Gilwell Park
Encyclopedia
Gilwell Park is a camp site
and activity centre
for Scouting
groups, as well as a training
and conference centre for Scout Leader
s. The 44 hectare
(109 acre
) site is in Sewardstonebury
, Epping Forest
, close to Chingford
, London
.
In the late Middle Ages
the area was farm, growing to a wealthy estate that fell into disrepair towards 1900. It was bought in 1919 by Scout Commissioner
William de Bois Maclaren and given to the Scout Association
of the United Kingdom
to provide camping to London Scouts, and training for Scouters. As Scout Leaders from all countries of the world have come to Gilwell Park for their Wood Badge
training, it is one of the landmarks of the world Scouting
movement.
The site contains camp fields for small patrols or for up to 1,200 people, indoor accommodation, historical sites, monuments of Scouting, and activities suitable for all sections of the Scouting Movement. It can accommodate events up to 10,000 people. Accommodation at Gilwell Park can be hired for non-Scout activities such as school group camping, wedding reception
s and conferences.
Gilwell Park is one of six national Scout Activity Centres of the Scout Association, with Baden-Powell House
, Downe
, Youlbury
, Hawkhirst and Ferny Crofts.
for glen
and "Rolfe" the surname
of the owner. Following Rolfe's death in 1422, different sections of the property came to be called "Great Gilwell" and "Little Gilwell". The two areas were named after the Old English "wella", or spring
. A farmhouse has stood at Gilwell Farm ever since. Around this time, an adjoining 5.6 hectare (114 acre) property was purchased by Richard Osborne. In 1442, he built a large dwelling called Osborne Hall, which stood for 300 years. Legend has it that in the early 16th century, King Henry VIII
owned the land and built a hunting lodge for his son Edward
, but there is no proof. Around 1736 the highwayman
Dick Turpin
began using Gilwell's forests to conceal himself and for ambushing travellers and freight along roads leading into London.
In 1754, William Skrimshire purchased Great Gilwell, Little Gilwell, and half of Osborne's estate, including Osborne Hall. Skrimshire demolished Osborne Hall and built a new residence, which he also called Osborne Hall. That building is now called the White House. Timbers in the White House can be dated to this time, but not to any previous era. Leonard Tresilian (?–1792) bought the estate in 1771 and expanded the land holdings and size of the residence. Tresilian's first wife, Margaret Holland, died young after bearing three daughters. He then married Elizabeth Fawson. Desiring that Gilwell pass on to his eldest daughter, also named Margaret (1750–c.1844), Tresilian drew up a detailed prenuptial agreement
with Fawson's father. By the time of Tresilian's death in 1792, the younger Margaret had married William Bassett Chinnery (1766–1834), the elder brother of the painter George Chinnery
.
where he worked and was dismissed from all his posts on 12 March 1812. Margaret Chinnery was forced to sign over Gilwell Estate to the Exchequer
on 2 July 1812.
The Chinnery family was prominent enough that members of the English nobility visited often during the 1790s and early 19th century. King George III
visited on occasion, and the Prince Regent, who later became George IV
, was a regular visitor. George III's seventh son, Prince Adolphus
, became a family friend, lived at Gilwell for a while, and tutored their eldest son George.
Gilpin Gorst bought the estate in 1815 at public auction
, and his son sold it to Thomas Usborne in 1824. When London Bridge
was replaced in 1826, Usborne bought pieces of the stone balustrades
, which date to 1209, and erected them behind the White House around the Buffalo Lawn. The estate changed ownership more times, but these families did not maintain the property and it fell into disrepair by 1900. Reverend Cranshaw, a local resident, bought the estate in 1911 and was the last owner prior to the Boy Scout Association, as it was then known.
The estate's condition declined more during the 1910s. William F. de Bois Maclaren was a publisher and Scout Commissioner
from Rosneath
, Dumbartonshire, Scotland
. During a business trip to London, Maclaren was saddened to see that Scouts in the East End had no suitable outdoor area to conduct their activities. He contacted Lord Robert Baden-Powell
, who appointed P. B. Nevill to handle the matter. Nevill was Scout Commissioner of the East End. On 20 November 1918 over dinner at Roland House, the Scout Hostel in Stepney
, Maclaren agreed to donate £7,000 to the project. Part of the agreement included narrowing the areas to look for suitable land to Hainault Forest
and Epping Forest. Rover Scouts
searched both without success, but then John Gayfer, a young assistant scoutmaster, suggested Gilwell Hall, a place he went bird-watching. Nevill visited the estate and was impressed, though the buildings were in poor condition. The estate was for sale for £7,000, the price Maclaren had donated. The estate totaled 21 hectare (53 acres) at the time.
The estate was purchased in early 1919 by Maclaren for the Boy Scout Association. Nevill first took his Rover Scouts to begin repairing the estate on Maundy Thursday
, 17 April 1919. On this visit, the Rovers slept in the gardener's shed in the orchard because the ground was so wet they could not pitch tents. They called this shed "The Pigsty" and though dilapidated, it still stands, as it is the site of the first Scout campsite at Gilwell Park. Maclaren was a frequent visitor to Gilwell Park and helped repair the buildings. His dedication was so great that he donated another £3,000. Maclaren's interest had been in providing a campground, but Baden-Powell envisioned a training centre for Scouters. An official opening was planned for 19 June 1919 but it was delayed until Saturday, 26 June 1919 so that Scouts could participate in the Official Peace Festival commemorating the end of World War I
. Invitations were changed by hand to save money. Significant remodeling and construction was done in the 1920s. Because of limited finances, few improvements were made during the Great Depression
of the 1930s. Baden-Powell never lived at Gilwell Park but he often camped, lectured, taught courses, and attended meetings. He emphasized the importance of Scouters' training at Gilwell Park for Scouting by taking it as the territorial designation in his peerage title
of 1st Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell in 1929 when the baron
y was conferred upon him by the king.
rather than the business or administrative Headquarters offices. Scouters present at the original Wood Badge courses regularly saw axe blades masked for safety by being buried in a log. Seeing this, Gidney chose the axe and log as the totem of Gilwell Park. This logo came to be strongly associated with Wood Badge
leader training and is still used on certificates, flags, and other program-related items.
