Raphael Park: Lake, Bandstand & Wood Carvings

Today I’m spending some time walking around this beautiful park. The scenery is absolutely stunning, with so much greenery, huge trees and plenty of open space. I’ve just finished work, so I decided to come into Raphael Park for a while, walk around and relax before heading home.

It’s such a lovely place for children too. There were kids playing, riding bikes and enjoying the open space, and a fingerpost near the lake points the way to the café, the play area, the bandstand and the woodland walk, so it’s easy to find your way around even on a first visit.

Under the Willows, by the Bandstand

The park is very clean and well looked after, with lots of benches where you can sit and relax. I really like the peaceful atmosphere here, especially on a weekday when it’s nice and quiet. The bandstand, set among a stand of weeping willows, is one of the nicest spots to just stop for a minute.

It’s still in regular use too. Havering Council has been running free Sunday afternoon live music sessions here over the summer, so it’s worth checking what’s on if you’re visiting on a weekend.

A Carved Surprise

Walking further round, I came across something I really wasn’t expecting: a pair of squirrels carved straight out of an old tree stump, sitting on their haunches with a nut between them. It turns out a local wood carver has been turning a number of the park’s felled tree stumps into animal sculptures like this one, and the results have proved popular enough to make the local press.

And sure enough, real squirrels were never far away either. I spotted a few of them running around the grass and the trees nearby, clearly looking for food and not paying much attention to the wooden version keeping them company.

The Lake and Its Wildlife

There are also lots of birds around the park. At one point I saw a large group of them together on the lake, just enjoying the water and flying around. It’s lovely to see so much wildlife here, and it’s easy to lose track of time just watching them.

An information board by the water explains that the lake, known locally as Black’s Lake, is fed by Black’s Brook, and that the islands and marginal planting give the wildfowl shelter, nesting space and food. It also asks visitors not to feed the birds bread, which offers little nutrition and can lead to a wing deformity in Canada geese known as “Angel Wings”.

The lake sits below the level of Main Road, held back by the 18th-century Black’s Bridge, designed by James Wyatt in the Georgian classical style and originally known as Waterman’s Bridge. Both the bridge and the lake are named after Alexander Black, a 19th-century owner of the Gidea Hall estate that the park was carved out of.

The Trees

The trees are one of my favourite things about this park. They’re huge and really beautiful, and there’s so much greenery everywhere you look. Some of them are genuinely old, the park is recorded as home to two ancient pedunculate oaks, and the wider tree cover still follows the layout of the old carriage drive that once led up to Gidea Hall itself.

Rules, Memorials and Community

Right across Main Road is Lodge Farm Park, worth pairing with a Raphael Park visit if you’ve got the time, tennis courts, an outdoor gym and a volunteer-run miniature railway.

Raphael Park is looked after by both the council and a local volunteer group, the Friends of Raphael and Lodge Farm Parks, who maintain several of the memorial flowerbeds scattered around the site.

There’s a community noticeboard near the main lawn too, with local press cuttings and reminders of the park rules: no fires or barbecues, no bread for the birds, and dog owners asked to clear up after their pets. Down by the water, there are also clear warnings about the lake itself.

I’ve been to this park a few times to exercise as well, and it’s a great place to get outside, walk around and do a workout. During the week it can be very peaceful, but at weekends, especially when the weather is nice, the park gets really busy with families and people coming out to enjoy themselves.

Getting There

Raphael Park sits on Main Road in Gidea Park, on the eastern side of Romford. The nearest National Rail station is Gidea Park itself, served by the Elizabeth line and Greater Anglia, with Romford station also within walking distance and offering more frequent connections. Several bus routes stop close to the park gates on Main Road.

Frequently Asked Questions