Space to Visit

Hilly Fields, originally farmland and called Park Farm, was used primarily for grazing. With the development of railway stations at Gordon Hill and Crews Hill, Enfield Urban District Council purchased the 62 acres of land from Archdeacon Potter for £7,950 in 1911. Enfield wanted to create a public park and a local amenity with recreational opportunities for the newly formed residential housing areas. During the Second World War, the metal railings around Hilly Fields were removed and melted down in support of the war effort, and it has remained an open site ever since. Turkey Brook rises at Potters Bar and passes through Hilly Fields, merging with Cuffley Brook at Whitewebbs Golf Course. Turkey Brook then passes through Forty Hall Grounds and Estate and ends by joining the River Lee. To the north of the brook is an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of the rare species of ants found in the area. Local conservation volunteers, led by the Parks Service, help maintain conditions to ensure the ants survival – for example, open fields with lots of sunlight.