The symbol of the axe in the log is associated with feudalism
after the invasion and conquest of England
by William the Conqueror
. In that era, property, including forests, were owned by the landed barons and knights. Serfs, bound to the land in a form of modified slavery, were forbidden to cut wood from trees in the forest, and only permitted to gather downed wood. Freemen were given the right of loppage, or permission to cut limbs from the nobleman's trees as high as they could reach with an axe. A freeman who carried an axe in a nobleman's forest demonstrated that he had earned the right by service. Symbolically, the grain of an axe handle must be straight and true and "set square in the eye of the head." The steel head must have the proper temper
and be kept sharp. To be useful in the hands of a skilled freeman, an axe also needed to be well-balanced, otherwise the handle might break, endangering its user. The axe represented skilled laborers who had proven themselves through service. Lastly, the axe in the wood reminds those who have completed Wood Badge that they have committed themselves to be an example of service and fealty.
The estate was requisitioned by the War Ministry
from 1940–1945 as a local command, training, and ordnance centre. Little remains at the estate from World War II
, except the hole created by a bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe
. It was enlarged and is now used for swimming and canoeing. After the war, the Boy Scout Association bought adjoining land to increase the estate and protect it from rapidly approaching new developments. These areas are called The Quick, New Field, and Hilly Field. An additional purchase and a donation from South Africa
in the early 1950s brought the estate to its present size. This began an era of expanding camping facilities for Scouts which lasted until the early 1960s. Training and sleeping facilities were added through the early 1970s. The Boy Scout Association was renamed The Scout Association in 1967.
During the 1970s, two key and popular facilities were built: the Dorothy Hughes Pack Holiday Centre for Cub Scout
s and the Colquhoun International Centre for training Scouters, originally called The International Hall of Friendship. In the 1980s extensive remodeling of the White House was done. In April 2001, The Scout Association moved its program staff from London to Gilwell Park, where its training staff were already located. Extensive renovations were done to the White House and other buildings. With a budget of £20,000,000 and individual contributions as high as £500,000, improvements to programs and facilities have been ongoing since then in preparation for the 21st World Scout Jamboree
in 2007, which was the 100th anniversary of Scouting, hosted at nearby Hylands Park
, Chelmsford
, Essex
with related activities also being held at Gilwell Park. Gilwell Park provides The Scout Association with over £1,000,000 a year through conference fees, accommodation fees, and sales of materials.
became the first Camp Chief in May 1919 and served until 1923. He organized the first Wood Badge training, and contributed to setting up Gilwell Park as the Scouters' training centre. The Gidney Cabin was built and named in his honour in 1929 to serve as a training centre. The second Camp Chief was John Skinner Wilson, who served from 1923 until 1939. Wilson was Colonel with the British Indian Police when he became a Scout Leader
in 1917. In 1921 he traveled to Gilwell Park to take leader training, which led to his retirement from the Indian Police in 1922 to become a full time Scout Leader. He was honoured with the Bronze Wolf Award
in 1937, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
.
R.F. "John" Thurman was a British
Scout Leader who served as Camp Chief from 1943 until 1969 and was awarded the Bronze Wolf Award in 1959. He was a strong promoter of Scout training and wrote books on the subject that were translated into other languages. The Thurman Memorial stands near The Pigsty. Thurman was succeeded by John Huskin.
Don Potter
(1902–2004) was an English
sculptor and wood carver who was a lifelong staff member at Gilwell Park, serving as a Gilwell Master Craftsman. Potter created wood carvings at Gilwell Park, including the Jim Green Gate, Gidney Cabin, the Leopard Gates, and totems he carved for the 1929 World Jamboree.
Gilwell Park can host indoor and outdoor conferences, training, a variety of outdoor Scoutcraft
activities, and special events for both Scouting and non-Scouting organizations. These include conferences, leader training, team building, receptions, weddings, and funerals. Conferences are generally held in either the White House or Colquhoun International Centre (CIC), both of which are equipped with modern information systems and audio-visual aids. The CIC has a main hall, five seminar rooms, and six training suites.
, pedal go-karts, grass sledging, canoeing
, rifle shooting, crate stacking, wall climbing, revolving wall climb, jump mats, rafting, team building
, horse riding, orienteering
, pioneering, tours, hiking
, photography
, obstacle course
s, and aeroball.
While different leader training courses are conducted at Gilwell Park, the most prominent is Wood Badge. Francis Gidney, the first Camp Chief, conducted the first Wood Badge course at Gilwell Park 8–19 September 1919. Gilwell Park became the home of leadership training in the Scout movement
. Leaders from all over the world receive automatic membership in 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group (Gilwell Troop 1) on completion of the Wood Badge course. These leaders are henceforth called Wood Badgers or Gilwellians. Any location in which Wood Badgers meet is called Gilwell Field. The 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group meets every first weekend of September in Gilwell Park for the Gilwell Reunion.
The Training Ground, near the White House, is the hallowed ground of Gilwell Park as this is the world home of Wood Badge, the premier Scout leader training course. A large oak tree, the Gilwell Oak, separates the Training Ground from the Orchard.
Wintercamp - taking place in early January and open to Scouts and Explorer Scouts (11-18)
Fundays - open to the Beaver and Cub age ranges in June.
