most Harlow-ites for its regular Saturday and Bank Holiday markets - but it has a place in history far more important than that.

Airfield Memorial & Former Station Office - now a museum

Royal Flying Corps Station North Weald Bassett first opened in 1916, and played a part in protecting London from the Zepellin raids of World War I, but found its finest hour acting as a frontline airfield during World War II and the Battle of Britain, with Hurricanes, Blenheims and Spitfires operating.

In the course of WW2 the now RAF North Weald station played host to many Squadrons including those made up of Foreign nationals - Americans, Czechs, Poles and also Norwegians. There is still a strong link maintained to this day with the people of Norway and part of the Airfield Memorial is a stone obelisk given by the Norwegians.

After the war NW continued as an operational airfield, with Gloster Meteors and De Havilland Vampires being commonly seen in the skies overhead in the late 1940's, and later the Hawker Hunters of 111 squadron moved in - known as the Black Arrows. Interestingly one of the aircraft you are most likely to see flying from North Weald these days is a black Hawker Hunter!

In early 1958, rather fittingly, the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial flight (then known as the RAF Historic Aircraft Flight) was moved to it's new home at North Weald, sadly its stay was to be cut short as in May of that year the RAF decided to take the step of re designating the airfield as non-operational, before eventually pulling out completely in 1964.

Hangar 11 collection Kittyhawk

Today the airfield is once more alive to the sound of aviation - from the the Gnat Display Team, and Hangar 11 Collection with their Hurricane, Spitfire, Mustang & Kittyhawk - all to be seen at airshows throughout the summer months - to the Army using the field for operational training with their Apache Helicopters - now a regular sight over Harlow. The Hertfordshire Air Ambulance is also based there.

Temporary Herts Air Ambulance G-ESCI

Sources are mainly credited via links in the text. Information also from Wikipaedia.

Autumn Colour in the Town Park

Thanks to the attention paid to green spaces and room to breathe when the town was being built, this is possibly the very best time of year to live in Harlow...

It's an amazing place to walk at any time of year, but never better than when the leaves start to turn, when wherever you look is every shade imagineable from bright yellows and oranges, green, to the most startling bright reds.

If you've not been for a wander around there recently, why not pop along and take a look for yourself? It makes a great short cut when walking to the station from the Eastern side of the town too...

Harlow Museum Gardens

Hidden away just off First Avenue, behind this inviting looking gateway, is the treaure that is Mark Hall Gardens. The walled gardens of the old Mark Hall, now forming part of Harlow Museum, are absolutely beautiful, if slightly neglected in places! A series of gates lead you through from area to area - just when you think you surely must have seen it all another surprise offers itself up...

...Like this still, lurking round a corner! One of the most surprising areas must be the "Unusual Fruits" garden, with medlars and figs growing, among other things. Whoever would have thought there were figs growing happily in Harlow, eh?!  There are also traditional formal gardens like the area below, which was funded by Marks & Spencer to celebrate their centenary in 1984. Some of the benches were paid for by the staff association, and at one end there is a raised gallery enabling you to see the layout of the garden fully.

Winter Sunshine in the Town Park

Where better to walk on a cold, crisp winter afternoon than the Town Park?  With 164 acres to explore, there is plenty to see, from the fun and games of Pets Corner to the Bandstand with it's music events.  It will come as no surprise to anyone local that several of the Town's sculptures can be found hiding in there too - check out which ones from Visit Harlow's Sculpture Trail Map - meanwhile, over by the skate park, the art is a little more modern...