Location
Know before you go
Dogs
Dogs are not permitted in the Nature Discovery Centre
When to visit
Opening times
Accessible at all timesBest time to visit
all year roundAbout the reserve
The Ingrebourne Valley, in which the Hornchurch Country Park sits, comprises 261 hectares of interconnecting habitats, including river, open water, marsh, grassland, reed bed, ancient and secondary woodland, scrub, and hedgerows, and is home to London’s largest remaining continuous freshwater reed bed, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve.
Hornchurch Country Park, owned and managed by Havering Council, covers 97 hectares of green space, highly valued by the local community for walking, running, cycling, dog walking, play, family visits, and more. The park attracts around 150,000 visitors a year. The children’s play area includes a model Spitfire and a range of equipment suitable for all ages and abilities.
Visitors can also enjoy an outdoor gym and a trim trail that extends throughout the park. The site was formerly Sutton’s Farm airfield, from which Royal Flying Corps biplanes defended London in World War One. Lieutenant Leefe-Robinson famously took off from RAF Hornchurch to bring down the first Zeppelin attacking London, earning the Victoria Cross. The airfield later became RAF Hornchurch, a renowned Spitfire station in the Battle of Britain and Battle of France, home to famous pilots such as Stanford Tuck and ‘Sailor’ Malan. Historic remnants, including pillboxes, Tett turrets, and a Spitfire dispersal point, are still visible.
The Ingrebourne Valley is a vital wildlife haven, supporting 61 breeding bird species—including Redshank, Lapwing, and Pochard—as well as 16 nationally scarce beetle species, dragonflies, crickets, and other insects. Visitors may also spot water voles or Kingfishers in action.
Ingrebourne Nature Discovery Centre, opened in October 2015, provides essential community and education facilities, including a café, shop, toilets, an education/community room, displays, and a full programme of events connecting visitors to the wildlife and heritage of Hornchurch Country Park and the wider Ingrebourne Valley.
Habitat
Environmental designation
Tom Marshall
How to find us
The main entrance and car park to the park is on Squadrons Approach (RM12 6TS) from Suttons Lane with an additional car park and entrance of South End Road (RM13 7YD). The park is accessible by following the Ingrebourne Way foot and cycle path along the river at Hornchurch Stadium and other access points along the river course including Gaynes and Hacton Parkways, Berwick Glades, Berwick Woods, and Ingrebourne Hill.
Hornchurch Country Park is served by several bus routes, including the 256 which passes Hornchurch underground station (District Line) and terminates at St George's Hospital on Suttons Lane - a short walk away from the park's main car park at Squadrons Approach. Route 252 towards Hornchurch town centre also stops here, or you can access the park using the 165, 365 or 372 which stop on South End Road. From here it's just a short walk back to the Albyns Farm entrance to the park.