Gilwell 24 - open to the Explorer Scout (14-18) age range in July
Reunion - open to members of the 1st Gilwell Park who hold their woodbadge in early September
The White House and its predecessors represent over 500 years of Gilwell history. It became the headquarters of The Scout Association on 27 April 2001, although Baden-Powell House
(the former headquarters) still facilitates some departments of The Scout Association. The White House also serves as a restaurant, training, and conference centre. It was totally torn down once and has been renovated, remodeled, and expanded continuously over the years. The central portion has no foundations and the chimneys are made of Coade stone
. It also displays original Scouting paintings by Ernest Stafford Carlos (1883–1917); the highlight of which is The Pathfinder. In this historic setting as a conference centre, the White House has offered over 40 rooms (single, double, twin) with all modern facilities since 2004–2005.
leader from East London. The PHC is constructed with interlocking logs and, originally, without nails in the frame. It is often booked two years in advance. The PHC was built in 1970 by fitting interlocking logs together from a Norwegian design.
Lodge and will open in September 2008. Construction of a third lodge will begin in January 2009.
Log cabins on the edge of Woodland Field sleep 8 and have bunk beds. Cooking is provided in a separate shelter or an open fire can be utilized. All of these can be rented by groups. The Storm Hut was a large hall-type building for activities and games. It was moved to Gilwell Park from Wales
by trucks. The Storm Hut was demolished in 2008 to make way for the upgrading of 'The Lid' which now includes 2 classrooms, indoor climbing wall and high ropes elements.
assisted in the purchase.
The Gilwell Farmhouse is believed to date from the early 18th century, making it the oldest original building at Gilwell Park. It is composed of two buildings that were joined together. There is a brick well head on the farm that is known as the Gil Well.
The attractions to see at Gilwell Park include the Gilwell Museum and souvenir shop, a fully operational all-volunteer hospital, gardens, gates, statues, smaller buildings, and four houses of worship: Buddhist
, Catholic
, Jewish
, interdenominational, with the construction of an Islam
ic mosque
due to begin towards the end of 2008.
The bronze bust of Baden-Powell was presented by the Scouts of Mexico
in 1968 after the Olympics
. The Lime Walk formerly surrounded the main lawn area, but few of the lime trees survive. As originally planted by Margaret Chinnery, it would have formed a shady overhead cover to the path.
The Buffalo Lawn is so called because of the replica of the Boy Scouts of America
(BSA) Silver Buffalo Award
that was presented to the Boy Scout Association by the BSA in 1926. This was to honour the Unknown Scout
that helped William D. Boyce
bring Scouting to the United States. The Buffalo Lawn is behind the White House. Located there is a signpost with the directions and distances to all the World Scout Jamboree
s from Gilwell Park. The Buffalo Statue was originally mounted on a large tree stump. The stump has been replaced by a brick pedestal. The inscription reads:
A copy of a statue by R. Tait McKenzie
called The Ideal Scout stands near The Lid. This is also known as The Boy Scout. The BSA donated the statue in 1966. The original stands outside the headquarters of the Cradle of Liberty Council
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and another copy outside the BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas
.
The Buddhist Sala
was donated to Gilwell Park in 1967 by the Boy Scouts of Thailand
. The Buddha found inside was a gift from the Thai government and is over 1000 years old. Thai ambassadors to the United Kingdom often visit the sala, as it is their responsibility to care for it. Scouts from other countries, including Chile
, Japan
, Mexico
, and New Zealand
, have also donated gifts to Gilwell Park.
The Lid is a barn-sized building that can not be rented, but is used for dances, exhibitions, and religious services. It is so named because the original building only had a roof, with no walls.
The caravan trailer, presented to Chief Scout Sir Robert Baden-Powell
, along with a new Rolls-Royce car, during the 3rd World Scout Jamboree
in 1929 is now on display. The caravan was nicknamed Eccles. The car, nicknamed Jam Roll, was sold after his death by Olave Baden-Powell
in 1945. Jam Roll and Eccles were reunited at Gilwell for the 21st World Scout Jamboree
in 2007. Four Scouters, including Michael Baden-Powell
, a grandson of Robert Baden-Powell, formed the charitable company "B-P Jam Roll Ltd." with the aim of purchasing and conserving Jam Roll on behalf of Scouting. Funds are being raised to repay the loan that was used to purchase the car.
A field adjoining the boundaries of Gilwell Park, known as Bill Oddie Field, affords dramatic views of the London skyline over Pole Hill
, Chingford. The field was so-named after employees of The Scout Association spotted TV ornithologist Bill Oddie
recording a programme about circling birds of prey on the field in 2006.
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
and activity centre
Scout Activity Centre
A Scout Activity Centre is a campsite, hostel or conference centre of The Scout Association. They offer outdoor facilities and activities for the whole of the Scout Association and, in some cases, for other organisations...
for Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
groups, as well as a training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
and conference centre for Scout Leader
Scout Leader
A Scout Leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.-Roles:...
s. The 44 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
(109 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
) site is in Sewardstonebury
Sewardstonebury
Sewardstonebury is a small hamlet in Epping Forest, Essex, England.It is located approximately 18km northeast of Charing Cross, and surrounded by the forest. The nearest places are Chingford to the south and Sewardstone to the north...
, Epping Forest
Epping Forest (district)
Epping Forest is a local government district of the county of Essex, England. It is named after Epping Forest, of which the district contains a large part...
, close to Chingford
Chingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In the late Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the area was farm, growing to a wealthy estate that fell into disrepair towards 1900. It was bought in 1919 by Scout Commissioner
Scout Commissioner
In the Scout Movement, a commissioner is the person whose role it is to oversee a Scout association's programs, usually within a particular geographic area. Normally, commissioners are volunteers. In some Scout associations, the term Executive Commissioner is used to refer to a paid staff...
William de Bois Maclaren and given to the Scout Association
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to provide camping to London Scouts, and training for Scouters. As Scout Leaders from all countries of the world have come to Gilwell Park for their Wood Badge
Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement...
training, it is one of the landmarks of the world Scouting
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
movement.
