Visitors will be able to discover the history of one of Harrow’s best-known parks when a series of free walking tours takes place later this month.
The Friends of Canons Park will be running short guided tours of Canons Park on Sunday 20 September as part of the 2026 Open House Festival.
Tours will leave every hour from 10am until 4pm, with no booking or payment required. Visitors are asked to meet at the Friends’ stall near the Good Friends Café in the centre of the park around five minutes before each tour.
The 3pm and 4pm tours will also be interpreted in British Sign Language.
Open House Festival runs across London from 12 to 20 September and gives people free access to buildings, landscapes and places of architectural or historic interest.
Centuries of history at Canons Park
Canons Park has a history stretching back hundreds of years and is listed as a Grade II historic park and garden.
The land was once owned by the Priory of St Bartholomew the Great before becoming the estate of James Brydges, the first Duke of Chandos, in the early 18th century.
Brydges created a huge country estate at Canons, including an elaborate mansion and landscaped grounds. The original mansion was later demolished, but parts of the historic landscape remain today.
The present Canons House forms part of North London Collegiate School, while the park also contains the George V Memorial Garden, which was created from the former kitchen garden.
Harrow Online previously explored the history of Canons Park in a dedicated feature in 2024, looking at the Duke of Chandos estate, the mansion and how the grounds developed into the public park seen today.
Other historic sites open nearby
Organisers are also encouraging visitors to combine their walk with several nearby attractions.
The former Canons mansion at North London Collegiate School will be open from 10am to 4pm, while visitors can also explore the Seven Acre Lake, which organisers say is only opened for tours once a year.
St Lawrence Church on Whitchurch Lane will also offer guided tours between 2pm and 5pm, including a chance to see its historic interiors and the Duke of Chandos mausoleum.
The Friends of Canons Park regularly organise events and volunteer activities and have also built up an archive documenting the history and archaeology of the park and wider Canons Estate.
The walking tours take place on Sunday 20 September, from 10am to 4pm. No booking is required.
NOW READ:
Pinner Village Show returns with more than 40 stalls and live entertainment
Headstone Manor & Museum shortlisted for prestigious national award
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
