An 18th century garden house in extensive parkland

The Temple is one of few surviving buildings of the magnificent Wanstead House estate, now part-managed by the City of London alongside Epping Forest. Wanstead Park was owned in the 1550s by Sir Richard Rich; and later by Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester both powerful men of the Tudor/Elizabethan court. In 1673, Sir Josiah Child, an immensely wealthy merchant and financier, bought the estate and embarked on an ambitious scheme to landscape the park, adding features and grottoes fashionable at that time to the earlier Tudor formal gardens.

The work was continued by his son Sir Richard Child, the first Earl Tylney, employing large numbers of local labourers. Tylney, who inherited a fortune from his father's investments in the East India Company, commissioned the architect Colen Campbell to design a grand Palladian mansion close to the mediaeval church (which itself was replaced in 1790 by the present St Mary's). Both Child and Tylney are immortalised in a handsome monument in the church. The house was demolished in the 1820s. Wanstead Park was acquired by the City of London Corporation and opened to the public in 1882.

The Temple has a classical portico with pantile roof. Wings that later provided accommodation were added to the original design.

The remnants of ancient sweet chestnut avenues, walnuts, viewing mounts, Grotto ruins and extensive lakes, woods and grassland surround the Temple, a palimpsest of its 500 year old history.

Wanstead Park and Epping Forest are grazed by the City of London's herd of conservation longhorn cattle. As an added bonus to your visit to the historic parkland, say hello to these docile and picturesque cows. They will be grazing around The Temple helping preserve acid grassland habitats and promoting plant, insect and bird diversity.