The site contains camp fields for small patrols or for up to 1,200 people, indoor accommodation, historical sites, monuments of Scouting, and activities suitable for all sections of the Scouting Movement. It can accommodate events up to 10,000 people. Accommodation at Gilwell Park can be hired for non-Scout activities such as school group camping, wedding reception
Wedding reception
A wedding reception is a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony. It is held usually as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple receives society, in the form of family and friends, for the first time as a married couple. Hosts...
s and conferences.
Gilwell Park is one of six national Scout Activity Centres of the Scout Association, with Baden-Powell House
Baden-Powell House
Baden-Powell House, colloquially known as B-P House, is a Scouting hostel and conference centre in South Kensington, London, which was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting...
, Downe
Downe Scout Activity Centre
Downe Scout Activity Centre is one of the National Scout Activity Centres under the direct control of The Scout Association in Downe near Orpington, Kent. It provides camping and indoor accommodations for Scouts and Guides....
, Youlbury
Youlbury Scout Activity Centre
Youlbury Scout Activity Centre is one of a number of The Scout Association's National Scout Activity Centres in the United Kingdom and is the oldest permanent Scout campsite in the world .The Centre, which is based near Oxford, is open to Scouts from around the world, and offers many...
, Hawkhirst and Ferny Crofts.
Original farm in late Middle Ages
The history of Gilwell Park can be traced to 1407, when John Crow owned Gyldiefords, the land that would eventually become Gilwell Park. Between 1407 and 1422, Crow sold the land to Richard Rolfe, and the area became known as Gillrolfes, "Gill" being Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
for glen
Glen
A glen is a valley, typically one that is long, deep, and often glacially U-shaped; or one with a watercourse running through such a valley. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower than a strath."...
and "Rolfe" the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
of the owner. Following Rolfe's death in 1422, different sections of the property came to be called "Great Gilwell" and "Little Gilwell". The two areas were named after the Old English "wella", or spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
. A farmhouse has stood at Gilwell Farm ever since. Around this time, an adjoining 5.6 hectare (114 acre) property was purchased by Richard Osborne. In 1442, he built a large dwelling called Osborne Hall, which stood for 300 years. Legend has it that in the early 16th century, King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
owned the land and built a hunting lodge for his son Edward
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
, but there is no proof. Around 1736 the highwayman
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
Dick Turpin
Dick Turpin
Richard "Dick" Turpin was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's profession as a butcher early in life, but by the early 1730s he had joined a gang of deer thieves, and later became a poacher,...
began using Gilwell's forests to conceal himself and for ambushing travellers and freight along roads leading into London.
In 1754, William Skrimshire purchased Great Gilwell, Little Gilwell, and half of Osborne's estate, including Osborne Hall. Skrimshire demolished Osborne Hall and built a new residence, which he also called Osborne Hall. That building is now called the White House. Timbers in the White House can be dated to this time, but not to any previous era. Leonard Tresilian (?–1792) bought the estate in 1771 and expanded the land holdings and size of the residence. Tresilian's first wife, Margaret Holland, died young after bearing three daughters. He then married Elizabeth Fawson. Desiring that Gilwell pass on to his eldest daughter, also named Margaret (1750–c.1844), Tresilian drew up a detailed prenuptial agreement
Prenuptial agreement
A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into prior to marriage, civil union or any other agreement prior to the main agreement by the people intending to marry or contract with each other...
with Fawson's father. By the time of Tresilian's death in 1792, the younger Margaret had married William Bassett Chinnery (1766–1834), the elder brother of the painter George Chinnery
George Chinnery
George Chinnery was an English painter who spent most of his life in Asia, especially India and southern China.- Early life :Chinnery was born in London, where he studied at the Royal Academy Schools...
.
Rich estate in 18th century
The Chinnerys were wealthy and influential. William Chinnery's father, also named William, owned trading ships and named one Gilwell in 1800. William and Margaret Chinnery initially resided in London, and after three years of marriage and inheriting Gilwell in 1792, they moved to Gilwell in 1793. They soon shocked the populace by renaming Osborne Hall to "Gilwell Hall". William Chinnery expanded Gilwell's land holdings through significant purchases over 15 years and, with his wife, transformed it into a country estate with gardens, paths, and statues. Parts of the garden, paths, and dwelling modifications exist into the 21st century. William Chinnery was exposed as the embezzler of a small fortune from the British TreasuryTreasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
where he worked and was dismissed from all his posts on 12 March 1812. Margaret Chinnery was forced to sign over Gilwell Estate to the Exchequer
Exchequer
The Exchequer is a government department of the United Kingdom responsible for the management and collection of taxation and other government revenues. The historical Exchequer developed judicial roles...
on 2 July 1812.
The Chinnery family was prominent enough that members of the English nobility visited often during the 1790s and early 19th century. King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
visited on occasion, and the Prince Regent, who later became George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
, was a regular visitor. George III's seventh son, Prince Adolphus
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
The Prince Adolphus, 1st Duke of Cambridge , was the tenth child and seventh son of George III and Queen Charlotte. He held the title of Duke of Cambridge from 1801 until his death. He also served as Viceroy of Hanover on behalf of his brothers George IV and William IV...
, became a family friend, lived at Gilwell for a while, and tutored their eldest son George.
Gilpin Gorst bought the estate in 1815 at public auction
Public auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
, and his son sold it to Thomas Usborne in 1824. When London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
was replaced in 1826, Usborne bought pieces of the stone balustrades
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
, which date to 1209, and erected them behind the White House around the Buffalo Lawn. The estate changed ownership more times, but these families did not maintain the property and it fell into disrepair by 1900. Reverend Cranshaw, a local resident, bought the estate in 1911 and was the last owner prior to the Boy Scout Association, as it was then known.
Scouting connection
Scout Commissioner
In the Scout Movement, a commissioner is the person whose role it is to oversee a Scout association's programs, usually within a particular geographic area. Normally, commissioners are volunteers. In some Scout associations, the term Executive Commissioner is used to refer to a paid staff...
from Rosneath
Rosneath
Rosneath is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It sits on the western shore of the Gare Loch near to the tip of the Rosneath peninsula which projects south to the Firth of Clyde between the Gare Loch and Loch Long to the west, and about 2 miles from the village of Kilcreggan which is sited...
, Dumbartonshire, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. During a business trip to London, Maclaren was saddened to see that Scouts in the East End had no suitable outdoor area to conduct their activities. He contacted Lord Robert Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, who appointed P. B. Nevill to handle the matter. Nevill was Scout Commissioner of the East End. On 20 November 1918 over dinner at Roland House, the Scout Hostel in Stepney
Stepney
Stepney is a district of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in London's East End that grew out of a medieval village around St Dunstan's church and the 15th century ribbon development of Mile End Road...
, Maclaren agreed to donate £7,000 to the project. Part of the agreement included narrowing the areas to look for suitable land to Hainault Forest
Hainault Forest Country Park
Hainault Forest Country Park is one of the remaining sections of the former Forest of Essex in England. Epping Forest and Hatfield Forest are other examples. It is located in Hainault in the London Borough of Redbridge and its area is 136 hectares...
and Epping Forest. Rover Scouts
Rover Scouts
Rover Scouting is a service division of Scouting for young men, and in most countries, women. A group of Rovers, analogous to a Scout troop, is called a 'Crew.'...
searched both without success, but then John Gayfer, a young assistant scoutmaster, suggested Gilwell Hall, a place he went bird-watching. Nevill visited the estate and was impressed, though the buildings were in poor condition. The estate was for sale for £7,000, the price Maclaren had donated. The estate totaled 21 hectare (53 acres) at the time.
The estate was purchased in early 1919 by Maclaren for the Boy Scout Association. Nevill first took his Rover Scouts to begin repairing the estate on Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great & Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles as described in the Canonical gospels...
, 17 April 1919. On this visit, the Rovers slept in the gardener's shed in the orchard because the ground was so wet they could not pitch tents. They called this shed "The Pigsty" and though dilapidated, it still stands, as it is the site of the first Scout campsite at Gilwell Park. Maclaren was a frequent visitor to Gilwell Park and helped repair the buildings. His dedication was so great that he donated another £3,000. Maclaren's interest had been in providing a campground, but Baden-Powell envisioned a training centre for Scouters. An official opening was planned for 19 June 1919 but it was delayed until Saturday, 26 June 1919 so that Scouts could participate in the Official Peace Festival commemorating the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Invitations were changed by hand to save money. Significant remodeling and construction was done in the 1920s. Because of limited finances, few improvements were made during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s. Baden-Powell never lived at Gilwell Park but he often camped, lectured, taught courses, and attended meetings. He emphasized the importance of Scouters' training at Gilwell Park for Scouting by taking it as the territorial designation in his peerage title
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
of 1st Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell in 1929 when the baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
y was conferred upon him by the king.
Origin of the Axe and Log Totem
The axe and log logo was conceived by the first Camp Chief, Francis Gidney, in the early 1920s to distinguish Gilwell Park from the Scout Headquarters. Gidney wanted to associate Gilwell Park with the outdoors and ScoutcraftScoutcraft
Scoutcraft is a term used to cover a variety of woodcraft knowledge and skills required by people seeking to venture into wild country and sustain themselves independently. The term has been adopted by Scouting organizations to reflect skills and knowledge which are felt to be a core part of the...
rather than the business or administrative Headquarters offices. Scouters present at the original Wood Badge courses regularly saw axe blades masked for safety by being buried in a log. Seeing this, Gidney chose the axe and log as the totem of Gilwell Park. This logo came to be strongly associated with Wood Badge
Wood Badge
Wood Badge is a Scouting leadership program and the related award for adult leaders in the programs of Scout associations throughout the world. Wood Badge courses aim to make Scouters better leaders by teaching advanced leadership skills, and by creating a bond and commitment to the Scout movement...
leader training and is still used on certificates, flags, and other program-related items.
The symbol of the axe in the log is associated with feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
after the invasion and conquest of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
by William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
. In that era, property, including forests, were owned by the landed barons and knights. Serfs, bound to the land in a form of modified slavery, were forbidden to cut wood from trees in the forest, and only permitted to gather downed wood. Freemen were given the right of loppage, or permission to cut limbs from the nobleman's trees as high as they could reach with an axe. A freeman who carried an axe in a nobleman's forest demonstrated that he had earned the right by service. Symbolically, the grain of an axe handle must be straight and true and "set square in the eye of the head." The steel head must have the proper temper
Tempering
Tempering is a heat treatment technique for metals, alloys and glass. In steels, tempering is done to "toughen" the metal by transforming brittle martensite or bainite into a combination of ferrite and cementite or sometimes Tempered martensite...
and be kept sharp. To be useful in the hands of a skilled freeman, an axe also needed to be well-balanced, otherwise the handle might break, endangering its user. The axe represented skilled laborers who had proven themselves through service. Lastly, the axe in the wood reminds those who have completed Wood Badge that they have committed themselves to be an example of service and fealty.
Wartime and later development
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
from 1940–1945 as a local command, training, and ordnance centre. Little remains at the estate from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, except the hole created by a bomb dropped by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. It was enlarged and is now used for swimming and canoeing. After the war, the Boy Scout Association bought adjoining land to increase the estate and protect it from rapidly approaching new developments. These areas are called The Quick, New Field, and Hilly Field. An additional purchase and a donation from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in the early 1950s brought the estate to its present size. This began an era of expanding camping facilities for Scouts which lasted until the early 1960s. Training and sleeping facilities were added through the early 1970s. The Boy Scout Association was renamed The Scout Association in 1967.
During the 1970s, two key and popular facilities were built: the Dorothy Hughes Pack Holiday Centre for Cub Scout
Cub Scout
A Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
s and the Colquhoun International Centre for training Scouters, originally called The International Hall of Friendship. In the 1980s extensive remodeling of the White House was done. In April 2001, The Scout Association moved its program staff from London to Gilwell Park, where its training staff were already located. Extensive renovations were done to the White House and other buildings. With a budget of £20,000,000 and individual contributions as high as £500,000, improvements to programs and facilities have been ongoing since then in preparation for the 21st World Scout Jamboree
21st World Scout Jamboree
The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Scouting on Brownsea Island.The event was...
in 2007, which was the 100th anniversary of Scouting, hosted at nearby Hylands Park
Hylands Park
Hylands House is a Grade II* neo-classical villa situated within Hylands Park a 232-hectare park south-west of Chelmsford in Essex in South East England. It is owned and operated by Chelmsford Borough Council.-History:...
, Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
with related activities also being held at Gilwell Park. Gilwell Park provides The Scout Association with over £1,000,000 a year through conference fees, accommodation fees, and sales of materials.
Camp Chiefs, and other staff
Captain Francis "Skipper" GidneyFrancis Gidney
Francis "Skipper" Gidney was an early leader of the Scouting movement in the United Kingdom and organized the first Wood Badge adult leader training course at Gilwell Park in September 1919. He became the first Gilwell Camp Chief in May 1919 and served until 1923. The Gidney Cabin at Gilwell was...
became the first Camp Chief in May 1919 and served until 1923. He organized the first Wood Badge training, and contributed to setting up Gilwell Park as the Scouters' training centre. The Gidney Cabin was built and named in his honour in 1929 to serve as a training centre. The second Camp Chief was John Skinner Wilson, who served from 1923 until 1939. Wilson was Colonel with the British Indian Police when he became a Scout Leader
Scout Leader
A Scout Leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.-Roles:...
in 1917. In 1921 he traveled to Gilwell Park to take leader training, which led to his retirement from the Indian Police in 1922 to become a full time Scout Leader. He was honoured with the Bronze Wolf Award
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement"...
in 1937, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
.
R.F. "John" Thurman was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Scout Leader who served as Camp Chief from 1943 until 1969 and was awarded the Bronze Wolf Award in 1959. He was a strong promoter of Scout training and wrote books on the subject that were translated into other languages. The Thurman Memorial stands near The Pigsty. Thurman was succeeded by John Huskin.
Don Potter
Don Potter
Donald Steele Potter , was an English sculptor, wood carver, potter and teacher.-Early life:Don Potter was born in Newington, near Sittingbourne, Kent, the son of a school teacher, and attended a private school...
(1902–2004) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
sculptor and wood carver who was a lifelong staff member at Gilwell Park, serving as a Gilwell Master Craftsman. Potter created wood carvings at Gilwell Park, including the Jim Green Gate, Gidney Cabin, the Leopard Gates, and totems he carved for the 1929 World Jamboree.
Activities
Scoutcraft
Scoutcraft is a term used to cover a variety of woodcraft knowledge and skills required by people seeking to venture into wild country and sustain themselves independently. The term has been adopted by Scouting organizations to reflect skills and knowledge which are felt to be a core part of the...
activities, and special events for both Scouting and non-Scouting organizations. These include conferences, leader training, team building, receptions, weddings, and funerals. Conferences are generally held in either the White House or Colquhoun International Centre (CIC), both of which are equipped with modern information systems and audio-visual aids. The CIC has a main hall, five seminar rooms, and six training suites.
Outdoor activities
The Scout Activity Centres of The Scout Association provide camping, hostelling or conferencing for Scouts and Scout Leaders from around the world. Activities at Gilwell Park include: camping, leader training, a rope swing, high rope course, archeryArchery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, pedal go-karts, grass sledging, canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
, rifle shooting, crate stacking, wall climbing, revolving wall climb, jump mats, rafting, team building
Team building
Team building refers to a wide range of activities, presented to businesses, schools, sports teams, religious or nonprofit organizations designed for improving team performance...
, horse riding, orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
, pioneering, tours, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, obstacle course
Obstacle course
An obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual or team must navigate usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed and endurance. Sometimes a course...
s, and aeroball.
Leader training
While different leader training courses are conducted at Gilwell Park, the most prominent is Wood Badge. Francis Gidney, the first Camp Chief, conducted the first Wood Badge course at Gilwell Park 8–19 September 1919. Gilwell Park became the home of leadership training in the Scout movement
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
. Leaders from all over the world receive automatic membership in 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group (Gilwell Troop 1) on completion of the Wood Badge course. These leaders are henceforth called Wood Badgers or Gilwellians. Any location in which Wood Badgers meet is called Gilwell Field. The 1st Gilwell Park Scout Group meets every first weekend of September in Gilwell Park for the Gilwell Reunion.
The Training Ground, near the White House, is the hallowed ground of Gilwell Park as this is the world home of Wood Badge, the premier Scout leader training course. A large oak tree, the Gilwell Oak, separates the Training Ground from the Orchard.
Special events
Each year Gilwell Park runs a number of regular special events. These have been established for more than 20 years with the addition of Gilwell 24 in 2004 and are some of the largest annual Scout events in the UK.Wintercamp - taking place in early January and open to Scouts and Explorer Scouts (11-18)
Fundays - open to the Beaver and Cub age ranges in June.
Gilwell 24 - open to the Explorer Scout (14-18) age range in July
Reunion - open to members of the 1st Gilwell Park who hold their woodbadge in early September
Accommodations
Gilwell Park provides accommodation for visitors, comprising camping fields, hostel rooms, lodges and cabins.Camp fields
Gilwell Park provides camping opportunities for small groups and groups in excess of 2,500 people. This includes everything from unit-level camping up to hosting international events. Essex Chase is close to the swimming pool and stores and is the most popular campsite. Woodlands Field is a large field that will hold up to 200 campers, with space for activities, at the north end of the park. Branchet Field is the largest campsite and will hold 1,200 campers. Mallinson Field is a small, wooded, secluded area suited to small groups. Ferryman Field is a split-level field suitable for a large troop. It is at the north end of camp, past Woodlands.White House
Baden-Powell House
Baden-Powell House, colloquially known as B-P House, is a Scouting hostel and conference centre in South Kensington, London, which was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting...
(the former headquarters) still facilitates some departments of The Scout Association. The White House also serves as a restaurant, training, and conference centre. It was totally torn down once and has been renovated, remodeled, and expanded continuously over the years. The central portion has no foundations and the chimneys are made of Coade stone
Coade stone
Lithodipyra , or Coade stone, was ceramic stoneware that was often described as an artificial stone in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was used for moulding Neoclassical statues, architectural decorations and garden ornaments that were both of the highest quality and remain virtually...
. It also displays original Scouting paintings by Ernest Stafford Carlos (1883–1917); the highlight of which is The Pathfinder. In this historic setting as a conference centre, the White House has offered over 40 rooms (single, double, twin) with all modern facilities since 2004–2005.
Dorothy Hughes Pack Holiday Centre
The Dorothy Hughes Pack Holiday Centre (PHC) is for young people, sleeps 40, is centrally heated, and has a large kitchen. It is named after a Cub ScoutCub Scout
A Cub Scout is a member of the section of the worldwide Scouting movement for young persons, mainly boys normally aged about 7 to 11. In some countries they are known by their original name of Wolf Cubs and are often referred to simply as Cubs. The movement is often referred to simply as Cubbing...
leader from East London. The PHC is constructed with interlocking logs and, originally, without nails in the frame. It is often booked two years in advance. The PHC was built in 1970 by fitting interlocking logs together from a Norwegian design.
Branchet Lodge and other cabins
Branchet Lodge, or simply The Lodge, opened on 23 May 2003 on Branchet Field to replace old portable cabins. It should not be confused with another building also called The Lodge which was built in 1934 near the White House. Branchet Lodge is a single storey building that has central heating and sleeps up to 56 people in two separate wings with a single common kitchen and dining/meeting area. Each wing has its own bathing facilities. There are four single rooms for leaders, two rooms for disabled people that sleep two people each, and six rooms that sleep eight people each. The design incorporates skylights, natural lights, energy efficiency, and disabled access. It is constructed of stone, timber, copper, and a grass roof. At present, a second lodge is being constructed next door to the Branchet Lodge. This will be called the Jack PetcheyJack Petchey
Jack Petchey CBE is a businessman, now involved in many charitable enterprises. He was born and brought up in the East End of London. During the second world war, he served in the Royal Navy, and used his Navy discharge pay to start a car hire and car sales business. This grew into a business...
Lodge and will open in September 2008. Construction of a third lodge will begin in January 2009.
Log cabins on the edge of Woodland Field sleep 8 and have bunk beds. Cooking is provided in a separate shelter or an open fire can be utilized. All of these can be rented by groups. The Storm Hut was a large hall-type building for activities and games. It was moved to Gilwell Park from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
by trucks. The Storm Hut was demolished in 2008 to make way for the upgrading of 'The Lid' which now includes 2 classrooms, indoor climbing wall and high ropes elements.
Staff accommodation: Gilwellbury and Gilwell Farm
After the purchase of the original site in 1919, the purchase of Gilwellbury and adjoining land in 1945 is probably the next most important in Gilwell Park's Scouting history because it allowed The Scout Association to close the original road and fully utilize Branchet Field. It was originally used for small retreats and conferences but is now used as staff accommodation. The Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education (United Kingdom)
The administration of education policy in the United Kingdom began in the 19th century. Official mandation of education began with the Elementary Education Act 1870 for England and Wales, and the Education Act 1872 for Scotland...
assisted in the purchase.
The Gilwell Farmhouse is believed to date from the early 18th century, making it the oldest original building at Gilwell Park. It is composed of two buildings that were joined together. There is a brick well head on the farm that is known as the Gil Well.
Attractions
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, interdenominational, with the construction of an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
due to begin towards the end of 2008.
The bronze bust of Baden-Powell was presented by the Scouts of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in 1968 after the Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. The Lime Walk formerly surrounded the main lawn area, but few of the lime trees survive. As originally planted by Margaret Chinnery, it would have formed a shady overhead cover to the path.
The Buffalo Lawn is so called because of the replica of the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
(BSA) Silver Buffalo Award
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program...
that was presented to the Boy Scout Association by the BSA in 1926. This was to honour the Unknown Scout
Unknown Scout
The Unknown Scout was an anonymous member of The Boy Scout Association in the United Kingdom whose good turn inspired William D. Boyce to form the Boy Scouts of America .-Legend:...
that helped William D. Boyce
William D. Boyce
William Dickson "W. D." Boyce was an American newspaper man, entrepreneur, magazine publisher, and explorer. He was the founder of the Boy Scouts of America and the short-lived Lone Scouts of America . Born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, he acquired a love for the outdoors early in his life...
bring Scouting to the United States. The Buffalo Lawn is behind the White House. Located there is a signpost with the directions and distances to all the World Scout Jamboree
World Scout Jamboree
The World Scout Jamboree is a Scouting jamboree of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, typically attended by several tens of thousands of Scouts from around the world, aged 14 to 17....
s from Gilwell Park. The Buffalo Statue was originally mounted on a large tree stump. The stump has been replaced by a brick pedestal. The inscription reads:
“To an Unknown Scout Whose Faithfulness in the Performance of the Daily Good Turn Brought the Scout Movement to the United States of America.”
R. Tait McKenzie
Robert Tait McKenzie was an internationally renowned Canadian-born sculptor, doctor, soldier, physical educator, athlete and Scouter...
called The Ideal Scout stands near The Lid. This is also known as The Boy Scout. The BSA donated the statue in 1966. The original stands outside the headquarters of the Cradle of Liberty Council
Cradle of Liberty Council
The Cradle of Liberty Council is a Boy Scouts of America council created in 1996 with the merger of the former Philadelphia Council and the former Valley Forge Council .-History:The present council is the result of the 1996 merger of Philadelphia and Valley Forge councils...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and another copy outside the BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
.
The Buddhist Sala
Sala (architecture)
A Sala , also known as a sala Thai, is an open pavilion, used as a meeting place and to protect people from sun and rain. Most are open on all four sides. They are found throughout Thailand in Buddhist temple areas, or Wats, although they can also be located in other places. A person who builds a...
was donated to Gilwell Park in 1967 by the Boy Scouts of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The Buddha found inside was a gift from the Thai government and is over 1000 years old. Thai ambassadors to the United Kingdom often visit the sala, as it is their responsibility to care for it. Scouts from other countries, including Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, have also donated gifts to Gilwell Park.
The Lid is a barn-sized building that can not be rented, but is used for dances, exhibitions, and religious services. It is so named because the original building only had a roof, with no walls.
The caravan trailer, presented to Chief Scout Sir Robert Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, along with a new Rolls-Royce car, during the 3rd World Scout Jamboree
3rd World Scout Jamboree
The 3rd World Scout Jamboree was held in 1929 at Arrowe Park in Upton, Merseyside, United Kingdom. As it was commemorating the 21st birthday of Scouting for Boys and the Scouting movement, it is also known as the Coming of Age Jamboree...
in 1929 is now on display. The caravan was nicknamed Eccles. The car, nicknamed Jam Roll, was sold after his death by Olave Baden-Powell
Olave Baden-Powell
Olave St Clair Baden-Powell, Baroness Baden-Powell, GBE was born Olave St Clair Soames in Chesterfield, England...
in 1945. Jam Roll and Eccles were reunited at Gilwell for the 21st World Scout Jamboree
21st World Scout Jamboree
The 21st World Scout Jamboree was held in July and August 2007, and formed a part of the Scouting 2007 Centenary celebrations of the world Scout Movement. The event was hosted by the United Kingdom, as 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of Scouting on Brownsea Island.The event was...
in 2007. Four Scouters, including Michael Baden-Powell
Michael Baden-Powell
David Michael Baden-Powell is the heir presumptive to the Barony of Baden-Powell. He is the great-grandson of Baden Powell, the grandson of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell and Olave Baden-Powell, the great-nephew of Agnes Baden-Powell, Baden Baden-Powell, and Warington Baden-Powell,...
, a grandson of Robert Baden-Powell, formed the charitable company "B-P Jam Roll Ltd." with the aim of purchasing and conserving Jam Roll on behalf of Scouting. Funds are being raised to repay the loan that was used to purchase the car.
A field adjoining the boundaries of Gilwell Park, known as Bill Oddie Field, affords dramatic views of the London skyline over Pole Hill
Pole Hill
Pole Hill is a geographical feature on the border between Greater London and Essex. From its summit there is an extensive view over much of East, North and West London, although in the summer the leaves of the trees in Epping Forest have a tendency to mask some of the visibility to the North and...
, Chingford. The field was so-named after employees of The Scout Association spotted TV ornithologist Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie
William "Bill" Edgar Oddie OBE is an English author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who became famous as one of The Goodies....
recording a programme about circling birds of prey on the field in 2006.
See also
Other historically significant Scout campsites and training centres include- Brownsea IslandBrownsea Island Scout campThe Brownsea Island Scout camp was a boys camping event on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, southern England, organised by Lieutenant-General Baden-Powell to test his ideas for the book Scouting for Boys. Boys from different social backgrounds participated from 1 August to 8 August 1907 in...
, Baden-Powell HouseBaden-Powell HouseBaden-Powell House, colloquially known as B-P House, is a Scouting hostel and conference centre in South Kensington, London, which was built as a tribute to Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting...
(SAThe Scout AssociationThe Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
) - Kandersteg International Scout CentreKandersteg International Scout CentreKandersteg International Scout Centre is an international Scout centre in Kandersteg, Switzerland. The centre provides lodges, chalets and campsites covering 17 hectares of land. It is open to Scouts year round, as well as to non-Scouts for most of the year...
(WOSMWorld Organization of the Scout MovementThe World Organization of the Scout Movement is the Non-governmental international organization which governs most national Scout Organizations, with 31 million members. WOSM was established in 1920, and has its headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland...
) - Pax HillPax HillPax Hill, near Bentley, Hampshire, England, was the family home of Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Scout movement, and his wife, Olave, for over twenty years during the 20th century. It is located at the end of a half-mile drive, off the main A31 road....
, Our ChaletOur ChaletOur Chalet is an international Girl Guide/Girl Scout centre and one of four World Centres of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts . The others are Our Cabaña, Sangam, and Pax Lodge. Our Chalet is just outside of Adelboden, in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. Located in the...
(WAGGGS) - Philmont Scout RanchPhilmont Scout RanchPhilmont Scout Ranch is a large, rugged, mountainous ranch located near the town of Cimarron, New Mexico, covering approximately of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico...
, Philmont Training CenterPhilmont Training CenterThe Philmont Training Center , located at the Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, New Mexico, has been the National Training Center of the Boy Scouts of America since 1950. The PTC offers week-long training conferences from June through September for council, district, and unit volunteers, BSA...
(BSABoy Scouts of AmericaThe Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
)